Cards can't handle Vikings' firepower

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Posted: Thursday January 07, 1999 10:07 PM

Arizona proved it deserves to be in the playoffs last weekend with its victory at Dallas. But I don't think the Cardinals have enough to beat the most explosive offensive team in the history of the NFL.

Last week, I called QB Jake Plummer the "x" factor because this kid is in awe of no one.

Plummer is young and will make mistakes but he doesn't get rattled. His teammates believe in him, and that makes the Cards dangerous.

Vikings defensive coordinator Foge Fazio, who I coached with for five years, will go after Plummer with all-pro John Randle and DE Derrick Alexander. When the Vikings come up field quickly looking for Plummer, look for the "shovel" pass to slow them down.

Fazio knows that his corners Jimmy Hitchcock and Corey Fuller are going to give up some big plays to Frank Sanders, Rob Moore, and Eric Metcalf.

So the Vikings will counter by either blitzing LBs Ed McDaniel and Dwayne Rudd, or doubling a wide receiver with safety Robert Griffith.

Not enough bullets: The Cardinals simply don't have the horses to keep up with Randy Moss (84) and company AP

The problem for all of the Vikings opponents is that they don't have enough quality DBs to match up with the Viking receivers.

Arizona has a more competitive situation with all-pro Aeneas Williams probably covering Randy Moss, young Corey Chavous taking the returning Jake Reed and nickelback Tom Knight assigned to Cris Carter.

But what seperates this offense from others is that the Vikings have answers for everything. When the Cards over play the pass, and they will have to, RB Robert Smith can break a long one.

And Dennis Green told me when all these weapons are covered they are prepared to go to TE Andrew Glover.

The Vikings have the best team in the league right now. They've won 15 games, they have nine Pro Bowl players, and a FG kicker who has not missed this year.

They've had two weeks to prepare, they're at home, and they have excellent offensive depth. They're simply are too much for the upstart Cardinals. I like the Vikings all the way to Miami.

 

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