Vikes' offensive line key to 6-0 start
Posted: Tuesday October 20, 1998 04:13 PM
The unbeaten Vikings are the highest-scoring team in the league, but the
main reason for their success has been largely overlooked. Minnesota has
developed the most dominant offensive line since the massive Dallas units
of the early 1990s.
The Vikes' offensive line has given up just nine sacks this year and none
in the last two games while leading the way for running back Robert Smith to rush for
565 yards. Four members of Minnesota's front five -- Randall McDaniel, Jeff Christy, Todd Steussie and Korey Stringer --have
played together for four years, which is unheard of in the era of the
patchwork line. And all four could be headed to the Pro Bowl. Job safe
for now
Carolina's Dom Capers may be the safest 0-6 coach on the planet. Capers
still has his injury-plagued team battling to the end of games, which just
isn't the case in places like Washington and Philadelphia. Five times this
season Carolina has had a chance to win or tie on the last play of the
game.
During this season of missed planes, freak injuries and quitter
quarterbacks, Capers' calm manner has been the only thing keeping the team
together. Sweet revenge
The Dolphins have posted back-to-back shutouts at home for the first time
in team history. A big reason for that is linebacker Robert Jones, who was cut
by the Rams in June. In Sunday's 14-0 win over the Rams, Jones led the
Dolphins with eight tackles. To motivate himself before the game Jones says
he gazed at the pink slip Rams coach Dick Vermeil gave him back in St.
Louis. Late starters
Someone needs to wake up the Bucs. Tampa Bay has still not scored an
offensive touchdown in the first half of a game this season. Costly
hit
The $20,000 fine that Jacksonville defensive back Mike Logan received for
his helmet-to-helmet hit on Miami quarterback Dan Marino hurt in more ways
than one. Logan grew up near Pittsburgh idolizing Marino. And because Logan
is scheduled to earn $277,500 this season -- which breaks down to $17,343 a
game -- he actually lostmoney last week. And you thought you had a
bad week.
Sports Illustrated staff writer David Fleming covers the NFL and appears
regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated.
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