A Hands-On Experience: Ultimate Frisbee

Over the course of my Fall semester at the University of Iowa, I have been working on a story about the ever-popular sport of Ultimate Frisbee. I attribute this sport to Dodgeball in the sense that it kind of sprouted up out of nowhere (for me at least) despite having been around for decades.
I - and I'm not alone in thinking this - was under the impression that Dodgeball popularity really took off when the comedy movie starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughan hit the mainstream in 2004. After that everybody wanted to play dodgeball. Kids in my high school formed a team and went to Chicago for a weekend. They even managed to roll their SUV in the ditch and had one of the kids' parents come and give them another SUV to finish the trip.

Ultimate Frisbee is much that way for me too. When I got to Iowa, I knew nothing about it. I thought, wow, college students still play catch with a frisbee. Then I noticed just how many kids were playing and how popular it really was. I still couldn't understand what the draw was so I decided to make it my topic and do some investigating.

In the process, I thought to myself, hey maybe I should try playing Ultimate Frisbee. Just give it a chance and see what it's like. So I managed to get in with some guys in a few pick up games throughout November and I recorded my experiences from each encounter.

For the record, Ultimate Frisbee is pretty much like 7-on-7 flag football, except the game speed is more like soccer. You pass the frisbee and then you get a certain amount of time to get rid of it. If you drop it, it gets intercepted or knocked down, then it's a turnover. The game can be played on any kind of field, usually a soccer or football field, just so long as you have an endzone.

Note- I thought about having pictures taken, but quite frankly I didn't want anybody to have anything embarassing they could pull on me for future references.

November 4th- First day of Ultimate Frisbee. I am a little nervous considering I don't know most of these guys and I will have no idea what I'm doing....check that. I did look up the rules on the internet. Not that I understood what it meant, but it's effort. They hand out A's for that don't they?
After the game- Ow. I didn't realize how much running was involved in Ultimate Frisbee. I always regretted not being able to continue playing soccer after the 3rd grade, but if this is suppose to be easier than soccer then maybe I made a smart choice.

The guys seemed to be okay with my presence there. It could just be that they know what I'm there for and are "dealing" with me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not unathletic...I just can't throw a frisbee. At least not for this game.

November 9th- It's cold, but who cares Iowa beat Penn State last night and I wore shorts to the game. I'm going to work on getting the disc to somebody who can handle it better. I'm also going to wear pants today.

After the game- That went better. I didn't drop too many passes today and actually caught a pass for a score. I also managed to get to know some of the guys a bit better, although they still kinda look at me as an outsider.

November 13th- Back at it again. Today should be a little warmer, so I'm looking forward to that. The one thing I hate about playing in the cold is that my nose acts like I have a cold by the time I'm done. It really is hard to breathe when your nose is full of junk. My basketball coach never understood that. He always thought I was slacking. I just couldn't breathe out of my nose.
Try playing a sport with your nose plugged. There's a difference. Anyways, my goal today is to try and help my team win. So far I am 0-4. We've played more than 4 games, but we've also had enough guys each time that they'd replace people from the losing team. Kinda like how it works with basketball at the Field House.

After the game- Another goal accomplished. I went 1-2 today. No that's not good at all, but a win is a win. I am also starting to get the hang of some of the offensive stuff they do. It's more about creating a path to free a guy up to get him the frisbee as one of the responsibilities of a cutter. I scored a couple more times too. I have to admit, though, I am nowhere near the most athletic person on the field. A lot of those guys are quick and can jump pretty well. They also must be good at football because there have been some pretty amazing catches.
It sounds like next week will be it for me.

November 20th- This is going to be my last game...for now. The guys wanted to get one more game in before Thanksgiving break. It's gonna be chilly, but I'm up for it. My only goal going in is to not get hurt. Of course that's been my goal all along, but since it's the last game there's no need to put anything else at a greater priority.

After the game- My most successful outing. I went 2-1 with my teams today. My ankles are sore of course, but the good news is that I'm injury-free otherwise. It's a good thing they're done too because the ground is getting pretty solid. I hit it a couple times today and it felt more like landing on gravel and dirt than on soft grass. I guess that's what astroturf feels like (maybe I'm wrong on that assumption but oh well).

Overall, I'd say my experience with Ultimate Frisbee was very eye-opening. I have a newfound respect for the game and I wouldn't mind finding people to play it again. I don't intend to keep working on it to perfect my craft like I do with basketball, but maybe I'll practice tossing a frisbee around more often. I still suck at throwing the dang thing. It's not like I'm throwing a ball with my opposite hand, I can throw a frisbee straight for miles. The problem is you don't want to throw a frisbee straight for miles. The field is only like 70 yards long. Also I never did keep track of how many "trick-throws" I attempted that saw the frisbee land immediately in the ground in front of me. I think I made more people laugh at me in one game than times I had the frisbee in my hands that day.
It was a fun experience and it was nice to meet new people. I am not the most social person in the world. In fact I am very shy when it comes to trying to talk to people, mainly because I am not a smooth talker, but nonetheless I was able to learn about other people's experiences and have a good time. I learned how to play a game I came in knowing almost nothing about. All in all I am glad I decided to investigate the sport of Ultimate Frisbee.

Vikings Hammer Cardinals, 35-14

Minnesota is looking pretty good right now. There was a time there in between the 3rd and 4th quarters that fans may have gotten a little nervous when the Arizona Cardinals cut the lead to 14 after Minnesota posted a 28-0 lead at half. Yet the Vikings settled down and took care of business, picking up a huge win on the road to stay a game ahead of the Chicago Bears in the NFC North division race.

The Vikings dominated in all phases of the game....well except for the passing yardage of course. Kurt Warner has 270 yards passing, 1 TD and 1 INT to lead the Cardinals.

Speaking of which, much-maligned quarterback Tarvaris Jackson got the nod for Minnesota today over the injured Gus Frerotte. Jackson went out and, in my mind, totally redeemed himself with a very solid performance going 11-for-17 for 163 yards and 4 touchdowns. Not bad for his first start since week 2.

Adrian Peterson continued to add to his growing list of accolades with a 28-carry, 165-yard performance. Peterson set franchise records for most 100 yard games in a season (his ninth with today's) and most rushing yards in a single season (1,578) breaking Robert Smith's record set in 2000. Peterson also continues to lead the NFL in total rushing yards. Next week's match-up against Atlanta will be a showdown of the NFL's top two rushers.

The Vikings receivers also had a field day against the Cardinal secondary. Bobby Wade, Sydney Rice, Chestor Taylor and Bernard Berrian all had touchdown receptions. Berrian put the Vikings on the scoreboard first in the 1st quarter when he took an Arizona punt 82 yards to the house and the Vikings never looked back from there.

The Vikings defense really stepped it up today as well. I'll admit I was worried how the secondary would handle Arizona's passing attack, but Minnesota shut the Cardinals out in the first half and that's just the second time that's happened to Arizona this season. Arizona also avoided setting a record for fewest rushing attempts in a game, managing only 43 total yards on the ground on 7 carries.
Chad Greenway and Jarod Allen had strong outings yet again for the stout Vikings' D. Greenway led the team with 7 tackles and Allen had two sacks for yet another multiple sack game this season.

