New Monday Night Era

[DTro]

That could very well be the worst opening to a Monday Night game that I can ever remember.

Where's Hank?

Also, Joey T needs to lay off the makeup

[DTro]

Oh I guess we now have a "lead in" to Hank

Could we just play the game?

[buzzsaw]

First drive = TD (nice hold on the XP) I'm worried that Williamson will have a hard time taking that #1 WR spot.

On a side note, the Packers just signed Koren Robinson...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2583583

[otto_man]

things are looking pretty weak in titletown,,,,,,,,WOW...

[buzzsaw]

Otto my main man, how it be goin' my brotha from anotha motha? Long time no chat? It's good to hear from you.... all I have to say is our teams are going in different directions... we cut Pro Bowler kick returner/#1 WR Robinson because of what he represents and you guys sign him... ouch huh?! How 'bout them Vikes on the road, playing on grass against a playoff team from last year??? just a nice win! here's what was written:

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings have a new coach, a new attitude, and an old quarterback who knows how to win.

Brad Johnson led a 54-yard fourth-quarter drive, capped by Ryan Longwell's 31-yard field goal with one minute remaining, to give the Vikings a 19-16 victory over the Washington Redskins on Monday night.

The victory made Brad Childress a winner in his head coaching debut, and made Johnson a winner for the 66th time as a starter two days before his 38th birthday. Johnson has won an impressive 61 percent (66 of 109) of his starts with four teams in his 15-year career.

The Redskins had a chance to tie after Longwell's kick, but John Hall -- who has struggled with leg injuries for the last two years -- was wide left with a poorly hit 48-yard field goal attempt with 12 seconds remaining.

"My heart was kind of stopping there. I was tying my shoes getting ready for an overtime game," Johnson said. "Fortunately, it went a little wide left for us and turned out great."

Chester Taylor, the Vikings' free agent signing from Baltimore, rushed 31 times for 88 yards and a touchdown, upstaging Clinton Portis' surprise return for Washington. Portis, who spent the week downplaying his chances for the game because of a shoulder injury, entered the game late during the Redskins' first drive and finished with 39 yards on 10 carries.

The loss subdued a Washington crowd that turned the stadium became a sea of fluttering red, white and blue as they waved American flags to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

[jbell1981]

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I'm worried that Williamson will have a hard time taking that #1 WR spot

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He would have had a great game if he could hold on to the ball. Maybe we should put some glue on his hands before each game.

[Matt Johnson]

If Williamson would have caught half the passes that were thrown to him the Vikes would have won by three TD's and Williamson would have racked up about 150 yds

I was happy with our running game. Chester Taylor wasn't given many chances to break through for TD's, but the one he was given he made count and took it home. He also juked well and helped lead the offense with his first game as a Viking. I'll take that... and the 12 FF points he got me

Good addition in Longwell... but Klewy is questionable

Oh, and Brad Johnson still has game

[TNFL]

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Maybe we should put some glue on his hands before each game.

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Actually the glue would be better served if placed on his elbows and hip as his hands did not even touch the ball on those two awful dropped balls. Where was the concentration? Ohhhh well, Nice Win on the road.

[Farley]

The best part about last night's game: NO TURNOVERS!

[buzzsaw]

Thats because BJ knows when to throw the ball away, unlike Culpepper... only one questionable decision on his part... the bomb to Williamson in the end zone while he was triple teamed.

[Northlander]

It sucks big time that I cant watch Monday Nights at work anymore!

Vikes looked good for a 1st game. Packers will be lucky to get 6 wins.

[Down to Earth]

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It sucks big time that I cant watch Monday Nights at work anymore!

Vikes looked good for a 1st game. Packers will be lucky to get 6 wins.

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Actually, they may be lucky to get 4 wins. Chicago is tough, so I'm not going to pass complete judgement after week 1. I'm curious has to how they will come out against the Saints this week.

[buzzsaw]

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Actually, they may be lucky to get 4 wins

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Actually a better number may be "3" don't you think?

[Down to Earth]

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Quote:

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Actually, they may be lucky to get 4 wins

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Actually a better number may be "3" don't you think?

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I'll let you know after this weekend.

