About the Project » With three games left on Minnesota’s schedule to de

EAGAN Minnesota Vikings Jerseys Stitched , Minn. (AP) —termine whether or not the Vikings return to the playoffs, Kevin Stefanski has suddenly been tasked with trying to steer a struggling offense back on track in a supervisory role he’s never held before in 14 seasons of coaching.There’ll be plenty of scrutiny on the team’s interim offensive coordinator, not to mention an unofficial audition for the job next year and beyond.To judge Stefanski’s readiness by noting a lack of play-calling experience, though, would not tell the whole story.“I think every assistant coach, and probably every fan, is calling the plays with the play-caller,” Stefanski said.“Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don’t. But when we’re up there, you’re always thinking about what you may be calling in that situation. I’ve tried to do that since day one as a coach. I think that’s incumbent upon you to take yourself through what you may do here.”With the Vikings having produced fewer than 285 total yards in four of their past five games, coach Mike Zimmer fired John DeFilippo on Tuesday and promoted Stefanski from quarterbacks coach. Stefanski, one of four sons of long-time NBA executive Ed Stefanski Olisaemeka Udoh Jersey nfl draft , who’s now with the Detroit Pistons, is the NFL rarity who has risen to a prominent position at age 36 without ever having to uproot his family.A team captain as a defensive back at Penn, Stefanski spent one season in football operations for his Ivy League alma mater before Vikings head coach Brad Childress hired him in 2006 to serve as his personal assistant. Stefanski has survived two head coaching changes, coached tight ends, running backs and quarterbacks and worked under a total of five offensive coordinators: Darrell Bevell, Bill Musgrave, Norv Turner, Pat Shurmur and DeFilippo.“I hope my experience with all of the guys I’ve worked with over the years has shaped me into the coach I am,” Stefanski said on Thursday.Zimmer said he believes quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has worked closely with Stefanski as his position coach since signing with the Vikings last spring, will be more open to making his own suggestions in game-planning than with DeFilippo.“He knows me well Super Bowl Olisaemeka Udoh Jersey ,” Cousins said. “But at the same time, you don’t reinvent much this late in the year.”Cousins took personal responsibility for DeFilippo’s firing, but he naturally expressed optimism about the new working relationship.“He’s got an even-keel demeanor about him. He’s been with multiple systems now,” Cousins said, adding: “I think he’ll do a good job in this role.”If the Vikings can’t consistently protect Cousins or clear space for the running backs, or if Cousins doesn’t avoid the turnovers that have persisted, the plays called by Stefanski down the stretch won’t ultimately matter.“I’m going to steal a line from Pat Shurmur: ‘It’s about the players,” Stefanski said, “and not the plays.'”Vikings Antwione Williams Was Fined For Roughing the Passer Against Jacksonville Jaguars NFL fans don’t need more reasons to not like the new tackling rules that they have introduced, but this new rule seems to be the gift that keeps on giving.Viking Antwione Williams was penalized and fined because of the confusing new rule and he, like us Garrett Bradbury Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , are not happy about it.The penalty came when Williams used his body to tackle the quarterback to the ground. While the rest of the world sees this as a normal hit, the NFL now says this is roughing the passer which is now a penalty and a fine. I understand wanting to make playing safer for the longevity of the players health. That should always be the first concern. But since the NFL is not going back to the ways of old like we all want, they need to extremely clear on the new rule as to avoid future confusion.But the lack of clarity on the new rule continues to show. SB Nation found that, “Through two full weeks of the preseason, as well as the Hall of Fame game, there have been 51 penalties because of the helmet rule, an average of 1.5 per game, mostly called against the defense (43).”We may not like this rule but it is here to stay. Hopefully clarity comes through from the top and they can go back to playing and we can go back to watching with no confusion.***Edit from J-Dog***It wasn’t known until a little earlier how much exactly Ant was fined for the penalty, but Ian Rapoport had the amount on Twitter:Quite the pretty penny for one of our backup linebackers.