[CBFF] AP - Vikings' Childress clams up with media after first loss

[Jerry Madsen]

Sunday, September 24, 2006
Vikings' Childress clams up with media after first loss
By Jon Krawczynski
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the first time in this young season, the Minnesota
Vikings are facing some adversity.

If the way the head coach handled it after Sunday's deflating loss to
division rival Chicago, it could be a long year.

After the first regular season loss of his head coaching career, Brad
Childress made a brief opening statement to the media, quickly
answered just three questions, then headed for the door.

It was a shocking display from a man who has done nothing but preach
about character and accountability since the moment he took over nine
months ago, and a stark contrast to the class and responsibility
Carolina coach John Fox showed in the Metrodome one week ago.

It's easy to answer questions when you're winning. When you've pulled
out two last-second victories in the first two weeks, one with the
help of a very gutsy fake field goal call, anybody can field inquiries
from an adoring media contingent about how things went just right.

What makes an NFL coach's job infinitely more difficult -- and less
desirable -- is standing before the firing squad after a loss like
this one. A game that you had in the palm of your hand with just
minutes to play. A game that slipped away in the blink of an eye. A
game in which you made several decisions that fans are going to want
to know about.

The Vikings led Chicago 16-12 and had the ball late in the fourth
quarter. Game over, right?

But the normally reliable Chester Taylor fumbled a handoff, giving the
Bears the ball at the Minnesota 37. Five plays later, Rex Grossman hit
Rashied Davis for a 24-yard touchdown and a 19-16 lead.

Still, the Vikings had the ball with good field position and plenty of
time left to pull off another comeback.

On third-and-7 at their own 41, Childress called a draw to Mewelde
Moore that gained 5 yards, caused them to burn one of their two
remaining timeouts, and left them with a fourth-and-2.

Then Brad Johnson threw the ball deep to Troy Williamson, taking a
chance on the big play rather than going for a safer pass to keep the
chains moving. The ball fell harmlessly to the turf and Grossman
kneeled to close out the victory.

To his credit, at least Childress did address why they called for such
a risky pass with the game on the line.

"We just tried to throw it to a playmaker," Childress said. "Troy has
been good for us and he had man-to-man coverage out there."

He then talked briefly about the team's blitzing philosophy and
dismissed a question about injuries on the offensive line before
exiting, leaving so many questions unanswered.

Why was cornerback Fred Smoot benched for the first series of the game?

Why the draw on third-and-7?

What did you say to Taylor after such a tough play?

That's what leaders do. They stand up and take the heat when things
don't go their way, like Fox did so impressively a week before after
the Vikings beat the Panthers in overtime.

The veteran coach all but handed that one to the Purple when he called
for a throwback on a punt return with a seven-point lead in the fourth
quarter. Chris Gamble's wobbly throw eventually wound up in the hands
of the Vikings, and kicker Ryan Longwell's TD pass to Richard Owens
sent the game into overtime.

After one of the bigger mistakes of his coaching career, Fox stood in
front of reporters and accepted the blame for the call, and answered
questions about the Panthers' 0-2 start.

He did it like a pro.

Childress has done an excellent job of restoring order and instilling
a sense of professionalism to a team that very much needed both after
Zygi Wilf finally canceled the Mike Tice Amateur Hour. Practices are
more organized, game plans are tighter and players have been held
accountable for off-the-field transgressions.

But his conduct after the game on Sunday lacked all of that, and more.

It's acceptable to lose a game, especially one as close and tough as this one.

It's acceptable to make an error in judgment or make a bad call when
the spotlight is shining brightest.

The only thing that is unacceptable is clamming up in the aftermath
when one or both of those things happen.

Let's hope this was just a rookie mistake. Childress is doing this for
the first time, after all, and some growing pains are inevitable.

Of course it's better to have those pains in the pressroom than on the
field. But it doesn't make it right.

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