5 Questions With A Viking

Dan Zinski over at TheVikingAge.com swapped questions with me this week about the upcoming game between our two teams. Below are the 5 questions I asked him. To read my answers to his questions, head over to TheVikingAge.com.

1: What will be the defensive approach to stopping Miami’s offense?

"TVA: Run fast and tackle, and when you catch them don’t let them get away. And hope the big guys up front get lots of penetration so the holes in the cover-2 that even the lamest quarterbacks can find in their sleep don’t start opening up wider than Rosie O’Donnell’s mouth. They may throw in a zone blitz for confusion’s sake and lately they’ve been rotating their defensive linemen a lot to keep guys fresh. If we’re lucky Jared Allen might learn a move this week so he doesn’t get ridden past the quarterback all game."

2: The Dolphins have a decent run defense, how will the Vikings gameplan for Mike Nolan’s blitz schemes?

"TVA: The smart thing, I guess, would be for them to pass in some obvious run situations early and create chaos. But of course this would run counter to Brad Childress’s habit of keeping the offense so predictable even people who’ve never watched football before in their lives can tell what’s coming. Frankly, I think the best move against defenses that like to bring people is to just let Favre read it and change the play. I have much more faith in Favre’s ability to diagnose a defense than anyone on the coaching staff."

3: How is Brett Favre progressing with his WR’s?

"TVA: It’s been hairy. Bernard Berrian, I think Favre is ready to set loose on his property and hunt down like a dog. Percy Harvin never practices and you could tell in the Saints game because he kept breaking off routes and getting lectured on the sideline. Of course it was this way last year early in the season and they managed to survive. I think it’s really just a matter of them not getting into such a “We have to protect Favre at all costs” mode. You have to run some three-wide stuff and give him some guys to throw to, and accept that it’s football so he’s going to get hit occasionally."

4: Visanthe Shiancoe has been stellar in the last 2 years, has he become the go to target for Favre?

"TVA:  Favre had a great feel with Shiancoe last year, and now with Chester Taylor gone and Sidney Rice hurt, he’s probably the one guy left on the field Favre really trusts. Until Favre develops some feel with his receivers, I think he will look for Shank a lot."

5: How will the Vikings prepare for Brandon Marshall?

"TVA: Actually, the last few years, the Vikings have done a pretty good job of slowing down teams’ #1 receivers. They are good at taking away the deep passes and they tackle so well that guys don’t ring up the big YAC numbers. Also – ask Andre Johnson about this – they like to slam guys around a bit. Antoine Winfield is a little guy but he will hurt a man."