Enemy Lines

an opposing team's scout sizes up the Vikings

What a sad situation. I think the Vikings will have a very hard time recovering from Korey Stringer's death in the preseason, but if anyone can pull that team together, it's Dennis Green. Every year you think Minnesota will stink, and every year Green has his team playing well....

Even before Stringer's death, though, I thought the Vikings had some real problems. Losing running back Robert Smith, tackle Todd Steussie and linebacker Dwayne Rudd will be awfully tough on them....

They'll especially miss Smith as a receiver, where he would just kill the other team....

Michael Bennett was a good pick. He'll be the fastest player in the league—he could've been an Olympic sprinter—and when he finds a crease, he's gone. He runs hard for someone his size [5'9", 210 pounds], but he's got to become a better receiver....

Jim Kleinsasser will help Bennett tremendously. He's among the best fullbacks in the league, a very good lead blocker....

With Randy Moss and those other wide receivers, Minnesota is still very explosive....

The defense will hurt the team, though. The Vikings had big needs to address in the off-season at rush end and cornerback, and they ignored them....

Losing John Randle will be tough, but Lance Johnstone is a nice pickup. [Rookie defensive tackle] Willie Howard won't do much....

Minnesota will be 8-8 or 9-7 this year.