The Vikings will get their exhibition season started Friday night against the Colts. While there we be a lot more passes from Jim Sorgi than Peyton Manning testing the Vikings defense, there are still plenty of things to watch if you're a Vikings fan.
Here's a look at three things to keep an eye on in the preseason opener.
While the offensive line might not represent a direct draft day decision for your roster, few areas of knowledge can offer a competitive advantage in fantasy football like having a good grasp of the various units of trench soldiers around the league. So with that in mind, each year at FanHouse we break down every NFL team's offensive lines into five tiers: the crème de la crème, the highly competent, the serviceable, the grim, and the bunk.
With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.
Yes, the Carolina Panthers are late to the party. But I thought it only appropriate given that the Cats have no first round pick in this year's NFL Draft. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing whatsoever. Last year, the Panthers traded this year's first-rounder (plus 2008's second and fourth round picks) for the Eagles' first round pick (No. 19 overall) and selected Jeff Otah. Carolina made the playoffs and looked like a Super Bowl contender late in the season.
Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.
John Fox and Marty Hurney headed into 2008 with their jobs on the line after an underwhelming 2007 that featured a whole lot of Mittens and not a lot of excitement in Charlotte. They decided to throw caution to the wind and play for "now" by trading their 2009 first-round pick for a chance to pick up both Jeff Otah and Jonathan Stewart in the first round of the draft.
With a healthy Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers finally deciding to care, a road-grading offensive line and a rejuvenated Smash and Dash running game that featured DeAngelo Williams and Stewart, the Panthers surprised some people by winning the NFC South and looking like a Super Bowl-caliber squad.
Every week we look at some aspect of line play around the league with our Between The Lines feature.
As the playoffs get closer and closer, the Panthers may supplant the Plaxico Burress-less Giants as the NFC's No. 1 seed. If they do, a lot of the credit will go to an offense that can run (with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart) and pass.
But an even bigger reason the Panthers are 6-1 over the past seven games is because they have finally gotten their starting offensive line playing together.
Early in the season, injuries wrecked the Panthers' line. First guard Travelle Wharton missed two games with a knee injury. Tackle Jordan Gross missed a game with a concussion. Then ankle injuries sidelined tackle Jeff Otah (four games) and center Ryan Kalil (four games). Because of all the injuries, right guard Keydrick Vincent is the only lineman to start all 14 games this season, and three different Panthers' substitutes have started a total of 11 games this year.
The charges stemmed from an incident Saturday night involving Dom Perignon champagne and a bouncer at Villa Antonio Restaurant in Ballantyne, according to Bridges' attorney, George Laughrun, and the restaurant's manager.
Bridges turned himself in Sunday night and was expected to be released after posting $2,500 bond. Laughrun said he expected Bridges would plead not guilty.
Apparently, Bridges ordered a bottle of bubbly at the bar, shook it up and got some of the other customers wet. He was asked to leave, which he attempted to do. However, a female customer who received the champagne shower took issue with Bridges. He didn't like that -- not one bit.
So Bridges started yelling at the customer and pushed away a bouncer. Because he is a big man and was obviously angry, the police were called.
Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.
Quarterback:Jake Delhomme is coming off Tommy John surgery so no one knows what to expect. At the end of 2006, some fans wanted someone new at quarterback. Before he was injured in 2007, he was off to a white-hot start. How he recovers will go a long way to a successful Panthers season. Matt Moore filled in nicely late last season and may be the team's future. Brett Basanez isn't ready for prime time. No more Vinny or Mr. Mittens. Heat Index: 5
Running backs: The Panthers have been looking for a Stephen Davis type back and may have found one in rookie Jonathan Stewart. He's the kind of bull coach John Fox likes to center his offense around. DeAngelo Williams will be more efficient as a change-of-pace back. Brad Hoover is back again as an effective fullback. Nick Goings is always around to back up anybody. Heat Index: 5
Pittsburgh offensive tackle Jeff Otah has a major feather in his cap: He outplayed Chris Long when Pitt played Virginia. But he's more than just a one-game wonder, and the Panthers will be glad they traded up to get a second first-round pick and select him in the NFL draft.
Between Otah and Jonathan Stewart, there's no question that the Panthers' running game got a lot better today. But it's a bit of a surprise that the Panthers traded up for someone other than a quarterback. It's on you, Jake Delhomme.
With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.
There's really not much choice for the Bears when their pick rolls around on April 26. They need to take someone to help their moribund offense and, given their shortages at the position, they need to take someone who can start on the offensive line on day one. It's the only way they can help their running game develop and upgrade their quarterback protection to acceptable levels in one fell swoop. The question is which player will best help them do it.
Jeff Otah of Pittsburgh is ready to go on day one. He's got a massive body that's built for running behind, long arms that can keep pass rushers at bay and the strength to succeed on both fronts. He's not speedy, though, and will be a right tackle as opposed to playing on the more valuable left side but the Bears still have John Tait for that spot. The only other downside to Otah is his ceiling. He's probably going to be just what he is now, which is fine, but perhaps not what Branden Albert of Nebraska Virginia offers.
The Vikings will get their exhibition season started Friday night against the Colts. While there we be a lot more passes from Jim Sorgi than Peyton Manning testing the Vikings defense, there are still plenty of things to watch if you're a Vikings fan.
While the offensive line might not represent a direct draft day decision for your roster, few areas of knowledge can offer a competitive advantage in fantasy football like having a good grasp of the various units of trench soldiers around the league. So with that in mind, each year at FanHouse we break down every NFL team's offensive lines into five tiers: the crème de la crème, the highly competent, the serviceable, the grim, and the bunk.
Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.
With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.
Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.
Every week we look at some aspect of line play around the league with our Between The Lines feature.
Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges was arrested Sunday night for assault and battery and communicating threats.
Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.
