It might not be Monday morning, but vikings.com is going to open up the mailbag anyway. But from now on, Monday will be the day we open the mailbag and answer questions from you, the fans.
Do you have a question or a comment that you’d like to submit to vikings.com? If so, type that question or comment (including your name and town, please) in the form of an email and send it to us at: wobschallm@vikings.nfl.net.
We will answer every email and we’ll even pick a few to post on the site every Monday morning.
I am 39 years old and have been a Vikings fan since 1977. I missed all 4 of the Super Bowl runs by just a few years and have been waiting all these years for them to return and win it. Could you elaborate for me on 3 to 4 factors that need to materialize in your opinion for my beloved Vikings to get to the "Big Show" this year?
-- John M, Indiana Viking Fanatic
I think a lot of things have to go right in order for a team to march through its conference and appear in the Super Bowl. So many games in this league are influenced and decided by a bounce of the ball, a referee’s call or even the weather. But here are a few things that would go a long way toward extending the Vikings season well into the playoffs…
1) Elevated play from the QB position
The Vikings have a well-established run game and by all appearances they will be solid again on the ground in 2009. With teams cramming the line of scrimmage to stop 
2) Dominance from the defense
The Vikings have led the league in rushing defense in each of the last 3 seasons. They have a DE who registered 14.5 sacks in 2008 and also one of the league’s best DT tandems. With this as its foundation, the Vikings defense must continue to suffocate opposing offenses and improve in the passing game.
3) Avoiding the injury bug
NFL football is a war of attrition, and although success in this game can be the product of skill and work ethic, a little luck is also needed along the way. The Vikings will hope to avoid an injury to a key player, such as the loss of LB
4) Turnovers and 3rd downs
The Vikings had 25 takeaways in 2008, dead square in the middle of the pack in terms of NFL rankings. But they also had 31 giveaways, tying them for 4th most and giving them a turnover differential of -6. Consider this: when the Vikings had a negative turnover differential in 2008, they had a record of just 4-5. With a positive turnover margin, the Vikings were 6-1. In addition to turnovers, success both offensively and defensively on 3rd down will go a long way in determining the Vikings level of success. The Vikings converted 39.4% of their 3rd downs in 2008, a number that ranked them in the bottom half of the league. The Vikings need to do a better job of 1) eliminating penalties and 2) gaining yardage on 1st down.
I'm curious about QB
-- Richard C., Pomeroy, OH (FormerlyGrand Rapids, MN)
This season will actually be Booty’s 2nd with the team. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2008 draft. He’s had a great offseason and looked really good during OTAs and minicamps, but I still think he’s a little ways away from competing for the starting job. I expect that Jackson and Rosenfels will battle for the starting job this year, but I also expect that Booty will be right in the thick of things next year. At this point, I would not say that Booty will be a career backup. I think he has the potential to be a starter in this league.
How will the injury to
-- Matt M., Belle Plane, MN
The immediate impact of Jackson’s injury on this competition is that both John David Booty and
