madlithuanian

Vikings will do "offseason study" of Peterson's fumbles Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 27, 2010 8:31 AM ET Minnesota's final two losses of the season had something in common: costly Adrian Peterson fumbles. The annoying tendency turned into a full-blown meltdown in the NFC Championship, and Vikings coach Brad Childress admitting that fixing the issue is an offseason priority. "He needs to hold on to it, but I'm sure he and [running backs coach Eric Bieniemy] and our offensive staff will do a good job of kind of troubleshooting that and seeing what we can come up with," Childress said. Perhaps Childress watched PFT Daily before his presser, because he said the team will look at how Peterson holds the ball. "I think that's probably an offseason study type of thing as well," Childress said. "Everybody's a little different [with] kind of the way their forearms are created -- short forearms, long forearms. You can say, 'Well, everybody can hold it high and tight.' Sometimes that's true, sometimes that's not true. We talk about points of contact with the body, what should be on the ball, where should the body and ball be in relation, but there are also styles, too." Peterson was only credited with two fumbles against the Saints, but also took responsibility for a botched handoff late in the first half. Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune made a great point Wednesday, wondering if crowd noise caused that crucial fumble. Peterson remained frozen well after the ball was snapped on the play, perhaps not hearing Brett Favre's cadence. That caused the timing of the play to fall apart, resulting in one of the biggest turning points of the game. No change in running style would fix that play. But if it wasn't for Peterson's fumble in Chicago, the Vikings may not have had to deal with any crowd noise at all.

Good points TD...

Yep...not that Marcus is like Jackson. Jackson seems like a nice kid.

Anyone involved in Tavaris Jackson worries me greatly... Which is probalby why this'll be the guy.

True enough! ...and let me thank you for brining up future Bears fans! Lord knows we don't need any more Cryboys ones!

I hear ya! My wife says we don't need kids when the bigest one in the house comandeers the TV every Sunday!

Did you not intrinsicly know that after the Bengals game, that GB would kill us? Yet, we watched, no? Don't get me wrong, I get what you're saying. That there seemed to be hope. Especially early on, and towards the end (unforuntately when it was far too late). And you basically watch with hope. My heart and mind battled every weekend. My mind told me it's a pipe dream and my heart told me that we can win! We're kind of arguing semantics, and that's not the point I was trying to make. It's that, there is a part of, at least me, and would appear many, that following Smith would prove to be a failure. It was. That's the fear for next season as well. I even bought in hook, line and sinker into the Cutler will take us to the Super Bowl mentality! I got over my Smith dislike thinking, it could happen, That the O would click, the D would be better since he was calling plays, etc. But, I was wrong.

Makes sense! I too, like Chitownman, have the ticket and watch at home. I'll get it every year until they stop doing it. I still need to watch the train wreck! ...and I bet on various pools, fantasy, etc...so it's good to watch other games too. But for me it boiled down to money. When I'd go to a bar, I could end up spending $100 a Sunday. Not all the time, but enough. Plus, I enjoy my drink, so unless I could cab it (which I can't), I'd prefer to be at home. I have friends that walk or get lifts over and watch games with me. We grill, drink, and have a blast. One other fellow Bears fan joins in every week, and we usually end up in my backyard smoking a cigar with a fine glass of single malt bitching about how badly the team is run. My wife and I don't have kids, so that element isn't in the mix for us.

Well put. (usually much more elloquently than I could ever muster up...) I have the attitude of Boone & Otter from Animal House. "They can't make fun of our pledges. Only WE can make fun of our pledges!"

Good question!

Just frustation talking!

