At least you can be glad to have traded for Sam Bradford.
I have no regrets about the Bradford trade.
He has more then proven he can be effective when he is given the time. ad considering Its still pretty doubtful Teddy will be ready to start the beginning of next year if ever again. A number 1 pick isnt that bad when you get someone who has shown he can play.
Take a good look at how many first round QBs have been selected that arent even in the league anymore let alone starting.
Bradford problem int he past is he played on really cr@ppy teams and had no surrounding cast. as well as injuries.
Considering as of this last game (green bay) The Vikes started their 7th offensive line combination of the season and a left tackle (TJ Clemmings) that not only couldnt block anyone that isnt in a wheelchair but probably would struggle with someone actually IN a wheelchair. and at one point they were playing their 4th string tackle And he is literally on his second offensive coordinator of the season. And no run game, Bradford has played amazingly well.(literally, historically well technically)
I doubt Favre, Brady,Rogers,Tarkenton, Or, anyone with the last name of Manning would have done any better
In all of their 8 losses, the Vikings were in the game down to the last series in 4 of them losing by 6 points or less in 2 of those and in 3 points or less in the other 2
11/06 Lions (the game I attended) 22-16 in overtime
11/23 Redskins 26-20
11/24 Lions 16-13
12-01 Dallas 17-15 (A game they won in almost every statistical category but the score)
In their other 4 losses they were only blown out twice
12/18 against the Colts 34-6
12/24 against the Pack 38-25
The other 2 they lost by 11 and 10 points.
10/23 Eagles 21-10
10/31 Bears 20-10
The Vikes have had their woes for certain. but it can be argued that they realistically should have won in the first 4 losses listed when you consider 3 of their first 5 wins were whippings of playoff bound teams.
Giants 24-10 and the first meeting with Green Bay 21-17 (7 of the Giants and Green Bay points came in 4th qtr junk time) and the Texans 31-13
And other losses were against teams they should have easily beaten
I've been both fortunate and unfortunate enough to have been able to watch every play this team has played this season. (with one to go)
When Bradford has been given the time to throw he has proven himself to be nothing less then a very good and VERY accurate passer capable of putting the ball all over the field
The problem is the O line. and of that nobody deserves more blame then Clemmings.
This may be a team sport. And for certain there have been mistakes made by most of the players, sometimes at critical moments. But there hasnt been a single player twho has consistently screwed up other then Clemmings. No single individual player has consistently done more to cost this team wins, to give up more sacks to commit more penalties at critical moments then Clemmings.
In the end though realistically. The accumulation of both game and season long injuries from the starting QB, to virtually the entire first and second string of the O line, hell even Zimmer was only working with one eye for a few weeks.
It was all just too much to overcome.
None of that is the blame of Bradford. Or even Zimmer. Both of whom I think deserve a ton of credit. Bradford for surviving and playing better then anyone realistically had a right to expect. And Zimmer who managed to keep his team close to winning most games. This team had every reason to fall apart very early in the year and didn't.
I give the team a lot of credit for not doing a Full Metal Jacket Pvt Pyle like soap in a sock beating on Clemmings. He certainly deserves it.
If there is top of the turd pile blame to be had. it falls not on Zimmer. But on Spielman For virtually ignoring the O Line with early picks for nearly 10 years. spielman has picked only 2 offensive lineman within the first 3 rounds since 2007. Matt Kalil (starting left tackle out due to injury) and Phil Loadholt who retired in July due to injury.