Moon's Law

Remember back when Warren Moon lost his starting job to Brad Johnson? Or when Johnson lost his due to injury to Randall Cunningham, who went on to lose the job himself the next season to Jeff George? This seems to be a recurring theme here in Minnesota, the backup always plays better than the starter. In 2001 Todd Bouman replaced an injured Daunte Culpepper and played as well as any other QB in football with a 98.3 rating. The exception to that example is obviously that Daunte kept his job, however there was not an abscence of people calling for a Bouman-led offense. You can look to as late as two years ago when Gus Frerotte went 4-0 as a starter and once again a contingency of fans were advocating for him to be the permanent starter. Is all this coincidence? a product of the curse that has held the Purple without a Super Bowl win? or something else?

With the horrendous start that the team has had this year don't be surprised if this scenario presents itself once again with the man who started it all, Brad Johnson. If he is given a shot to play I confidently predict that he will jumpstart the offense and lead them to the playoffs. We have already heard rumblings of benching Daunte, if the Vikes continue to struggle and Zygi sticks to his word and doesn't give Mike Tice the boot during the season expect to see Johnson under center very soon.

The excitement among the knowledgable football fans in Minnesota for this season was very justified, the improvements on defense would no doubt make up for the departure of Randy Moss. However inexplicibly the team has looked like they couldn't hang with the St. Thomas Tommies in a packed Metrodome. One would assume that the season will eventually be turned around, but if we have learned anything in the past the old custom of making the #2 the #1 may be necessary to take the Vikes back to the postseason.