I know that there’s this sort of rivalry between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers, but somehow their hatred seems to consistently spur treachery.

The Vikings have had a number of players make the move from Wisconsin to Minnesota over the last few years, including quarterback Brett Favre (indirectly) and kicker Ryan Longwell. So who would have guessed that a mere practice squad player would refuse to ditch the cheese and don the horns?

Packers’ practice squad wide receiver Tori Gurley has reportedly turned down the Vikings when they offered him a spot on their active roster.

“If you look statistically, their season is going to be over in three weeks,” Gurley explained. “We’re already locked to have a playoff spot. I’m learning from some of the best wide receivers in the game right now. The way our offense is clicking, the grass isn’t going to be greener on the other side. So just learning and taking it one day at a time, my opportunity is going to come.”

Despite his apparent enthusiasm about sticking with the Packers, the team still gave him a raise in hopes of keeping the practice squad player around.

It seems a bit naïve to pass up an opportunity for a promotion, but this isn’t the first time Gurley has turned down a potential suitor to stay with the Packers this season.

When it comes down to it, there were two options for Gurley: stick with the 13-0 Packers where he’ll probably remain as a practice squad roster until the end of the season or join the Vikings for their remaining three games and hang up the cleats by the first week of January.

Although it seems like the logical choice to choose the jump to someone else’s active roster, I’m sure Gurley had his reasons for staying in Green Bay. Whether it was the potential to play for a playoff team who’s clearly a favorite to make it to the Super Bowl or the possibility of being a small part of only the second undefeated team in NFL history, I’m sure he made the right decision for himself.

Packers’ starting wide receiver Greg Jennings was injured last week, which could mean a potential promotion for Gurley if Jennings doesn’t recover in a timely manner. There has also been speculation that veteran Donald Driver could be pondering retirement, which could also open a door for the young pass-catcher.

Regardless of the possibility that all of those reasons potentially outweighed the chance to be one of the better wide receivers on the Vikings’ roster, the choice is made and window has closed.

In case you are unaware, Gurley is an undrafted rookie out of South Carolina who decided to forgo his junior and senior seasons only to not hear his name called on draft day. During his two years with the Gamecocks, he caught 75 passes for 905 yards and six touchdowns.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

MINNEAPOLIS – The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings couldn’t have been much closer in their epic NFC title game showdown on Jan. 24, 2010, an overtime thriller that Drew Brees and the Saints barely survived on their way to the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.

Less than two years later, the two franchises could hardly be further apart.

The Saints (10-3) roll into the Metrodome on Sunday as one of the model teams in the NFC, an organization with a rock solid foundation at the three most important positions — front office, coach and quarterback.

By no coincidence, the Saints are in first place in the NFC South, two games ahead of the Atlanta Falcons and tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the second-best record in the NFC. Even with the Green Bay Packers looking like the class of the league, the Saints still have a realistic shot at a return trip to the big game.

“We’re a veteran team that’s been through a lot,” Brees said. “We’ve kind of learned the formula for winning and sustaining success.”

The Vikings (2-11), meanwhile, have fallen off the cliff ever since Garrett Hartley’s 40-yard field goal split the uprights to end Minnesota’s hopes of their first trip to the Super Bowl since 1978. Brett Favre returned for one more ill-fated run the next year, a long, miserable 6-10 season in which coach Brad Childress was fired, Favre was embroiled in a texting scandal, Randy Moss came and went in about four weeks and the Dome’s roof collapsed.

“You really can’t explain it,” Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. “It’s crazy. The Saints, they’re still a really good football team. Drew Brees still down there, working hard, making plays. I really don’t know what’s going on. We really can’t put our finger on it.”

Start with the lack of continuity. Since that loss, the Vikings have used five quarterbacks — Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, Joe Webb, Donovan McNabb and now rookie Christian Ponder — and have had a lot of turnover on the coaching staff.

