Vikings by the Numbers

[marshpit23]

Abdullah who? Give me McKinnon, I guess. Such an uninspiring number for the purple.

Now #32, that’ll be exciting  😜

 

 

[Guest]

The reason I nodded to Abdullah is that McKinnon really didn't wear #31 all that long.  If he had spent his entire Vikings career with that number, then yes, he gets the nod.

[SemperFeist]

I just can’t think of a single (positive) play that Abdullah has made as a Viking. 

[Guest]

Vikings that have worn the number 32:

• Ray Hayes (1961)
• Bill McWatters (1964)
• Oscar Reed (1968 - 1974)
• Jimmy Edwards (1979)
• Tony Galbreath (1981 - 1983)
• David Nelson (1984)
• Steve Harris (1987)
• Darryl Harris (1988)
• Rick Bayless (1989)
• Tripp Welborne (1992)
• Shawn Jones (1993)
• Amp Lee (1994 - 1996)
• Robert Green (1997)
• Anthony Bass (1999)
• Onterrio Smith (2003 - 2004)
• Toby Gerhart (2010 - 2013)
• Antone Exum, Jr. (2014 - 2018)
• Mark Fields (2019 -        )

Again, an interesting, if somewhat uninspiring, group.  I remember Oscar Reed, who was a change of pace back for the Vikings.  When the Vikings running attack finished pounding the opposition with the tandem of Bill Brown and Dave Osborn, they would unleash a little lightening with Reed.  He wore the jersey number the longest.  Toby Gerhart...many of us wondered what the front office was thinking by spending a 2nd round pick on him.  It was to high in 2010 to pick a 2nd string running back.  Yet, despite the cost, he played his role reasonably well.  he never panned out as a starter in the NFL.  The most infamous number 32 on the team was Onterrio Smith!  Look him up if you don't remember.  Exum was a project DB, who was inconsistent in my view. I am going to give my nod to Reed.

[Cearbhall]

Gerhart's long run against the Ravens with ~2 minutes left to give the Vikings the lead back after the Ravens just went ahead right before the 2 minute warning was exhilarating. Did he have any other runs that stand out? And, the Vikings quickly lost that lead when Jacoby Jones returned the kickoff anyway. It was a short lived exhilaration. The other thing I remember most about Gerhart is him fumbling the ball when the Vikings were chewing clock at the end of a game against the 49ers.

The Whizanator provided me with plenty memories and laughs. Steal of the draft.

Reed was forgettable. I suppose he gets the nod on longevity. 

[swede700]

Amp Lee.  Unfortunately for him, the Vikings had David Palmer, otherwise, he probably would have been a pretty good returner...and he had his most productive year with the Vikings in '95.  He would have been outstanding in today's game with his style of play from the RB position. For all that want to anoint Gerhart, Lee had more yards from scrimmage than Gerhart did in a Vikings' uniform in one year less.    

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, swede700 said:

Amp Lee.  Unfortunately for him, the Vikings had David Palmer, otherwise, he probably would have been a pretty good returner...and he had his most productive year with the Vikings in '95.  He would have been outstanding in today's game with his style of play from the RB position. For all that want to anoint Gerhart, Lee had more yards from scrimmage than Gerhart did in a Vikings' uniform in one year less.    

Amp Lee would be a very valuable RB today as he was a tremendous receiver out of the backfield.  If I recall, however, he was a disaster when called upon to be a part of pass protection.

[swede700]

1 hour ago, Virginia Viking said:

Amp Lee would be a very valuable RB today as he was a tremendous receiver out of the backfield.  If I recall, however, he was a disaster when called upon to be a part of pass protection.

I vaguely recall that, but after that we also had a HOF-level RB who was about just as bad at it, if not worse.  Over the long-term, especially in today's game, I think Lee would be one of the proto--typical complementary backs, unlike Gerhart.  I'm still confounded as to why he was drafted as a complement to AD (I won't even go into the discussion of why they traded up to get him)...he wasn't complementary at all.  Either way, this class of this number is about as bad as some of those were in the single digits.

Edited June 17, 2020 by swede700

[Guest]

Vikings that have worn the number 33:

• Mel Triplett (1961 - 1962)
• Billy Ray Barnes (1964 - 1965)
• Pete Tatman (1967)
• Brent McClanahan (1973 - 1979)
• Rick Bell (1983)
• Jeff Womack (1987)
• Jessie Clark (1989 - 1990)
• Roger Craig (1992 - 1993)
• Harold Morrow (1996 - 2002)
• John Avery (2003)
• Ralph Brown (2004 - 2005)
• Jamarca Sanford (2009 - 2013)
• Ben Tate (2014)
• Ronnie Hillman (2016)
• Dalvin Cook (2017 - Present)

Brent McClanahan and Harold Morrow both held the number in purple for six seasons.  I remember McClanahan playing, but I had to look up Morrow.  Both were special teamers and back ups.  I remember being so excited that the Vikings signed Roger Craig.  Even though he was on the team for a couple of seasons and past his prime, I just was a fan.  I appreciated his game.  Jamarca Sanford is really, terribly underrated as a DB.  He would've got my nod, but the young man who currently bears 33, in my book, is a special player when he's on the field and healthy!  He gets the nod.

[swede700]

Clearly Cook, although I do recall Morrow pretty well...wasn't really much of a factor other than on special teams, but was a decent blocker.

[Guest]

Vikings that have worn the number 34:

• Jim Young (1965 - 1966)
• Al Randolph (1973)
• Rickey Young (1978 - 1983)
• Danny Waggoner (1984)
• Timothy Starks (1987)
• Herschel Walker (1989 - 1991)
• Brian Davis (1994)
• Ramos McDonald (1998 - 1999)
• Doug Chapman (2001 - 2003)
• Albert Young (2009 - 2010)
• Andrew Sendejo (2011 - present)

Poor Herschel!  There was no way in the world that he was going to be able to live up to the cost of bringing him to Minnesota.  If we take "the trade" off the table, Walker performed well in an offensive scheme that never used him to his capabilities.  He was dumped by Denny Green after taking over the Vikings.  The only other person who has had "impact" on the Vikings has been Andrew Sendejo.  Known for his big hits, Sendejo has injured both opposing players and teammates.  He has poor tackling skills, is mediocre in coverage, and, at times so aggressive that he attracts a lot of little yellow hankies.  Despite all his faults, Sendejo gets the nod...although, I would've much rather given it to Herschel.

[SteelKing728]

Walker is an interesting dude, but like in a weird way that's similar to Kluwe.

Anyways, I guess its Sendejo for me. I used to really not like him but he's grown to be a pretty average player.

I loved his football hat though!

[vike daddy]

9 hours ago, SteelKing728 said:

Walker is an interesting dude, but like in a weird way that's similar to Kluwe.

huh, really? care to explain...?

[Purplexing]

Weird:  Unusual.  Not standard. Out of the norm.

[SteelKing728]

On 6/19/2020 at 8:24 PM, vike daddy said:

huh, really? care to explain...?

Err...probably not.