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QB at receiver? Cunningham, Palmer give Vikings varied options
Posted: Monday January 11, 1999 07:28 PM
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- Just when a defense thinks it might have the Minnesota Vikings' offense figured out, Randall Cunningham trots out of the huddle and lines up at wide receiver. That's right, the NFL's top-rated quarterback plays receiver, too. As if Randy Moss, Cris Carter and Co. weren't enough to deal with. But Cunningham isn't out there to catch a pass. He's out there to make room in the backfield for David Palmer to operate. Palmer, who did nearly everything on offense but snap the ball during his days at Alabama, lines up at quarterback in shotgun formation. "It's simply an attempt to get the ball to David a couple more times," offensive coordinator Brian Billick said Monday, one day after Palmer ran three plays at quarterback during Minnesota's 41-21 playoff win over Arizona. "I just wanted to give him another punt return, but out of the backfield and let him run around and make something happen," he said. So while defenses are trying to account for Moss, Carter, Cunningham, running backs Robert Smith and Leroy Hoard, Palmer's versatility gives them one more headache. That's something Atlanta (15-2) will have to be wary of when it visits the Vikings (16-1) for Sunday's NFC championship game. "The plays are supposed to give defenses a different look, something they need to spend a little time thinking about," Palmer said. One thing is certain, though. Cunningham is not the intended receiver. Or the secondary receiver. He's just a decoy trying to pull a defensive back away from the play. "Now, if they want to totally not cover him, then we have a contingency for that," Billick said. "But that's not going to happen." Not that Cunningham would mind a chance. "They won't look at me, and I'm a little upset," he joked. "I'd like to catch a touchdown. ... David is like I used to be. He just runs." The Vikings used that formation only twice during the regular season, with Palmer, one of the NFL's most dangerous return specialists, running for first downs on third down each time. They used it three times against the Cardinals, including once each on first and second downs. Palmer ran for first downs the first two times and was forced to throw the ball away the last time. It might look confusing or troublesome to defenses, but to the Vikings it's just another play in a playbook they used this season to score an NFL record 556 points. "It's not a special play. I mean, the only difference is the quarterback doesn't hand it to him," said Hoard, who set a team playoff record with three touchdowns Sunday. "But from that position he can throw it, which the defense has to deal with. It's worked every time we use it. It's like, `We know we got the first [down].'" A Slash-ing player in high school and college long before Pittsburgh's Kordell Stewart earned that nickname, Palmer has been something of an enigma to the Vikings since they drafted him in the second round in 1994. Despite his versatility, they have struggled until this season to make him a regular part of the offense. After finishing his career at Alabama second in school history with 3,939 all-purpose yards, Palmer entered this season with 50 catches in four seasons (26 of them came in 1997) for an 8.5-yard average and one touchdown. He had 21 carries for a 2.9-yard average and another score before this season. His touches were down this season (28 total compared to 37 in 1997) but nearly every time the Vikings got Palmer the ball he produced. He averaged 10.3 yards as a receiver, 5.2 yards as a runner. Add that to his duties returning punts and kickoffs, and Palmer finally has settled into an important role with the Vikings as they try to make it back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 22 years. "I like what I do here," Palmer said. "I'm just happy that [Billick] has enough confidence to call my number."
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