“In my mind, it seems like eons ago, seems like forever when we played them in the NFC championship game,” Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said. “So much has transpired between that time and where we are today.”

While not as catastrophic off the field, Frazier’s first season has been even tougher on the field. McNabb didn’t pan out as the quarterback who was supposed to keep the team from a rebuilding season, the secondary was decimated by injuries, Adrian Peterson has missed the last three weeks with a high ankle sprain and Ponder has experienced the growing pains everyone expected when he took over as the starter seven games ago.

The Vikings have lost five games in a row, with the only solace to be taken that a team that waved goodbye to meaningful games more than a month ago continues to show up every week and give its opponent all they can handle, including last weekend in Detroit, when the Vikings fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter but still had a chance to win the game on the final play.

“There are a lot of reasons not to really concentrate and focus and battle,” Frazier said. “And they found reasons to battle, to focus, to believe that they could get back in that game and win that game.”

Still, moral victories aren’t giving much comfort to a veteran team that remembers what it feels like to be so close.

“Me and Kevin (Williams) were laughing about it today, saying, ‘We’ve got to do something. We’ve got to turn it around. That can’t be the only memory of being close to the Super Bowl that I tell my grandkids about at some point,’” defensive end Jared Allen said.

The Saints are looking to add another chapter to a book that already includes one fairy tale finish.

Brees is playing as well as he ever has, threatening the single-season passing record and seemingly getting stronger as the season has progressed. He has topped 320 yards passing in four straight games, with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions during that span.

New Orleans has won five in a row and six of seven to keep the Falcons (8-5) at arm’s length and keep pace with the 49ers for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. Jimmy Graham has emerged as one of the dominant tight ends in the game and linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been back in the middle of the Saints defence for the last two games after missing four weeks with knee surgery earlier in the season.

“For us it’s been a journey,” Brees said. “We’ve been able to win a lot of games and put ourselves in pretty good position within our division and playoff wise. It hasn’t been easy by any means. We’ve had to fight through some adversity. We’ve had to fight through some injuries at key positions and certain things.

Saints coach Sean Payton, who has been in place with Brees for the last six seasons, said continuity has been the biggest key to New Orleans’ sustained success.

“When you look at ownership, GM, head coach, players on our team, the staff, there’s been a very stable program where I think everyone understands how hard it is, how difficult it is, the challenges we face in winning games and getting to the post-season,” Payton said.

Green Bay Packers’ Randall Cobb (18) leaps into the crowd after an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Monday, Nov. 14, 2011, in Green Bay, Wis.

Green Bay Packers’ Randall Cobb (18) leaps into the crowd after an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Monday, Nov. 14, 2011, in Green Bay, Wis.