Minnesota has now improved on last year's 8-8 record picking up their ninth win of the season. The Vikings can clinch the NFC North division title with a win over the Atlanta Falcons or a Bears loss next weekend. However, it is easier said than done as Atlanta also boasts a 9-5 record coming from perhaps the toughest division (NFC South) in the NFL. Not only that, but the Vikings close the season against the New York Giants. I would not like the Vikings to be in the position of needing to beat the Giants at the Metrodome in order to not only win the division, but to even make the playoffs all together.
But again, all can be avoided if the Bears would lose to either the Packers or Texans in the final two weeks.

NFC North Recap- week 14

Chicago 23, Jacksonville 10- The Chicago Bears did their part to stay in the NFC North race by knocking down the disappointing Jaguars, who are now 4-9 on the season after a trip to the playoffs last year. Robbie Gould drilled three field goals and Kyle Orton found his groove again going 20-of-34 for 219 yards, 2 TDs, and an interception to pace the Bears. Chicago cannot afford to slip up, however, from here on out. Thursday's game against the New Orleans Saints is a must-win for the Bears if they have any hopes of a. winnning the division and b. making the playoffs.
Next game: New Orleans (7-6) at Chicago (7-6)

Houston 24, Green Bay 21- Kris Brown's 40-yard field goal as time expired may have pushed the Packers right out of playoff contention. At 5-8, Green Bay is essentially out of both the North division race and playoff consideration. The Packers would have to win out and hope for some upsets along the way. Houston put up 549 yards of offense at Lambeau Field including 414 yards and 2 TDs passing from a healthy Matt Schaub. Steve Slaton also rushed for 120 yards to lead the Texans (6-7). Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Grant did what they could to rally against the Texans in the fourth quarter after trailing for most of the game, but it was Houston that would have the last laugh.
Next game: Green Bay (5-8) at Jacksonville (4-9)

What does it mean for Minnesota?- Chicago's win didn't help the Vikings out any, but fortunately Minnesota took care of business on their own end with a 20-16 win over the Detroit Lions. Green Bay is pretty much done and more than likely will be after this week regardless whether they win or lose. Minnesota can actually clinch the NFC North division title this Sunday, but it's gonna take a loss from the Bears on Thursday to do so.
A Chicago loss to the Saints coupled with a Vikings win over the surging Arizona Cardinals could clinch the division title for Minnesota and assure them of their first playoff berth since 2004. This scenario stems from the two teams' records in NFC play. Chicago can still tie Minnesota at 4-2 in the division with a win over Green Bay, but the tiebreaker will be the conference records and a Bears loss will make it impossible for the Bears to catch up.
Of course the only thing the Vikings should be worried about is going to Arizona and taking care of business against a tough Cardinal team led by a potential MVP candidate in Kurt Warner. Minnesota could also extract some revenge for what the Cardinals did to the Vikings in 2003 when the Cardinals robbed the Vikings of a playoff berth on the last play of the last game of the season.

Vikings survive second scare from Lions

People just don't understand it. Being a life-long Vikings fan, I know what to expect from both the Vikings and the opponent they're playing. This is regardless of who is coaching or playing throughout the years, because they come and go, but for some reason it's just that franchise name that resounds with fans. It's what makes rivalries so great. People come and go but great rivalries live on because of the names and the traditions.

A few more traditions were upheld again today.

The Minnesota Vikings narrowly clipped the Detroit Lions 20-16 as usual, and the Detroit Lions lost a game. They go hand-in-hand, but losing has become a tradition for Detroit so I thought I'd at least bring it up.
The Lions are now 0-13 and are looking even more likely to become the first team to go 0-16 in NFL history. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished 0-14 and own the monikor of worst team ever, but the Lions could eclipse them in the final three weeks of play.

Meanwhile, the NFC North division-leading Vikings improve to 8-5 now having won seven of their last nine games including a huge win last Sunday night against the Chicago Bears.
Green Bay lost to Houston so that almost undoubtedly eliminates them from playoff contention. I'll go into that later.

I knew from the start, and I was even telling people, that the Lions would challenge the Vikings. The Vikings' players even knew it would be a tough game. Even though Minnesota has now won 19 of its last 22 meeting with the Lions, it was going to be a tough game. Detroit traditionally plays Minnesota close win or lose no matter the record.

Not only that, but give Detroit credit. This is a team that is staring a winless season right in the face and they are not quitting. They tried to te best of their ability to win this football game today. Other teams could just roll over and accept being a loser. At least Detroit wants to go down fighting.

Minnesota was just the better-equipped team when it came down to it.

Game notes:

Gus Frerotte left late in the second quarter with an injury to his back putting Tarvaris Jackson, who originally was the Vikings' starter heading into the season, back into the spotlight. Jackson shined when he needed to especially in the fourth quarter with Minnesota trailing 13-10.
Frerotte finished 7-of-10 for 70 yards and two interceptions.

Jackson and Adrian Peterson helped march the Vikings down the field and the drive was capped off by a dump pass from Jackson to Visanthe Shiancoe for an 11-yard touchdown with 11:22 to go in the fourth to take the lead. Following a Ryan Longwell field goal that made it a four-point game, the Vikings' defense did the rest.

Jackson finished 8-of-10 for 105 yards and a TD, while Adrian Peterson eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the eighth time this year running for 102 yards on 23 carries. Chestor Taylor had 27 yards and a rushing TD as well.

The Williams Wall (Kevin and Pat- again no relation) was allowed to play against the Lions after a judge lifted the four-game suspension placed on them and four other NFL players earlier this week for taking a banned diuretic. Whether or not the Williams' will still be suspended is still to be determined and could even be slapped on them during the playoffs should the Vikings make it in.

Also of note, things got a little chippy early in the game when Gosder Cherilus of the Lions O-line went low on Vikings' defensive end Jarod Allen and injured his knee. Cherilus' hit was legal but it was a cheap shot nonetheless. The next play Moran Norris took a swing at Napolean Harris of the Vikings and Norris was ejected.
Allen was out for a short while but returned to finish with 5 tackles and two sacks proving that he is one of the toughest defensive ends in the game.

Best NFL Running backs of all-time

Here's my list of the Top 10 running backs in NFL history (in my most humble and contrite opinion):

10. Curtis Martin- Martin was one of the most consistent backs in NFL history. The University of Pittsburgh alum ranks fourth on the all-time rushing yards list and was only the second player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in his first 10 seasons. He only rushed for 735 in his final active season before retiring because of nagging injuries. Martin played for 11 seasons- two with the New England Patriots and nine with the New York Jets. In that time Martin amassed 14,101 yards on the ground and scored 90 career touchdowns. He averaged 4.0 yards per carry on 3,518 career attempts. Martin was unable to get a Super Bowl ring, however, as the Patriots fell in Super Bowl XXXI to the Green Bay Packers.

