Weak offensive line spells doom for Vikings

It’s hard to image anything but disappointment for the Vikings this season.

There are two obvious reasons why. They have a makeshift offensive line, and without having re-signed Sidney Rice or found a capable replacement for him, they’ve got no big target who can stretch the field at wideout.

The offensive line is the biggest problem, though. It hasn’t been good in years, and each season seems to get a little worse. They currently have no more than two guys — Steve Hutchinson and Phil Loadholt — who would be starters on another team. Anthony Herrera might come close to being a real NFL player, but he’s coming off knee surgery, leaving expectations on him low.

The other two starters, Charlie Johnson and John Sullivan, would have a tough time even making another roster.

Which is too bad, especially if you’re the guy trying to run behind this ineffective group, superstar Adrian Peterson. Peterson has put up great numbers despite their ineffectiveness. But he has taken a pounding en route. Half of his carries seem to leave him running straight into a brick wall, or being wrapped up before he can even hit that wall.

Image the crazy totals he’d amass behind five high-end blockers. He’s probably doing the same imagining, as he contemplates whether to re-sign with the Vikings are take his rare skills and determination to a team that can actually block.

— Pat Ruff