Dearth of leadership?

[Texas Vike]

A really important part of a coaching staff's success, IMO, is getting leaders to buy-in. In fact, it's true for any collective endeavor.

I've been trying to wrap my head around the juxtaposition of last year's over-acheiving team--a team that won some big games down the stretch with the season on the line and rallied around one another--to this year's team. In particular, that second TD where Tolbert bounced off 3 or 4 would be tacklers. It did not appear to me to be due to Tolbert's determination or effort, but rather to Vikings defenders lacking both of those qualities. It was pathetic. It looked like a team that had given up.

One theory I have is that we lost serious skills and, more importantly, leadership when we cut Antoine. The rotation at QB, an obvious source of leadership on offense, is an obvious problem too.

The one that involves more speculation is Jared Allen. He's saying things like this in the press: Several veterans vented in the postgame locker room, with defensive end Jared Allen offering a particularly blunt salvo. “When you lose, heads roll,” he said. “That’s just the way it is.” I have to wonder if he is frustrated with the contract situation (not getting extended, or simply seeing the end of the tunnel w/ the Vikes) and he's less apt to really get the guys to rally around Frazier like last season. When I watched the excellent "NFL in Season" it reminded me of just how vocal Allen is and how charismatic he is. I have little doubt that guys look to him for leadership on the field.



http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 57591.html

[PurpleHalo]

They do seem deflated, maybe the coaches have lost them. Hard to tell, because there are so many variables.

[Mothman]

A really important part of a coaching staff's success, IMO, is getting leaders to buy-in. In fact, it's true for any collective endeavor.

I've been trying to wrap my head around the juxtaposition of last year's over-acheiving team--a team that won some big games down the stretch with the season on the line and rallied around one another--to this year's team. In particular, that second TD where Tolbert bounced off 3 or 4 would be tacklers. It did not appear to me to be due to Tolbert's determination or effort, but rather to Vikings defenders lacking both of those qualities. It was pathetic. It looked like a team that had given up.

One theory I have is that we lost serious skills and, more importantly, leadership when we cut Antoine. The rotation at QB, an obvious source of leadership on offense, is an obvious problem too.

The one that involves more speculation is Jared Allen. He's saying things like this in the press: Several veterans vented in the postgame locker room, with defensive end Jared Allen offering a particularly blunt salvo. “When you lose, heads roll,” he said. “That’s just the way it is.” I have to wonder if he is frustrated with the contract situation (not getting extended, or simply seeing the end of the tunnel w/ the Vikes) and he's less apt to really get the guys to rally around Frazier like last season. When I watched the excellent "NFL in Season" it reminded me of just how vocal Allen is and how charismatic he is. I have little doubt that guys look to him for leadership on the field.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 57591.html

My guess is Allen is just frustrated with losing. his comment that "heads roll' could mean almost anything from an expression of frustration with his contract status (based on his past statements, I doubt that explanation) to frustration with his coaches or even to frustration that his head coach's head may be on the chopping block.

I think he's just frustrated with the losses and he's saying that losses have consequences but I think you're onto something with the rotation at QB.

[Texas Vike]

My guess is Allen is just frustrated with losing. his comment that "heads roll' could mean almost anything from an expression of frustration with his contract status (based on his past statements, I doubt that explanation) to frustration with his coaches or even to frustration that his head coach's head may be on the chopping block.

I think he's just frustrated with the losses and he's saying that losses have consequences but I think you're onto something with the rotation at QB.

You're probably right about Allen. The other leader on D, Greenway, is also showing frustration in his comments to the press, saying it feels like the year they went 3-13. It's good that they're pissed. We need guys to play w/ some anger to not let the Tolberts of the world run through us.

The main reason to watch the upcoming, nationally televised games is to see if they just roll over and give up on the season or if they stay feisty and fight.

[UKViking]

It's good that they're pissed. We need guys to play w/ some anger to not let the Tolberts of the world run through us.

Didn't Tolbert run through us in that year we went 3-13 in against the Chargers?

[Mothman]

You're probably right about Allen. The other leader on D, Greenway, is also showing frustration in his comments to the press, saying it feels like the year they went 3-13. It's good that they're pissed. We need guys to play w/ some anger to not let the Tolberts of the world run through us.

The main reason to watch the upcoming, nationally televised games is to see if they just roll over and give up on the season or if they stay feisty and fight.

Agreed. Their performance in this next game will tell us a lot about the character of the team, the quality of the leadership and the coaching staff's ability to rally and prepare the team in very difficult times. If they start Freeman, winning could be a very tall order since he's so new to the team and it's a road game. It should actually be a good game. The Vikes and Giants have only one win between them but I imagine they will both come out desperately trying to claw their way to a victory.

[Mothman]

Didn't Tolbert run through us in that year we went 3-13 in against the Chargers?

Yes, I think he did.

[Texas Vike]

Yes, I think he did.

Uh-oh, it's an omen. We're doomed by the "tollbooth".