9. Tony Dorsett- Sticking with another University of Pittsburgh alum, Tony Dorsett is perhaps best known for going the distance against the Minnesota Vikings. Dorsett's 99 yard touchdown run on January 3rd, 1983 is an NFL record that can only be tied, never broken. Dorsett sits at 7th on the all-time rushing list with 12,739 yards rushing and 92 career touchdowns. Dorsett spent 10 of his 11 seasons played with the Dallas Cowboys from 1977 to 1987. In that time Dorsett was a 5-time All-Pro selection and helped Dallas to a victory in Super Bowl XII. Dorsett played for one season in 1988 with the Denver Broncos before calling it quits. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

8. Eric Dickerson- Eric Dickerson was the workhorse of the NFL. Straight from Southern Methodist University's famed "Pony Express", Dickerson was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1983. That season he rushed for 1,808 yards and 18 touchdowns. He followed that with an NFL single season record 2,105 rushing yards. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and scored 14 touchdowns that year. Dickerson also became the fastest player to reach 10,000 career rushing yards doing it in 91 games. He was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987 and then spent the 1992 season with the Los Angeles Raiders and the year after with the Atlanta Falcons before calling it quits. Dickerson finished with 13,259 rushing yards, which is 6th best all-time. He also scored 90 career touchdowns. Dickerson retired in 2nd on the all-time rushing charts and was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

7. LaDainian Tomlinson- He is the only active player on this list, but is every bit deserving. LaDainian Tomlinson has the best chance of any active NFL running back to make a push for Emmitt Smith's all-time rushing record. Tomlinson currently sits in 15th on the all-time list with 11,279 yards, but he has also only played eight seasons in the NFL. He's also averaging 4.5 yards per carry career-wise. Then there's the guady number of NFL records he has already set.
Tomlinson, a Texas Christian University alum, holds NFL records for:
-most points scored by a player in a single season (186)
-most consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (18)
-most single season touchdowns (31)
-most single season rushing touchdowns (28)
-most consecutive multi-touchdown games (8)
-fewest games to reach 100 touchdowns

The list goes on. Tomlinson is also one of the most versatile backs in NFL history as he already has 3,629 receiving yards as well and is only the seventh player in NFL history to run, catch, and throw for a touchdown.

6. Gael Sayers- He was a man ahead of his time and he only spent six years in the NFL. Gale Sayers, the Kansas Comet, came to the Chicago Bears in 1965 as one of the most elusive running backs in college football history. He would leave the NFL as one of the most elusive running backs in the National Football League's history. Sayers only rushed for 4,956 yards, but averaged 5 yards a carry and scored 48 touchdowns. Sayers was also the original Devon Hester. He has six kick return touchdowns and holds the NFL record for return average at 30.56 yards. Sayers also has the rookie season rushing touchdown record with 22 and is tied for the most rushing touchdowns scored in a single game with 6. Sayers was a 5-time All-Pro selection and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977 as the youngest player ever to be voted in.

5. Marshall Faulk- The all-around running back. Marshall Faulk was the definition of the dual threat back. The San Diego State University alum stands at ninth on the all-time rushing list with 12,279 yards and 100 career touchdowns, but also amassed 6,875 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns. Faulk started out with the Indianapolis Colts, where he would play for five seasons, before being traded to the St. Louis Rams in 1999. That year Kurt Warner bursted onto the scene and he, Faulk, and the "Greatest Show on Turf" became instant icons when they captured a victory for the ages in Super Bowl XXXIV. Faulk was a three time Offensive Player of the Year, the 2000 NFL MVP, and the 1994 NFL Rookie of the Year. He was also a 6-time All-Pro selection. Faulk retired after the 2005 season.

4. Emmitt Smith- This is a hard call to make. Emmitt Smith always gets a bad rap and it's usually never explained why. My thoughts were that Smith stuck around a little too long past his prime. He inflated his rushing numbers with the Arizona Cardinals during the end of his career, but was not the same running back throughout the final several years of his career. Smith entered with a boom, though, as he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1990 taking NFL Rookie of the Year honors later that same season. He became the first player to rush for over 1,400 yards in his first five seasons. Smith was also a main cog in the Cowboys run of three Super Bowls in four years ('92, '93, and '95) that reinvented the "America's Team" image and made the early '90s Cowboys dynasty one of the NFL's greatest of all time. Smith is the All-Time leading rusher in NFL history with 18,355 yards and is first all-time in rushing touchdowns with 164. His 175 total touchdowns is second only to Jerry Rice. Smith was the 1993 NFL MVP and was an 8-time Pro Bowl selection. Smith spent his final two years (2003-2004) with the Arizona Cardinals.

3. Jim Brown- Brown is the original iron man running back. Brown redefined the game with his bruising style and ability to break tackles and make people miss. He is one of the most iconic figures in the game of football. Brown spent nine years with the Cleveland Browns (1957-1965) after an outstanding career at Syracuse. In those nine seasons he managed to rush for 12,312 yards (8th best all-time and 124 touchdowns. When Brown was finished, he held the record for single season (1,863) rushing yards and career rushing yards. He also averaged an unbelievable 5.2 yards per carry Both records have since been eclipsed, but what Brown did was at least two decades ahead of his time. He was a 9-time All-Pro selection, a three-time NFL MVP and was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1971. Oddly enough, Brown was also inducted into the Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

2. Walter Payton- 16,726. It was a number that many felt was unbreakable. Even more were asking, "who?" Who would be the one to break Walter Payton's career rushing record? It became the most recognizable record in the NFL, comparable to baseball's home run record, or the NBA's points record. Such a deal was made of it when Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's career rushing record. "Sweetness" became immortalized. Emmitt Smith would end the debate in 2002, but many still believe that Walter Payton is the greatest running back in NFL history. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1975 out of Jackson State, Payton brought an elusiveness and determination in his running style few had seen before. He was also credited for reviving the use of the stiff arm. Payton garnered NFL MVP honors in 1977 and was NFC Player of the Year in 1977 and in 1985, when the Bears won Super Bowl XX over the New England Patriots. Unfortunately, the thing that is remembered the most about that game was that Payton never scored a touchdown as that would be the only time the Bears would reach the Super Bowl in his career. Payton would hang up his cleats in 1987. He finished with 110 touchdowns and was a 9-time All-Pro selection. Walter Payton tragically passed away in 1999 due to illness. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1993.

1. Barry Sanders- He only played for 10 seasons. Those 10 seasons came and went so fast and just like that, he was gone. One of the greatest athletes in sports history decided to end his career in his prime. Barry Sanders, the record-breaking running back from Oklahoma State, hit the NFL like a hurricane. His running style was idolized. His presence demanded respect from opposing defenses. And his time spent in the NFL could best be described as: record-setting. Sanders was selected All-Pro all 10 years of his career. He was the 1989 Rookie of the Year, a 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and the 1997 NFL MVP. Sanders's greatest season was also his last. He rushed for 2,053 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. Sanders finished with 15,269 rushing yards, which was 2nd best at the time and only 1,457 away from Walter Payton's record. Sanders finished with 109 touchdowns (99 rushing) and won 4 NFL season rushing titles. He was the first back to rush for 1,000 yards in 10 seasons and set a record with 25 games where he rushed for 150 yards or more. He also set a record by rushing for 14 straight 100-yard games. Sanders also provided us with dozens of highlight reel runs giving many athletes of the future examples to learn from. Barry Sanders was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Good news/Bad news- Vikings fall to Bucs

With any good news there's usually bad news that follows. With that said we're gonna start with the bad news today.

Bad news: Minnesota fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-13. That drops the Vikings to 5-5 on the season while Tampa Bay improves to 7-3. Minnesota actually led throughout most of this game, taking a 13-6 lead into halftime, but the Buccaneers' defense stymied the Vikings offensively in the second half. The Buccaneers even used their own offense as a way to stop Minnesota's offense as they put together a drive that lasted for over nine minutes in the 4th quarter. Tampa Bay got a field goal out of it, but Minnesota's offense was cold by then.

Good news: The Bears got obliterated by the Packers, so that means that while there's a three-way tie for first place in the NFC North division Minnesota is still in first place so-to-speak.