Because what makes him explosive is also causing him to make potential game-turning mistakes, Green Bay Packers rookie returner Randall Cobb plans on taking a page out of John Wooden’s playbook.
Be quick, but don’t hurry.
For the second time in three games, Cobb muffed a punt against the Minnesota Vikings, a miscue that led to the Vikings’ lone points Monday night in a 45-7 Packers victory. Cobb made the same mistake Oct. 23 against the Vikings in Minneapolis, and that fumble also led to a Minnesota touchdown. Cobb also lost a fumble on a kickoff at Carolina on Sept. 18, helping the Panthers to a 13-0 first-half lead.
So while Cobb had two explosive plays on Monday night – his 80-yard punt return for a touchdown to give the Packers’ their first points of the game, and a 55-yard kickoff return immediately after the touchdown he’d gift-wrapped for the Vikings – Cobb plans on slowing himself down just a tiny bit Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It comes down to just the focus on my part,” said Cobb, who burst onto the scene with a franchise-record 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Packers’ season-opening win over New Orleans on Sept. 8. It’s not my technique. I catch the ball fine; I get off the spot fine. It’s looking to the return before I actually catch the ball. It’s something that I have to focus more on — and if that slows me down as far as getting off the spot, then that’s something I just have to take.”
The Packers, who hadn’t returned a kickoff for a touchdown since 2000 and hadn’t returned a punt for a TD since 2008 before Cobb’s returns, are thrilled with the new dimension Cobb has brought them. Improving in the return game had been among coach Mike McCarthy’s goals in the wake of the team’s Super Bowl championship in February, and Cobb has delivered.
But on a team that emphasizes ball security — the Packers entered Week 11 tied for second in the NFL with a plus-11 turnover differential — fumbles cannot be tolerated, special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said.
“He is a dynamic player, a very talented young man. (But) the two muffed punts and turnover on the kickoff return, we’re going to remove that from his game,” Slocum said. “He has to get that done. (On Monday night), he made a big play and he was anxious to do it again. He lost sight of one of the core fundamentals – making sure that ball is caught before you take off. One of the things he does very well is catch the ball and move immediately off the spot. He didn’t do that well on that particular play.
“The guy is determined to be good. He’s diligent in his work habits. He’s accountable. I expect him to improve.”
That much was evident from the way Cobb ran on the kickoff following his gaffe, but he acknowledged it didn’t make up for his fumble.
“I beat up on myself and I’m my biggest critic. It’s not like I’m out there trying to make mistakes. But when I do, I want to come back stronger and better,” said Cobb, who ranked second in the NFL in kickoff return average (30.0) and 11th in punt return average (11.1) entering this week’s games. “It’s like a quarterback having a bad pass, a receiver having a couple drops, a lineman not setting as far back in pass protection as they usually do — it’s not something that happens every single time, it’s just something that I have to eliminate as many as I’ve had.”
What makes Cobb dangerous as a punt returner is how quickly he transitions from catching the ball to exploding upfield. According to Cobb, because other returners pause longer after catching the ball, he is able to use that split-second advantage to find open running lanes before they close.
“The advantage of catching the ball and getting off the spot and moving is, I mess up every single person that’s trying to cover — their angles,” Cobb said. “That’s one thing I’m pretty good at. Because when they’re covering, they’re covering where the ball’s coming (down) and where they see me set up and catch the ball. So the faster I can move off that angle, the easier it is to create windows.
“Taking that extra .2 seconds to secure the catch, it’s not going to change that much. It’s just a matter of me practicing focusing a little bit more to make the catch and secure the catch first.”

The Oakland Raiders have battled it out with the NFC division Minnesota Vikings just 13 times over a half century in the NFL. Oakland hasn’t faced the Vikings in their home territory since 2007, and as they get ready to head to chilly Minneapolis for the game on Sunday, November 20, here is a look at the highlights from their past games.

Raiders fan, Dr. Death
Kathy Samoun (w/permission from Dr Death)

In the only post season game the Raiders and Vikings have played, the two teams faced each other in Super Bowl XI on January 9, 1977. Neither team had won a Super Bowl to date, and Minnesota has still never captured the ultimate victory or won the NFC Championship title, much to the chagrin of Vikings fans everywhere.

Going into the game, the Raiders were 13-1, while the Vikings were 11-2-1. The Minnesota team was highly favored, with the many veterans who had been to the Super Bowl with former teams in the past, the Raiders had just four.

But the Raiders had the likes of the great Kenny Stabler, wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, tight end Dave Casper, guard Gene Upshaw, and many more who would later go on to be enshrined in football’s Hall of Fame. Of course, their head coach was John Madden, my favorite of all time.

Of course, we know that the Raiders went on to win their first Super Bowl that day, and John Madden remarked, “Super Bowl XI was ours and 10 years from now or 20 years from now Super Bowl XI will still be ours. I’ll never take off the Super Bowl ring. It’s something I will always cherish.”

Looking back a decade from now, do you think we’ll be looking back with some of the same thoughts on our current young players? I wouldn’t be surprised to see many of these guys end up becoming another on the long list of names that are considered the Raiders’ greatest.

