Bernard Berrian was brought to the Vikings from the Chicago Bears with a lot of promise and expectations for future success. To say that he has been a bust is a major understatement. He continued his unsuccessful ways during Sunday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys.
According to the NFL’s website, the receiver had one catch for four yards. He also committed a key penalty at a crucial point in the game. Berrian is in his seventh season out of Fresno State who only has six receptions for forty two yards all season. He should be able to compile these statistics in a half, not in five complete games.
By Patrick Herbert
The Vikings offense would ideally run on all cylinders if they utilize Randy Moss as their top receiver and Berrian as the second option. Percy Harvin is a game changer who must be used in a plethora of ways like Reggie Bush. The more times that offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell allows Harvin to touch the ball, the more chances the team will have for big plays. He proved that on Sunday with the longest kick return in team history.
With this said, Bernard Berrian should be able to able to fill much of the void that Sidney Rice’s absence has created. It is true that the former does not have Rice’s size, but he most certainly does possess hands that are equal to or better than Rice’s. In addition, Berrian is still shy of this thirtieth birthday-so he should be in the prime of his career.
In the 2007 and 2008 seasons Berrian gained nearly one thousand yards before his numbers started to decline. If anything, he is able to get open easier now because of all the offensive weapons that the Vikings have. The opposing defenses have to worry about Adrian Peterson, Randy Moss, Percy Harvin, and Visanthe Shiancoe. This allows Berrian to remain under the radar when the game plans are being developed during the week.
The precipitous decline of Berrian’s production must have the organization’s brain trust scratching their heads. They have a few options to move forward with the situation. They can have a heart to heart and let Berrian in on their plan to cut him at the completion of the season. This might light a fire underneath him and increase his motivation. They also could simply bench him sooner rather than later. This is not ideal, because then he becomes disgruntled at practices and team meetings.
It can turn into a cancer that permeates the entire team. Brad Childress could also ask quarterback Brett Favre to look for him early and often during their next game against the Green Bay Packers. This would open up things for Moss and Harvin. It would also give Berrian some much needed confidence that may snowball into more catches throughout the game and the rest of the season. Brett Favre passed for around a hundred yards less than Tony Romo did on Sunday. The disappearance of Berrian is a big reason for this disparity.