Bad news: Adrian Peterson did not touch the ball once in the 4th quarter. This is just plain terrible. Credit goes to the Tampa Bay offense for keeping their long drive going. By then Minnesota had to resort to passing the football, but for some reason Gus Frerotte was just never on in this game. Peterson finished with only 85 yards, which ends his streak of conescutive games over 100 yards rushing at four.
Minnesota also only rushed for 99 yards as a team, which coincidentally is the amount that the Buccaneers have been allowing per game. The Vikings defense also gave up 108 yards rushing, though none of the Buccaneer backs (six players carried the ball for positive yardage) really picked up any guady numbers. Just enought to be effective on offense.

Good news: Peterson still leads the NFL in rushing yards with 1,100. He is on pace to eclipse his total from last year (1,341). he also needs six rushing touchdowns to top his 12-TD performance from his incredible rookie season.

Bad news: Turnovers. Minnesota decided to cough the ball up when the game mattered the most, fumbling it twice in the 4th quarter- once on a kick return and then on Minnesota's last drive when Chestor Taylor fumbled a pass from Frerotte near midfield. Costly mistakes and a stagnant offense continue to haunt Minnesota throughout this 2008 campaign.

Good news: Gus Frerotte did not turn the ball over. He also completed 14-of-20 passes, which is good for your completion percentage, but....

Bad news: Frerotte passed for 111 yards total on the day with one touchdown to Bobby Wade in the 2nd quarter. The Vikings passing game was very limited and ineffective despite only six incompletions from Frerotte. Minnesota was also 5-of-12 on third down conversions, so that factored into Minnesota's staleness on offense as well. The Vikings were also 0-for-2 on fourth down attempts.

Good news: There's always tomorrow.

Bad news: Minnesota gave up 363 yards of total offense, including 255 passing from Jeff Garcia. Minnesota's inability to get the Buccaneers off the field in the 4th quarter is also a big negative that the defense needs to address in the following week.

Good news: Chad Greenway is having a potentially Pro Bowl-worthy season. The third-year linebacker out of Iowa recorded 16 tackles and a sack on Sunday to lead the team. Greenway is actually only in his second full season as a starter as he missed his rookie season due to a knee injury. However, Greenway leads the team with 82 tackles, which is the ninth best total in the NFL.

Bad news: Minnesota will stay in Florida for next week's game as they travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars (4-6). Jacksonville is not a team to be taken lightly either. They have a capable offense and a stingy defense and will provide a very stout test to a very inconsistent Vikings football team. Minnesota is just 1-4 on the road this year, so something is gonna need to change in the next couple of days if the Vikings want to avoid dropping below .500 once again.

Good news: Jacksonville is coming off a tough loss to the undefeated Tennessee Titans, 24-14. The Jaguars have also found the going a bit tougher this year compared to last season's 11-5 outing. Jacksonville is 4-6 with two inexcusible losses to Cleveland and Cincinnati. Jacksonville does have tough wins over the likes of Pittsburgh and Indianapolis to counter though. The good news for Minnesota is that the Jaguars are just as inconsistent. They can play with the best of them every Sunday and have a great QB in David Gerrard, but they also have had more tough breaks than normal this year. They have also had some injury problems, particularly on offense throughout the season.

This game will also be a good measuring stick for Minnesota. If they can get a road win at Jacksonville it could really build some momentum for a huge showdown with the Chicago Bears at the Metrodome on November 30th (a game I just may attend).

NFC North Recap- week 10

Tennessee 21, Chicago 14- The Chicago Bears had a 7-0 lead after one quarter of play against the NFL's only remaining unbeaten team, but behind another steady performance by QB Kerry Collins the Titans fought back and denied the Bears an upset bid. Collins was 30-of-41 for 289 yards and two touchdowns and LenDale White also rushed for a score to help the Titans (9-0) to their 12th straight regular season victory, a franchise record. The Bears held the Titans to just 20 yards rushing, but Chicago was just 3-of-14 on third downs and Chicago's offense could not muster up a threat until late in the fourth when Rex Grossman kept it for a 1-yard score to make it 21-14. Tennessee will try and sweep the NFC North in a few weeks when they go to Detroit for a Thanksgiving Day showdown.
Next game: Chicago (5-4) at Green Bay (4-5)

Jacksonville 38, Detroit 14- Daunte Culpepper made his return to the NFL, but it wasn't nearly enough for the Lions who are still searching for their first win of the 2008 season. Culpepper looked the part of a rusty, 31-year old quarterback completing only 5-of-10 passes for 104 yards and an interception.Kevin Smith carried for 96 yards and a touchdown and Michigan State alum Drew Stanton came in to replace Culpepper and went 6-of-8 for 94 yards and a touchdown. The day, however, belonged to David Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew and the Jacksonville offense. Garrard was 18-of-25 for 238 yards passing and 2 touchdowns, while Jones-Drew ran for 70 yards and three scores. The road doesn't get any easier for Detorit, who may be starring down a possible winless season, just the second in NFL history. The Dolphins only mustered a win last year after the threat of an 0-16 season, and there's still plenty of time for the Lions, but the road ahead is much more daunting. Their next 5 games are against teams with winning records and their last two (New Orleans and at Green Bay are both 4-5) aren't ny easier.
Next game: Detroit (0-9) at Carolina (7-2)

What does it mean for Minnesota- The Vikings (5-4) moved into a first place tie atop the NFC North division standings thanks to Tennessee's victory over the Bears and, of course, Minnesota's exciting 28-27 win over rival Green Bay. The Vikings are gonna be rooting for the Packers in next week's game against Chicago regardless of whether Minnesota wins or loses at Tampa Bay. A Minnesota win and a Chicago loss means the Vikings will sit alone in first place heading into week 12. If both the Bears and Vikings lose then there will be a three-way tie for first, but at least Minnesota will still be in first place and not have to catch up. But in order to keep from complicating things the Vikings should just concentrate on picking up a road win against the Buccaneers (6-3). Minnesota hasn't won in Tampa since 1997. Adrian Peterson needs to continue his outstanding play if the Vikings want to have a chance in this one. Peterson has had four straight 100-yard rushing performances and now leads the NFL in rushing after last week's game against the Packers, in which Peterson eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark (1,015) for the second straight season.

The Big Game- Vikings vs. Packers

Greetings everybody I'm gonna be doing a live game blog today for the big rivalry game between the Green Bay Packers and the best NFL team in Minnesota, the Vikings (yep that was a joke).

It's cold and windy here in Iowa City where I'll be watching the game, but thankfully I'll be inside. I had the dubious honor of seeing the Iowa Hawkeyes upset the #3 Penn State Nitany Lions 24-23 yesterday. I was at the game for that one of course, wearing shorts, a green t-shirt (not an Iowa school color) and sunglasses at night. But enough about that, it's gametime in Minneapolis.

12:03- The Vikings will start on defense first. It's imperative that Minnesota gets off to a good start against a tough Packer offense.

12:07- Vikings hold and now they'll get the ball. Minnesota has been good at scoring on their opening drives throughout the season and they looked pretty good on their first possession of a 28-21 victory over the Houston Texans.

12:12- Well it didn't take long for the Vikings to get on the board. A nine-play drive was capped off by a Gus Frerotte 3-yard touchdown pass to Sydney Rice. That a way Vikes. Send a message early. Now it's up to the defense to hold.

12:23- Packers go three and out just like that. The defense is really taking it to them. The Vikings have a great opportunity here to put some distane between them and Green Bay.

12:25- Just as I say that Gus Frerotte throws an interception. That's grand. Well let's go defense.

12:30- Well that was way too easy. Minnesota's defense gets run over in 6 plays by Ryan Grant en route to Green Bay's first touchdown. 7-7 in the Metrodome.