Yes! Although I did say it as a joke, I'll take your jab accepting full responsibility that I indeed did write that. You are also one of the "masochists" I refer to. We all are. The term is meant as strong statement (albeit maybe a bit over the top...I'm not running for office here, so I have a bit more leeway) that we seem to dismiss the pain and aguish over a poorly run franchise and keep coming back for more. Here's the definition: A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences. Sound familiar? And if wearing a burlap sack is all it took for us to get a Super Bowl win, I'd wear one every freakin' day! I'm glad your offer still stands. Not sure why you reference it in your counterpoint to my post as I'm not a season ticket holder, and I too in fact would buy someone's season tickets. I guess I just have a tendency to subject myself to unpleasant or trying experiences. But a regular game ticket, I'm not buying until there's a regime change.

BINGO! I was saying that all last year... This club is looking for the easy insurance policy instead of being forward thinking. Playing catch-up never works.

I am 100% in the camp that think this isn't a good thing... You strike while the iron is hot. The next season doesn't start in March or June or September. It starts the day after your last game...if not earlier. And we are clearly behind...

Thank you for that perspective...I was starting to lose it. But, I hate to say it, they are still going to get another crony.

Really? What tenure? What fans know anything about the history of the Bears other than that "lark of a season" in 1985 when they were like 5 years old? Or maybe how that really nifty return guy got a td in that Super Bowl that Peyton Manning won. This is a win now league, and for 24 years and counting, this team hasn't won. I get nothing but grief and condolences from every fan on this side of the globe that isn't from Chicago. We are the Cubs. We're the lovable losers. It's a pity party every Monday in my office (as I live in LA and the office is basically a group of transplants from all over the country). I even get well wishes from Packers, Vikings and Lions fans! No, we are a laughing stock. And it pisses me off.

Exactly... Yep, the whole wife thing just makes an easy excuse for Chud, rather than saying this franchise is a complete mess that I want no part of.

Just the fact that we're mentioned in the same breath of those teams is bad Connor. We should be a shining star, instead we've fallen from grace harder than any team in the history of the NFL. Peter King and many experts had us winning a Super Bowl this year! Granted, lofty...but many expected so much more and we delivered far less. For numerous years now really. Now people don't even want jobs with us and are choosing Oakland over us. Its' bad. It's real bad.

Excellent rant chitownman! I could not have put it better. I'm truly disgusted by ownership. The franchise has no future for success. It starts at the top and the leadership is lacking in everything but ego and coin counting. They are fools, they think they know everything, and they think we are all fools. Yet, my dumb ass is going to root for them next year and beyond. We Chicago fans are such masochists. We're too blinded by past and loyalty that we're essentially giving ownership carte blanche to sell us a bad good of sale every year and still line their coffers with Titanic amounts of loot. (I hope the Titanic reference is noted...) Seeing Smith on the sidelines next season I'm certain will be like ipecac. It'll just induce instant and furious vomiting.

Sad, but not surprising in the least.

Yes. And both would probably expedite Smith's ousting.

But if he tanks here his stock is hurt severely.

Yep. It's painfully obvious this regime is delusional. Or at worst, playing us all for fools. Probably both...

All the hiring of Smith and their list of candidates at that time means is that Angelo can't pick good coaches. And they all are in the same boat. None have won a championship. I don't look at going as success. Only winning. All or nothing. The bears could be looking at staffs from either Indy or NO. But if the trend continues, no one would be interested. Nothing seems to be pointing otherwise. And why would they leave? I could see for a brand new staff or a HC position. But to be a Smith puppet as a DC or shackled to an offensive scheme where virtually your entire staff is in place...would it really look appealing to guys that are on the staff of those 2 franchises? I've got a ton ofr freinds from PIT...they kind of shrug their shoulders at this past season. It sucked, but at least last year they won it all. And if not for Polamalu going down, that D would have been much better and probably would have done enough to get them into the playoffs. And then they become dangerous. Most my Steelers freinds are more pissed off at the Madden football curse and Polamalu signing up for that, than anything else! Although they do fear an agning D...but that's another thread. I really want the Bears to be successful. However, I just do not see it happening under this current regime. Everything going on is a dog & pony show to lull fans into thinking they are actually doing something. I see through the sham. I can't help but cheer on my team, but it's hard to soar like an eagle when you work for a bunch of turkeys.