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Nobody on the Vikings staff knows Adrian Peterson better than running backs coach Eric Bieniemy, who got to know the former Oklahoma Sooners star well while recruiting him for the University of Colorado and became close personal friends with the Vikings' No. 1 draft choice last year.
Peterson didn't run the ball even once Friday night in the Vikings' preseason opener against Seattle, as coach Brad Childress wanted to show the many scouts at the Metrodome that quarterback Tarvaris Jackson could force the elimination of stacked-up defensive lines against Peterson. Jackson completed eight of 11 passes for 118 yards and one touchdown and had a outstanding passer rating of 137.7.
Peterson and Bieniemy spent a lot of time together during the offseason, and one of the things they worked on was how to overcome the eight-man defensive lines that had success in stopping Peterson late last season.
"That comes with the territory," Bieniemy said. "Obviously, we're going to see some defensive fronts that are going to try to challenge us and put eight in the box so that we can't force it down their throat like we would like."
What are some of the things Bieniemy and Peterson worked on during the offseason?
"Right now it's all about the little things, and that's what I'm harping on," Bieniemy said. "He's light years ahead of where he was last season. He's doing a great job of picking up blitzes. He's understanding pass protection a lot better. He's doing a better job of getting himself in great position to pick up blitzes. And on top of that, he's conscious of all the little things that we discuss every day."
Bieniemy said he and Peterson have watched film, talked extensively and done a lot of on-the-field work.
"The bottom-line thing is now we've got to put all that into production as we come out here every single day," Bieniemy said. "Obviously, you've got to understand there's some great defensive schemes out there. They get paid on the other side of the ball; we've just got to make sure that we're detailing everything from an offensive standpoint.
"Also, too, we want to be better at not playing uphill football, where we're trying to force something. Where now we can make something happen in a different area."
Bieniemy said having a more effective passing game is one way to open running space for Peterson.
"That's why we're counting on improving in the passing game," Bieniemy said. "We signed a great receiver in Bernard Berrian. We've got a young Sidney Rice who's developing. We've got Bobby Wade, Robert Ferguson. We've got a bunch of young guys who are going to help us. And I think once those young receivers and the quarterback start stepping up their play, which they are right now, it's going to open up more lanes."
Again, it boils down to how well Jackson is passing the ball so that opponents can't concentrate on stopping Peterson. That will be the key to how far this team goes this season.
Familiar face Tod Leiweke, who did as much as anybody in making the Wild one of the best-run franchises in the NHL when he was president of the club from 1999 to 2003, has done the same thing for the Seattle Seahawks since becoming the CEO of the NFL club in June 2003.
This is Leiweke's sixth season with the club, and he oversees all aspect of the club. He also is president of First and Goal Inc., which manages Qwest Field and Event Center for the state of Washington. And in March 2007, Seahawks owner Paul Allen appointed Leiweke the CEO of Vulcan Sports and Entertainment, which also oversees the Allen-owned Portland Trail Blazers and their home arena, Rose Garden.
Meanwhile his brother, Tim, who was vice president of the Timberwolves for four seasons beginning in 1988, is president of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which oversees a number of sports and entertainment organizations.
The brothers are two of the most powerful sports executives in the country.
Bevell on Favre Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell -- who spent six years on the Green Bay Packers coaching staff, three of them as quarterbacks coach with Brett Favre -- was asked if it has disturbed him, as Favre's friend, to see what he went through before being traded late Wednesday to the Jets.
"It is hard to watch it and not see it and kind of put it out of my mind," Bevell said. "But I am serious when I say there is so much going on here with the meetings, preparing for practices, preparing for the next day, personnel meetings at night, that I am probably not as involved as you guys [the media] are in seeing everything that happened day to day."
Jottings The Packers are the only publicly held franchise in the NFL, so their financial records are available. The club earned $22 million during the 2007-2008 fiscal year, a drop of $12 million from the year before, when they earned $34 million.
Ex-Gophers wide receiver Logan Payne had a good offseason with Seattle, but he is fighting a battle to make the 53-man roster. Ex-Viking Nate Burleson and veteran Bobby Engram are locks to make the team. Another veteran receiver, Deion Branch, is set if he comes back from the knee injury he suffered in the NFC divisional playoff loss to the Packers last year. Payne was on the Seahawks' practice squad early last season, but was put on the active squad before two playoff games. He did not play in those games.
John Carlson, the Litchfield, Minn., native who played at Notre Dame, could be the starting tight end for Seattle. "He's making good progress," said Seahawks tight end coach Jim Lind, the former head coach at Minnesota-Morris (1983-86) and Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1987-91), to the Tacoma News Tribune. "The first thing for a young guy like that is to learn the system. He is doing great, he's a very bright young man and every day he is making progress. Some days it's a full step forward and a half-step back, but that is the way it is for any young guy."
The Gophers' home basketball nonconference schedule for 2008-2009 is nearly complete, with the addition of Eastern Michigan. The Gophers will play only two nonconference road games -- Louisville at Phoenix and at Colorado State. Other home opponents will include exhibition games with St. Cloud State and Northern State, plus games with North Dakota State, Virginia, Cornell, South Dakota State, High Point (N.C., coach Tubby Smith's alma mater) and Southern Mississippi. They will play host to a tournament on November 14-16, with Bowling Green, Georgia State and one team to be added. ... The Gophers will hold Midnight Madness at Williams Arena on Oct. 17.
Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. and on his Podcast twice a week at www.startribune.com/sidcast. shartman@startribune.com