12:32- Alright here we go, gotta answer Vikes. Peterson gets the first carry and takes it for a first down. Adrian is running really hard today. He's got 34 yards on 7 carries already.

Vikings shoot themselves in the foot on 3rd and 7. Another dumb false start penalty. 3rd and 12 now.

Alright, illegal contact on the defense. Al Harris is the guilty party. First down Minnesota let's go. Frerotte hits Taylor out of the backfield two plays later. Another first down. Keep it rolling Vikes!

12:37- End of the 1st quarter 7-7 tie.

12:40- First play of the 2nd quarter, 8-yard completion to Bobby Wade. Adrian gets the carry on 2nd down and he darts his way for a first down. Hopefully he keeps finding some seams. If the Vikings can establish a potent running game against Green Bay it's really gonna open things up for them.

We've got off-setting penalties and now a delay of game penalty on Minnesota. If it's one thing I can't stand about the Vikings through the years, it's the amount of dumb procedure penalties they rack up. For an NFL team it really is quite disappointing to watch year after year. They've gotta stay more disciplined.

Well after two incompletions, Ryan Longwell will attempt a 54-yard field goal....and the kick is GOOD! Longwell, a former Packer, knocks it through to make it 10-7 Minnesota. Man he has been so consistent this season.

12:47- The defense needs to hold herenow as Green Bay takes over trailing 10-7.

Meanwhile, I would like to get up and turn on a light or something, as I type this in the dark, while watching a fuzzy T.V. It's kinda distracting, but I'm not turning off my Playstation 2. I've got a dynasty game going between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Texas Longhorns on NCAA Football 08 for the PS2. It's the national championship game and I can't save and turn off. I kinda wish they'd add that feature. The Madden series has it. But of course EA Sports isn't the sharpest bunch of tools when it comes to making the necessary additions and corrections to a video game.

Ah, I got sidetracked. Vikings get pressure on Rodgers, who loses the football and tries to throw it away in the endzone. That's a safety!
Waiting for the call...
Yep SAFETY VIKINGS!!!
Illegal forward pass by Aaron Rodgers in the endzone. The result is a safety. 12-7 Minnesota and they should get great field position. Rodgers doesn't like the call but who cares.

12:55- Vikings will get the ball at the Green Bay 39 after another ridiculously long commercial break. I hate T.V. timeouts.

And first play of the possession, Taylor to the left for nothing. Good call Vikes.
Peterson gets the ball this time and gets two. Yet another 3rd down here for Minnesota. They need to start executing better on 1st and 2nd down.
Frerotte's pass sails over Jim Kleinsasser. Vikings to punt.

Will Blackmon decides to run the ball out of the endzone on the punt and gets taken down at the 9. Plus there's a holding penalty! Vikings are winning the field position battle right now. Let's get another saftey!

1:04- Dang the Vikings need to step up the pass defense. Short, quick passes have netted the Packers two quick first downs and now they're at their 44.
Grant takes the handoff for a first down, but hey there's a holding penalty on Donald Driver. Good job Don! 2nd and 13 instead of 1st and 10.

By the way I finally got up and turned the light on, in case you were wondering.

3rd and 13...Rodgers hits Nelson but at least he's short of the first. I'm still getting a little edgy with all these quick completions. The Vikings need to react better in the secondary. They've been getting good pressure on Rodgers though, so hopefully it'll start to take its toll on the Packers QB.

1:10- Oh man Charles Gordon got his leg twisted up bad as it was pinned between two guys on the punt return. Apparantly the replay was a bit too gruesome for FOX to show.
Too bad about that but it's Vikings ball at the 9.
Two carries by Peterson and he gets a huge run on the second run. Man he has come to play. He probably broke about 4 tackles on that play.
Frerotte then dumps it to Adrian (finally) and he gets another first down.

And then we give the ball to Chestor Taylor and lose two yards.

Back to that dump pass, I've wanted to see the Vikings run more screen passes to Peterson out of the backfield. He's open most times and he can make plays in the open field, so why not look to him more.

3rd down and 7...Green Bay blitzes and drills Gus. Two former Iowa Hawkeyes get the sack. Colin Cole and Aaron Kampman.
Vikings punt.

1:19- Aw Benny Sapp had an interception right in his mitts and he drops it. Green Bay with the ball and now Rodgers gets tackled for no gain by Chad Greenway. Vikings hoping to get the ball back before halftime.

2 minutes to go and the Vikings will get it back. Packers punt.

1:22- Yet another commercial break. yay......but anyways some things to look forward to at halftime:

-more commercials
-my first half breakdown
-I'm gonna change my clothes
-maybe get something to eat

1:25- Well th Vikings waste an opportunity here and only run a minute off the clock. Green Bay will get the ball back with 50 seconds left, but inside their own 20 they'll probably go conservative, run the clock out and head to the locker room.

JAROD ALLEN! Green Bay decides to come out throwing and Rodgers gets sacked by Allen for another safety! 14-7 Minnesota with 44 seconds left in the 1st half.
Allen was listed as questionable after he suffered a shoulder injury against Houston, but it looks like he's doing fine today.

Aundrae Allison returns the free kick 23 yards but there's a holding penalty. Now they'll start at their 39.
Taylor carries it for about 5 and the fans are a little frustrated with the call. Time out. 3rd and 3 for Minnesota.

And Frerotte throws a pick. Wow this game is like a demented roller coaster.
Packers are gonna look to get a field goal before half. 16 seconds left, but an ineligible man downfield takes them back out of field goal range.

Oh wait I forgot they have Mason Crosby. He can make it from the 50 yard line. Seriously.

So with 3 seconds left Crosby will attempt a 47-yard field goal. The kick is good.

1:36- Halftime and it's the Minnesota Vikings 14, Green Bay Packers 10.

1:43- The Vikings and Packers have went back and forth throughout the first half. Minnesota has looked pretty good at times on both sides, but there are times when Green Bay has moved the ball down the field very quickly through the air. Minnesota needs to keep getting pressure on Aaron Rodgers if they want to slow up that passing game.
Minnesota is doing a better job of getting good yards on first and second down, but penalties and protection have been the drive-killers for the Vikings, especially in the 2nd quarter.
Frerotte also has 2 interceptions, so he's gonna need to settle down a bit in the second half.
Adrian Peterson had a pretty good first half. 14 carries for 80 yards and a nine-yard reception. He's closing in on yet another steady 100-yard performance.
I would like to see him put it in the endzone though.

The defense needs to keep playing with that same intensity and keep Green Bay from hitting the big play. Forcing turnovers would also be ideal. Just a thought.
Anyways, the second half is about to start. Minnesota will get the ball to start and a score here will really put some pressure on Green Bay.

1:56- Second half begins and the Vikings are driving. Peterson bulldozed his way for a first down on a 3rd and 2 and the drive continues at midfield. Peterson now has 93 yards on 18 carries.

Two run plays and now it's 3rd and 5, gotta keep it going Vikes.

Chestor Taylor catches Frerotte's pass, makes a move, AND HE'S LOOSE!! Taylor scores! Touchdown Vikings! 21-10 just like that. What a way to answer. It looks like Frerotte has settled down. He went 3-for-3 for 61 yards on that one.

2:01- The Packers take over at their own 17. They look to Ryan Grant and he gets 8. Rodgers now back to pass and GREENWAY SACKS HIM! That a boy Chad! 3rd and 14 now. And a delay of game penalty. Let's make it 3rd and 19. The crowd is really into it.
Pass incomplete, no flag despite Greg Jennings pleading for one (good call by the refs). Vikings will get it back.

