The NFL is a passing league. Without solid, consistent play at the quarterback position, it is almost impossible for a team to have any sustained success. Consistency is the key. The Seattle Seahawks could sign Peyton Manning to a one-year deal and still not win a Super Bowl. For that reason, the Vikings are going to have trouble taking the next step if they keep bringing in temporary solutions to their problem at quarterback.
If you believe in the theory that any publicity is good publicity, the Brett Favre experiment worked wonders for the Vikings. Favre’s pathetic back-and-forth retirement game had the camera on the Vikings seemingly at all times, but left them a win short of the Super Bowl in Favre’s first year and out of the playoffs in his second. Now, Minnesota turns its attention to Donovan McNabb.
The Vikings acquired McNabb in a trade on Wednesday, effectively giving them another huge name that is well past his prime. McNabb’s time in Washington was a failure that ended in embarrassment with Mike Shanahan saying he was welcome to return to the team as a backup. His passer rating of 77.1 was the lowest since his rookie season. McNabb’s also an injury concern, having played in 15 or more games only twice in the last seven seasons.
To have success in the NFL you need a good quarterback. A steady running back isn’t as much of a necessity, but Minnesota happens to have the best one in the league. Bringing in guys like Favre and McNabb is great for making headlines, but it does nothing to secure a successful future. They’re quarterbacks who are set in their ways that want a fresh start and a shot at winning a title, but not a head coach who tries to adapt them to his system. Veterans like Favre and McNabb are a Band-Aid for teams like Minnesota, not the solution to a problem.
McNabb’s not going to stay healthy for an entire 16-game season, which will keep the revolving door going at the quarterback position. Then next year or the year after, Minnesota will be in the market for another signal-caller. Now would be a good time to start looking at the draft board.