Oakland is 9-4 in the series with the Minnesota Vikings, including the Super Bowl victory. The Raiders lost the last time they met at the Mall of America Field in 2007, but eight years ago today, on November 16, 2003, they were victorious in the game in which the two teams met in Oakland.

During that game it was the Vikings who made numerous mistakes with Daunte Culpepper(notes) at the helm. The Minnesota quarterback threw three interceptions to Oakland’s third-string quarterback’s one. Rick Mirer was able to lead the Silver and Black to a victory of 28-18, with the help of Jerry Porter(notes), Tyrone Wheatley and other stand out players.

We’ll have to wait and see how our new quarterback, Carson Palmer(notes), does against the Vikings’ rookie quarterback, Christian Ponder(notes), but my bet is that we’ll be starting a new and lengthy winning streak against Minnesota on Sunday. Knock on wood, I know that none of us can take a win for granted! Go Raiders.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett .

More from this contributor:

Oakland Raiders Fan: Michael Bush Up for NFL Fed Ex Ground Player of the Week

Oakland Raiders on Top After KC Loss: Fan’s Look at the AFC West

Oakland Raiders Fan: Fans Against Violence Taking Back the Stands for All Sports

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Eden Prairie, Minn. – Less than two years ago, the Minnesota Vikings were one play away from the Super Bowl, with a talent-rich roster that made them the unquestioned class of the NFC North.

Fast forward to 2011, and they are limping through a second straight miserable season, with the gap between them and the rest of the division widening by the day.

The Vikings lost 45-7 at Lambeau Field on Monday night to drop to

2-7. They have lost nine straight games to division opponents, including a combined score of

84-17 in trips to Chicago and Green Bay this season.

They lack depth and have question marks at every position besides running back and defensive end and appear destined to finish in last place in the North for the second straight season. That hasn’t happened since the NFL went to the division format in 1967.

For a proud franchise with a history of being competitive, the plummeting is a difficult reality.

“Just disgusted,” defensive end Jared Allen said Monday night. “I mean 45-7, are you kidding me? I haven’t lost this bad since I don’t know when. I don’t know. We’ve got some issues we’ve got to get cleaned up. We’ve got to play better.”

To make matters worse, the Vikings lost cornerback Antoine Winfield to a season-ending clavicle injury. Winfield will have surgery this week, further decimating a secondary that was already short-handed.

Cornerback Chris Cook is not with the team while he works through legal issues stemming from domestic battery charges and safety Husain Abdullah’s status for Sunday’s game is in doubt because of a concussion.

Frazier said the Vikings plan to bring in some players for workouts to fill the void, including veteran cornerback Benny Sapp.

Through nine games this season, the Vikings appear to lack playmakers in the secondary and at receiver and badly need upgrades at defensive tackle and every position on the offensive line. Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder has shown signs of promise, but his rough showing against the Packers – 16 for 34 for 190 yards and one interception – indicates it’s too early to say if he is the long-term answer or not.

“Any loss is tough, but when you go out and lose like this, it is tough,” Ponder said with emphasis. “We can’t forget that we were neck-and-neck with them two games ago.”

Minnesota’s fall coincides with the rise of the other three teams in the NFC North, making it one of the most daunting divisions in the league. Green Bay (9-0) is the defending Super Bowl champion with a quarterback playing so well it doesn’t figure to be dropping off anytime soon.

Chicago (6-3) made it to the NFC title game last year and thrashed the Vikings 39-10 at Soldier Field on Oct. 16. Detroit (6-3) has scuffled of late but finally seems to be shedding the label of division doormat.

“There’s concern anytime you lose in the fashion we lost last night and even in the Chicago game,” Frazier said Tuesday. “You’ve got to figure out some things and try to get some things turned around and close the gap on those two divisional opponents.

Tags:
sports, football, vikings