And now it's time for a bathroom break.

2:10- Alright that's much better. Vikings get the ball and take it to the Green Bay 31. Longwell to attempt a field goal after the Vikings couldn't convert on 3rd down. From 48-yards out...and no good. Dang it.

Packers take over. Grant gets the ball...and loses a yard. The Vikings are startng to hammer down against the run. Grant again for nothing. 3rd and long.
Pass incomplete and the Vikes will get it back.

2:13- Green Bay punts to Aundrae Allison, who dances around (get upfield please!!) and finally makes his way up the far side of the field and out of bounds, oh and a late hit penalty. Wow Green Bay is killing themselves today with penalties. 7 penalties for 60 yards on the day for the Packers.

2:16- Vikings take over at their 45. And Frerotte throws another pick...and it's returned for a touchdown by Nick Collins. Really? This is getting ridiculous. 21-17 now.

2:19- Vikings get the ball back and here comes the penalty flag. Holding on the offense. Apparantly there are a lot of Packers fans at the stadium. There's a lot of cheering and "defense" chants. Not something a home team wants to hear while on offense.

Now it's 3rd and 20 and the Vikings are starting to struggle offensively. This is typical, though, of Minnesota to make a few big plays and then, just like that, not take advantage of opportunities and give up big plays of their own.

Vikings punt and there goes Will Blackmon. Our special teams tackling is absolutely terrible. Touchdown Green Bay and now it's 24-21 Green Bay with their first lead of the game.

2:24- It angers me right now to hear the roaring of the Green Bay contingent after the Packers scored. Minnesota needs to do something to take the visiting crowd out of the game, which is a sad thing to have to say.
2:30 to go in the 3rd quarter and Peterson gets the carry and gets 100 yards. That's four straight 100 yard games now for Adrian Peterson.
And he gets it again and picks up 16 on the run. Keep running Adrian!

2:28- Something I just noticed, though, Bernard Berrian does not have a catch today after having three straight 100-yard receiving performances. He's been shut down by the Green Bay defense. The Vikings have tried to go to him too, but it's just been tough-sledding for Berrian.

Green Bay gets the ball back and picks up about 12 on first down. The Vikings must get a stop here as the 3rd quarter comes to an end.

24-21 Green Bay leads.

2:33- 2nd and 8 at their own 29 for the Packers. Now let's make it 2nd and 13. Come on defense. How about a turnover?

2:34- Jarod Allen with another sack! He's really starting to tear it up after a slow start to the season. 3rd and 13 now and wow...Allen gets a roughing the passer penalty.
It just never ends for the Vikings. Something good happens, and then it's almost certain that something bad will immediately follow.

Encroachment on Minnesota now and after a Ryan Grant run it's 2nd and 3. Rodgers pass is incomplete.
Rodgers gets leveled by Ben Leber and the pass is incomplete. Vikings get the ball back as the punt is downed at their own 5.

2:42- Vikings take over and they need to give the ball to Peterson....well there you go. AP gets over 20 yards on a nice run. He's got 152 yards on 25 carries. Keep feeding him the ball right into the endzone! Taylor gets the carry and he's short.

Okay now this is just terrible. Why do they keep switching backs? Why? Is Peterson really that tired after a few carries that you wouldn't give it to him again on 3rd and short?

Is Taylor really that much more of a 3rd and short back? Why Minnesota offensive coordinator? Why?

2:48- Vikings review the spot and decide to go for it on 4th down. Peterson fumbles, of course, and even though Minnesota recovers, it's Green Bay ball.

Grant takes the carry for a first down. Next play, holding. 1st and 20 for the Packers. I'd like Aaron Rodgers to throw a pick right now. Please Aaron?

It's gonna be 3rd and 6 after two completions. 6 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Time out Packers. This is big for Minnesota. They need to force Green Bay to kick a field goal so they can still have a chance at this game.

2:55- I just texted my brother about the game and he replied that Green Bay's offense has been pathetic and that Minnesota is doing everything they can to give them the game. I said, "yep that's what we do." That's how Minnesota's season has been thus far. That's how the Vikings have been ever since I've been watching them. By the way my brother is a Packers fan so there's definitely some trash talking going on.

2:57- A false start penalty on Green Bay makes it 3rd and 11. But the Vikings call timeout. Childress apparantly saw something in the offense. Vikings now with 1 timeout. They know it's a passing down, so if somebody is wide open I may punch something very discontently.

3:00- Here it is 3rd and long...Complete to Driver but for 5 yards! Crosby will make the field goal....40 yard attempt is up and good. Kinda wish Longwell hadn't missed that kick.

Green Bay 27, Minnesota 21

3:02- Minnesota gets the return and they'll start at their 31. Frerotte is gonna have to step it up. No more dang interceptions. Let's go Vikings!

Peterson gets two carries for 9 yards and it's 3rd and a long 1. Frerotte hits Bobby Wade for a first down!

Minnesota is gonna need to keep slowly working the ball down the field. There's plenty of time left with 4:20 and counting to go. No need to start launching prayers.

The line is gonna have to step up too, though. No mental lapses.

Peterson gets a shovel pass and takes it for a first down. Peterson catches another one and gains 8. Clock closing in on 2 minutes.

Peterson gets the hand off on 2nd and 2...breaks a tackle...AND HE'S LOOSE. RUN ADRIAN RUN!!! TOUCHDOWN VIKINGS!!!

Okay nevermind they review the play and it looks like Peterson may be down at the goalline. Don't you just hate the opposing coaches' ability to challenge plays?

3:10- Here's the call...call stands Peterson scores! Minnesota 28, Green Bay 27. Again, I wish Longwell had made that field goal. Anways, defense HAS to step it up one more time.

2:22 left on the clock. Vikings defense will defintely get to pin their ears back on this one. Hopefully the secondary is up to the task though. No big plays and make sure tackles.

3:14- Dang special teams gives up a big return and Green Bay is at their 40 yard line. Then a deflected pass is caught by Driver. Here we go again. Another game where the opponent gets the ball last, goes down the field, runs the clock down, and kicks the game-winning field goal. I don't even have to worry anymore. It's almost guaranteed that Green Bay will score, probably with no time left too. Unbelieveable.

Their only hope is to force a turnover or sack Rodgers for a big loss. Just once things need to go Minnesota's way in this situation.

3:16- Grant gets the carry and loses a few yards.

3:17- 3rd and 7 now. Pass is complete to Driver, but it'll be 4th down and Crosby will attempt a very makeable 52-yard kick from the left has mark. I hope he misses.....

3:19- HE MISSED IT! HA HA VIKINGS WIN! VIKINGS WIN! Crosby just pushed it to the right and Minnesota will take a knee and win the game. Brad Childress will get his first win over the Packers. What a win for the Vikings over their archrivals.

3:23- The Vikings improve to 5-4 on the season, while Green Bay falls to 4-5.

Again, the final score Minnesota 28, Green Bay 27. Stay tuned I'll recap the game later on.

NFC North Recap- week 8/9

(Week 8) Washington 25, Detroit 17- The Detroit Lions made it interesting late, but the Redskins (6-2) defense warded off any potential comeback in the end. Dan Orlovsky passed for 223 yards and a touchdown, but a paultry 2-for-12 third down conversion rate spelled the ultimate doom for the winless Lions. The good news for Detroit fans is that the Lions are at least making games interesting, and perhaps in one of them they might catch a team (hopefully not the Vikings) asleep long enough to knock them off and pick up win numero uno in 2008.

