Fitz Beat
Larry Fitzgerald
There is no sugar-coating the disappointing Vikings 2010 season — plain and simple, they did not get the job done. The Vikings’ two-year run of NFC North titles is over, and the reality of a 6-10 season, last in the Division, is humbling.
Last year the Vikings had 10 Pro Bowl players after a 30-27 overtime loss at New Orleans in the NFC Championship. But this year’s team had just one and turned into a group of 53 individuals. Week after week that became more evident.
They tried to patch up some offensive holes as the season went on, but this team failed on offense. Trading for Randy Moss and Greg Camarillo did not help. And when Childress cut Moss, all hell broke loose. This was easily the most dysfunctional season of Vikings football I can remember.
The 2010 Vikings, for the most part, felt to a man like they were not rewarded financially for last year’s 12-4 season. And with Favre missing training camp again and Sidney Rice having hip surgery, Favre being rewarded with a $1 million salary per game for 2010 was an issue. It was clear his teammates did not like it.
It started and ended with quarterback Brett Favre; he came back for a second and final season, but the magic was gone. Last year’s 33 touchdowns with just seven interceptions were not revisited.
Favre struggled all year; he battled injury after injury — and Childress. Throw in his off-the-field distraction with the re-evaluation of Jenn Sterger and the sex-texting scandal from two years ago — that distracted this team also.
Favre threw only 11 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions, primarily because his offensive line had a sub-par year. Favre got hit a lot this year. Another issue was the team gradually tuning out Head Coach Brad Childress and his style, then quitting on him in the second Green Bay game with a humiliating 31-3 loss at the Dome.
The Vikings were 1-5 in the NFC North and for the first time since 1990 are dead last. They beat only one team with a winning record. With nearly 20 free agents on this year’s team and labor issues ahead off the field, Leslie Frazier will have his hands full as head coach in 2011.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday-Friday at 12:17 pm and 4:17 pm; he also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2).
Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
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