| The baptism by fire of Minnesota
rookie CBs Kenny Wright and Chris Rogers has, for now, given Vikings fans hope that the
team’s lowly ranked defense will improve soon. The Vikings have resurrected their
season following a 2-4 start with a four-game winning streak due in part to the
unexpectedly expanded roles of Wright and Rogers. Since taking over the starting LCB
role from the now-departed Ramos McDonald in Week Six, Wright and the rest of the
secondary have been giving up an average of 88 fewer passing yards a game.
The scales have also apparently leveled for head coach Dennis Green and his ability to
draft "rough diamonds" instead of diamonds in the rough. Having spent their
first-round pick on unused QB Daunte Culpepper and having lost promising DE Dimitrius
Underwood unexpectedly, the Vikings’ defense was thought to be in the lurch,
particularly because they would have to rely heavily on two rookies in the secondary. One
of them, Chris Rogers, came to the team as an undrafted free agent, was twice released and
has spent time on the practice squad. Now he’s the Vikings’ nickel back and top
backup cornerback.
"We don’t apologize for how we do things," said Green. "Whether
it’s keeping a guy or releasing a guy, who we draft or who we don’t draft.
We’re confident we know what we’re doing. As we say, ‘We’re climbing
the mountain again.’ You go down and you start over. You have to mix your new (team)
chemistry; there’s no doubt about it. It’s always a new mix. The guy you counted
on last year, you might not be able to count on this year."
Part of the success of the new mix will depend on how well Wright and Rogers, both 22,
quell their nervous energy. In Week Seven vs. San Francisco, Rogers introduced himself to
Jerry Rice with a shove in the back. Rice retaliated, and a scuffle ensued.
"As an athlete it’s a dream come true to play against Jerry," Rogers
said. "But when you play professionally, you have to take that out of it. Being as
young as I am, being a rookie, it’s difficult to play against guys you’ve been
watching a long time. I’ve been watching Jerry play since I was in middle school.
When you go out there, you have to separate professionalism from being a fan."
So much so that given the same situation, Rogers said he would shove Rice again.
"DB coach (Richard) Solomon stresses to us that he wants us to go out there and
play with a chip on our shoulder. So, yeah, I would definitely do it again," said the
otherwise amiable, soft-spoken Rogers.
When the Vikings played the Cowboys on "Monday Night Football" in Week Nine,
Wright knew for sure he was no longer playing Division I-AA for Northwestern State (La.).
"Before the game I looked down the field, and I was like, ‘Wow, that’s
Deion Sanders, one of the best cornerbacks ever to play the game." But during the
game I was able to not pay him too much attention and concentrate on my job," said
Wright.
Both Wright and Rogers are grateful to be able to go up against two of the NFL’s
best wide receivers in Cris Carter and Randy Moss every day in practice. "When you go
against Cris and Randy in practice, they take you to another level," said Rogers.
"They’ve helped my game out tremendously," said Wright. "From the
first day of mini-camp to training camp to the preseason to today. They are not only
athletic players, they are smart players, and I’ve learned a lot from them."
Learning is what successful rookies do best, but sometimes the on-the-job-training can
be a killer. After giving up 300 yards passing in the first half against career
third-string QB Jim Miller of the Bears in Week 10, Wright fell down in pass coverage,
allowing rookie Marty Booker to score a game-tying touchdown with 49 seconds to play.
"I lost my balance, and they capitalized. ... It’s just a good thing our
offense came back," Wright said with relief, having avoided being a scapegoat in what
turned out to be an overtime victory for the Vikings.
"We’re in a situation where we have to rely on them," said five-year vet
and leader of the secondary Orlando Thomas. "They’ve come a long way. We put
pressure on them because we think we are a championship-caliber team and they have to play
good football," he said.
Pressure apparently is in the eye of the beholder.
"No, it’s not added pressure," countered Wright. "It really loosens
me up. The guys on the team are great, and they understand I’m a rookie and mistakes
will be made. They try to teach me everything; they really work with me. It’s a fun
situation for me right now," he said while eating a postgame meal of a hot dog.
Robert Griffith, a sixth-year safety, added, "They’re both good kids; they
play hard and are willing to learn. You learn by seeing it firsthand; that’s all it
comes down to. When you win, even a hot dog tastes good." |