(Week 9) Chicago 27, Detroit 23- We'll stay with the Lions, and as I was just saying, who caught the Bears in hybernation mode for about three quarters of play. Chicago led 10-0 after the first, but then lightning struck in the form of 23 second quarter points for the Lions who held a 23-13 advantage at half. Things were looking even worse for the Bears when Kyle Orton, who had looked great in guiding the Bears to success in games leading up to Detroit, injured his ankle and left the game. That meant that Bears fans would hear those dreaded two words once again over the PA: "Rex Grossman".
Grossman, however, looked poised in helping the Bears in their comeback attempt, completing a touchdown to Rashied Davis in the 3rd and running for another in the 4th to thwart the Lions' upset bid and hopes for getting their first win of the season. Matt Forte continued his strong rookie season with a 126-yard performance on 22 carries. The Bears can breathe a sigh of relief after that one, but better not get too comfortable as they must welcome the undefeated Tennessee Titans into Soldier Field on Sunday. The Lions, meanwhile, will win a game this season, of that I have no doubt. The question is against who?
Next game: Tennessee (8-0) at Chicago (5-3); Jacksonville (3-5) at Detroit (0-8)

Tennessee 19, Green Bay 16 OT- The streak is now at eight. The unbeaten Titans survived a scare from the upstart Packers led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers' 314-yard performance. Rodgers had a passing TD, but also threw a crucial interception. The Titans, meanwhile, relied on steady offensive production, a surprisingly stout defense, and the golden toe of Rob Bironas. Bironas, who missed a game-winning attempt at the end of regulation, went 4-for-5 on field goal tries including a second chance at the game-winner in the extra frame. Both the Titans and the Packers will stay in the NFC North for their next games. Tennessee will head to Soldier Field to face Chicago, while Green Bay ventures into the Metrodome for the big rivalry game with the Minnesota Vikings.
Next game: Tennessee (8-0) at Chicago (5-3); Green Bay (4-4) at Minnesota (4-4)

What does it mean for Minnesota- The Vikings are coming off a much-needed 28-21 victory over the Houston Texans. That puts them in a tie for second with Green Bay in the division. A win over the Packers and a Chicago loss to unbeaten Tennessee and the Vikings could find themselves in a tie for first place once again. The only problem is Minnesota's division record, which stands at 1-2 right now. Green Bay and Chicago are perfect thus far, but the two teams have not faced off yet this season. The Vikings are gonna need to keep finding ways to bottle up what works on offense each week if they hope to claw their way back into the divisional race since they do not own any tiebreakers at this point. A win over Green Bay at the Metrodome this Sunday is a must. The only problem is Aaron Rodgers is coming off one of his better passing performances against the Titans (314 yards, TD, INT) and the Green Bay defense seems to not mind that they're without a few key defensive players. They really pushed the Titans to the limit last weekend, so it will be interesting to see if the Minnesota defense is up to the challenge of slowing down the Packer offense (for a change). Whether or not Adrian Peterson can continue his consistent progress and add another 100-yard rushing performance to his accolades is also something to keep an eye on. Peterson performed well against the Packers in their first meeting, but not well enough. Minnesota is going to need the ground game to be effective if they have hopes of knocking off the Packers.

Plus it's a huge rivalry game, so there shouldn't be any excuse not to get up for this one.

Top Ten Teams In Vikings' History

As I sat in my chair at 2 P.M. on a Sunday afternoon with no football games to watch that I'd care for, I happened upon the wonderful world of Wikipedia.

Out of boredom I began to look up the history of the Minnesota Vikings. Seeing as how both the Iowa Hawkeyes and Vikings had a bye week, thus leaving me hung out to dry for a whole week, I started to think about things I could do with the information I found on this site for my weekly blog post.

The result...A top ten list of the best teams in Minnesota Vikings history. That's 47 years worth of football teams to review from. Some of them are pretty obvious. The Super Bowl teams of the '70s. The roller coaster 1998 season with Moss, Carter and Cunningham. So many memories and only 10 to pick from. So without further delay, the Ten Best Teams in Vikings History:

10. 1999 (10-6)- It was a tweener year for this Vikings squad. Coming off of the unforgettable 1998 season, expectations were again high for Minnesota. However, injuries and lack of execution held the Vikes to a 2-4 start to the season. A suddenly ineffective Randall Cunningham was replaced by veteran QB Jeff George and the Vikings found their offensive touch once again, going an impressive 8-2 in their final 10 games to finish 2nd in the NFC Central, a game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and make the playoffs for the 4th year in a row. Minnesota would dominate the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 in the Wild Card game, but lost a wild shootout to the destined Super Bowl champions St. Louis Rams, led by Kurt Warner. That season set the stage for another banner year in 2000 for Minnesota, especially with the acquisition of Daunte Culpepper in the NFL Draft before the season.

9. 1992 (11-5)- After a two year absensce from the playoffs, under the guidance of new head coach Dennis Green (eventual Coach of the Year), the Vikings went on to win the NFC Central and make the playoffs for the first time since 1989, which was coincidentally the last time Minnesota also won the Central division title. The Vikings were upset in the Wild Card game, however, by the Washington Redskins 24-7.

8. 1988 (11-5)- After a miracle run in the NFC playoffs in 1987, in which the 8-7 Vikings got all the way to the NFC Championship before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins in one of the best NFC title games of the '80s, the '88 Vikings looked to take it up a notch. They finished 2nd again, a game behind the Chicago Bears, but made the playoffs with an even better record than in 1987. However, the magic wasn't there this time as Minnesota lost in the Divisional round to the powerhouse San Francisco 49ers 34-9.

7. 1970 (12-2)- Just a year removed from Minnesota's first Super Bowl appearance, the Vikings looked poised for another shot at the title. They finished with the best record in the new NFL (the AFL and old NFL merged following the 1969 season), won the first-ever NFC Central division title, and became just the second team in NFL history to lead the league in fewest points allowed and fewest yards allowed in consecutive seasons. All of that was for naught, however, as the Vikings were knocked off in the Divisional round by the San Francisco 49ers 17-14.

6. 1974 (10-4)- A team chalked full of future Hall of Famers, the 1974 version of the Minnesota Vikings was all about repeats. They had repeated as NFC North division champs, then repeated as NFC conference champions (defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 30-14 and the Los Angeles Rams 14-10), and they once again lost a hard-fought battle 16-6 in the Super Bowl. This time to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that would win four titles in the 1970s. The Vikings, meanwhile, would go on to lose four Super Bowls in the '70s.

5. 1975 (12-2)- A determined Vikings team took the field in 1975, eager to get back to the Super Bowl and prove their worth after losing their third NFL title game in three tries. Minnesota dominated en route to their third consecutive Central division title finishing five games ahead of 2nd place Detroit. The Vikings were again No. 1 in the NFC to end the regular season.Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton won several awards that year including Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, and the Bert Bell Award given to the best football player of the year. Yet, once again it just wasn't enough as the Vikings were ousted in the Divisional round by the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys, losing 17-14.

