If the clock strikes Noon on Tuesday and Saints’ kicker Martin Gramatica still has a job, I’ll be shocked. Not only did the elf-like kicker shank a 46-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to aid the Vikings in their 30-27 victory over New Orleans Monday night, but the guy also had one blocked and returned for a touchdown in the first quarter because he didn’t get enough air under the kick.
In fairness to Gramatica, the Saints made a ton of mistakes in the loss, including racking up 102 yards on 11 penalties and turning the ball over four times. But considering M-Gram missed a FG earlier in the year that could have won a game in Denver, the guy has to be out of chances to play in this league. Morten Anderson may be 100 years old, but he proved last year that he’s still accurate – maybe Sean Payton needs to pick up the phone and give the ageless one a call.
Of course, if it weren’t for Gramatica’s missed field goal, the real buffoon from this game would have been Minnesota head coach Brad Childress. This genius allowed his punter and special teams coach to kick to Reggie Bush not once, but three times on returns, two of which were returned for Saints’ touchdowns. The Vikes had a 10-point third quarter lead evaporate when Bush took a 71-yard punt return to the house, cutting the deficit to 20-17. Two punt returns later, Bush returned another kick for a touchdown, this one from 64-yards out. And both times Minnesota punter Chris Kluwe kicked a low line drive to give Bush plenty of space to make a return. Now maybe I’m casting the blame on the wrong person, but Childress is the man in charge. How the hell could he allow Bush the opportunity to make multiple momentum shifting plays on special teams? Just dumb decisions all he way around.
And how about Ed Hochuli’s crew blowing another call? That was a brutal missed call in the first half when Bush fumbled, but clearly had his facemask yanked by a Vikings’ defender. He wasn’t the one that missed the call, but Ed has had a rough start to the year.
On a less critical note, Gus Frerotte was gritty Monday night. He took a vicious hit in the fourth quarter but still managed to stay in the game and squeeze a 33-yard pass into Bernard Berrian despite two defenders in the area to tie the game at 27 all. Childress at least deserves praise for going to the veteran Frerotte a few weeks ago, because he has given the Vikes’ passing game a much-needed boost.