[buzzsaw]

Some more good reading from ESPN:

Oh Ye Mortals, Trifle Not with the Football Gods: Few football-game scenes are more ridiculous than when a defender dances and struts after a routine play. On Sunday in the Texans-Eagles game, David Carr simply slipped and fell down; Philadelphia defender Trent Cole one-hand-touched Carr to end the play. Cole then jumped up and danced as if he'd just won the Heisman Trophy. Excessive defender dancing may tempt the football gods to exact vengeance. In the first Monday Night Football game, early on Troy Williamson of Minnesota beat Carlos Rogers of Washington, then dropped what would have been a long touchdown pass. Rogers jumped up and danced and strutted, pointing to himself -- as if he'd just done something magnificent, rather than been beaten and the beneficiary of good fortune. Skies darkened and lighting flashed above my house as the football gods signaled their displeasure with this rodomontade.

WireImage

Some parts of the Redskins' organization went all-out at FedEx Field on Monday Night Football; it just wasn't the team.

Later in the game Marcus Robinson badly beat Rogers for a touchdown reception, exacting the penalty. Tactics note: On the Robinson touchdown, Minnesota faced third-and-5 on the Washington 20. The Redskins rushed four, dropping seven into coverage, with both safeties in standard Cover 2 dropping deep. The Vikings sent out four receivers. Yet with seven to cover four, Robinson was singled on Rogers in the corner of the end zone. Both Washington safeties stood in the center of the field like topiary, covering no one

[Kevin Turner]

New Monday Night Era....What a disapointment. ESPN did a woeful job.

I enjoyed the Vikes win though....

[Dotch]

No kidding. On several occasions, they were more concerned about showing the guys calling the game while flapping their jowls than they were about showing the game itself. As if the reason we were watching was to listen to those bozo's...would be just as well off to turn on some Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Pink Floyd, etc. Thank goodness for the mute button; great Vikes win!

[Farley]

Try Paul Allen (P.A.) A.M. 1130 the FAN during Vikes games. He really gets into it.

[Dotch]

Not sure how that'll come in post-nightfall being AM & all this far south. Some of the FM stations carry it but again, not sure how much delay time there is between satellite TV & the radio. Haven't been overly impressed with the KFAN crew when I've been travelling and forced to listen to games on the radio. A lot of babbling but at least they cover the game. Greg Coleman usually says something stupid & sounds like he has a cattle prod stuck up his butt! Got spoiled on the Ray Scott's, Brad Nessler's, Stu Voight's, Joe McConnell's and Dave Huffman's over the years I guess but anything has to be better than those ESPN clowns. At least I don't have to look at 'em. Thanks Farley, will give it a whirl.

[Jim Almquist]

I don,t know if it is me or if the crew at ESPN seems to like the east coast so much that they ignore everybody else. Hate to sound like such a homer but I hated the monday nite football talk. Not the game but the crew covering it. Maybe thats why they want to show the Yankees twice on ESPN this weekend when there playing a team that is 11.5 out.

[WCT]

Only took a few minutes of watching Monday Night coverage to remind me what the E in ESPN stands for. It's just like the ingredient info on food packages the most prevalent ingredient is listed first. Tony Kornheiser has the perfect face and voice for print media. Dropping him would help reduce the East coast bias. Give me radio coverage any time. Ol Sneller

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

ESPN's coverage was HORRIBLE. One guy is a washed up pinhead ex-footbal player, the other is a mediocre, at best, beat writer, and there main guy is a golf anylyst for ABC. what a joke. The worst part of the whole thing was the fact that they spent a half an hour talking to Jamie Frigggin Fox about Tom Criuse. Did they forget that There was a game on????

I watched the game with my old man and we found ourselves yalling at them, not a good sign for them(or us ).

It was good game though from a football stand point.

GO VIKES

[DTro]

Oh Boy, Fox is laying another egg on this broadcast. Is this the cameraman's first game? Missed shots, jerky movements. And who's this new commentator......yikes.

Time to mute and pod up Paul Allen on the radio.

[buzzsaw]

Glad I was at the game... I gotta tell you after Delhomme's fumble off the helmet in OT was overturned... I've never heard as many F'en heimers flying anywhere!! What a horrid call, good thing we were still able to perservere!

[DTro]

I gotta admit, I not really one for going after the refs, but that "forward pass" was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen. I'm sorry, but the ref has got to be able to use his best judgment and not go by the book on some of these reviews.