4. 1976 (11-2-1)- Minnesota continued its dominating play in the NFC picking up right where they left off in 1975. The Vikings won their fourth consecutive NFC Central division title (they would win 11 of 13 division titles from 1968-1980). Chuck Foreman continued to be one of the league's best running backs and was named to the NFC All-Pro team. Meanwhile, another offensive threat stepped into the spotlight for the Vikings. Fresh out of Grambling State, Sammy White was the unanimous choice for NFL Rookie of the Year at Wide Receiver, a title Foreman had earned three years earlier. Minnesota romped through the playoffs taking out Washington 35-20 and the LA Rams 24-13 to earn their fourth trip to the Super Bowl in eight seasons. The Vikings faced John Madden and the Oakland Raiders in the Rose Bowl for Super Bowl XI. The game was never in doubt, however, as the Vikings would lose 32-14 making them the first to lose four Super Bowls, a feat later outdone by the Buffalo Bills as they decided to lose four straight Super Bowls. It's the kind of thing you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemies.

3. 1973 (12-2)/ 2000 (11-5)- Alright so I lied. I'm listing the Top Eleven teams....that and I accidentally put the two in the same spot when I was picking out the Top 10 teams. Both teams are very deserving, but my apologies all the same. Anyways:
1973- The 1973 Vikings was a squad that was finally starting to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. They had the feared "Purple People Eaters". They had a fiesty gunslinger at QB in Fran Tarkenton. But they needed a running back. Enter Chuck Foreman. Foreman won NFL Rookie of the Year honors and gave the Vikings another viable threat to their offense. Meanwhile, leader of the Vikings defense, defensive tackle Alan Page, won the George S. Halas award for Defensive Player of the Year boosting his future Hall of Fam resume. Minnesota won their 5th Central division title in six years, and this after finishing third the year before going 7-7. They defeated the Redskins 27-20 in the Divisonal round, and the Cowboys 27-10 in the NFC championship to earn the right to face the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII, the Vikings second Super Bowl appearance. The Dolphins, led by Don Shula, were too much for the Vikings, though, defeating them 24-7.

2000- The 2000 Minnesota Vikings took the NFL by storm. They had a opportunistic defense, a veteran receiving corp with Jake Reed and Cris Carter and a young phenom in Randy Moss, and a solid, grind-it-out running back in Robert Smith, who rushed for a career-best 1,521 yards and seven touchdowns. The Vikings just needed some consistency at quarterback. They found that in a young man out of Central Florida named Daunte Culpepper. In his second year as a Viking, Culpepper took over for the aging Jeff George and led the Vikings to a 7-0 start. Minnesota would get to 11-2 clinching their second division title in three years, but lost their last three games while Culpepper was battling injuries. The Vikings took care of the upstart New Orleans Saints 34-16 in the Divisional round and then faced a stern test against the New York Giants in the Meadowlands for the NFC Conference championship.
It was the first time the Vikings and Giants met in the playoffs since 1997 when the Vikings rallied from a 22-13 deficit with a 1:30 remaining to beat the Giants 23-22 at New York. In that game, Minnesota improbably recovered onside kicks on consecutive possessions to spark the unlikely comeback. Minnesota was not so fortunate in their next meeting, getting blown out 41-0. The Giants would then lose to the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl. However, Minnesota officials accused New York of listening in to what the Vikings coordinators were saying in the press box and tampering with their equipment. Nothing came of this, however, and Minnesota was yet again denied a shot at the Super Bowl. It was Dennis Green's last shot and it was the closest the Vikings have been since.

2. 1969 (12-2)- The team that started it all. A year after they won their first Central division title, Minnesota upped the ante. This time they won the conference title. Minnesota won their first 12 games of the season before dropping their last two. They led the league in points scored (379) and points allowed (133). They won the last Western Conference Championship game (divisional playoffs) over the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 and then won the last NFL championship game before the NFL-AFL merger over the Cleveland Browns 27-7. They became the first NFL expansion team to win the NFL championship. Bud Grant was named Coach of the Year for his efforts.
The Vikings were loaded with star athletes on both sides of the ball. The defensive unit earned its legendary nickname "Purple People Eaters". This unit consisted of DTs Gary Larsen and Alan Page and DEs Carl Eller and Jim Marshall. They were considered one of the best defensive front-fours in NFL history. Minnesota also had playmakers in the secondary. Bobby Bryant led the team with eight interceptions while Earsell Mackbee had six and future Hall of Famer and former Iowa Hawkeye alum Paul Krause had five interceptions and a touchdown. Joe Kapp was the Viking leader at QB, known for his versatility both on the ground and through the air. Kapp tied the record for most passing TDs in a game with seven against the Baltimore Colts that season. Kapp led the Vikings to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.
Still, as dominant as the Vikings had been, they could not find their offense against a determined Kansas City Chiefs team from the upstart AFL. The Chiefs upset the mighty Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl IV. To this day, the '69 Vikings are considered one of the best teams to never win a Super Bowl.

1. 1998 (15-1)- They were arguably one of the greatest teams in NFL history. They set franchise records, they set individual records and they set the NFL record for most points scored in a single season (556). The 1998 Minnesota Vikings had it all. They were the best team in the NFL by season's end. Only a 3-point loss at Tampa Bay kept Minnesota from achieving perfection. They won the NFC Central with ease (their first division title since 1994). Their offense never scored less than 24 points in a single game. It was a team that clicked for one amazing season. Up and down the roster are some of the more recognizable names in NFL history.
With the addition of to-be Offensive Rookie of the Year Randy Moss, Minnesota had a fearsome trio at WR in Moss, Jake Reed, and Cris Carter. Moss would set a record for most receiving touchdowns by a rookie with 17. They had pro bowlers all across the offensive line. Behind them the shifty running back Robert Smith, who would rush for 1,187 yards and six touchdowns despite injuries. And then there was the key that unlocked the magic. After sitting out the 1996 season, an aging Randall Cunningham was signed by the Vikings in 1997 and used as a backup to Brad Johnson. But early in 1998, Johnson was injured an Cunningham would step in and change the complexion of the '98 Vikings for good. Cunningham would go on to pass for 3,704 yards and 34 TDs and win the Bert Bell Award. He was the orchestrator behind Dennis Green's new West Coast offense, in which Offensive Coordinator Brian Billick (who would leave for the Baltimore Ravens the next season) helped design. Green would win Coach of the Year.
Even the defense had veteran playmakers. Guys like John Randle, Ed McDaniel, Orlando Thomas, and Robert Griffith were all instrumental in Minnesota's success defensively.
And then there was Gary Anderson. The old school kicker with the single bar helmet. Anderson was much like the Vikings were that season: perfect in just about every way imaginable. He went 35-for-35 on field goals in the regular season and set a record for most points scored in a single season.

Minnesota dominated the Arizona Cardinals 41-21 in the Divisional round of the playoffs. All they had to do was defeat the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game, which would be played at the Metrodome, and Minnesota would be off to the Super Bowl to face the defending champion Denver Broncos.

But, as has been the case throughout Minnesota's history, it wasn't meant to be.
Atlanta defeated the Vikings 30-27 in Overtime in one of the bigger upsets in NFL history. In that game, Anderson missed a 38-yard field goal that would've potentially sealed the victory for the Vikings. Instead, Atlanta would force overtime, get the ball and sink a 38-yarder of their own by Morten Anderson and walk away with the NFC title and a bid in Super Bowl XXXIII. The Vikings were so close to reaching their ultimate goal, but were denied by fate. As it was, Minnesota became just the third team in NFL history to win 15 games, but they were the first to fail to reach the Super Bowl.

Despite the unfortunate ending to the season, it is hard to argue that the 1998 Minnesota Vikings were the greatest team in franchise history.

NFC North Recap- week 7

Houston 28, Detroit 21- The Houston Texans (2-4) continued to climb out of the cellar with a hard-fought win at home against Detroit. Matt Schaub was solid at QB for the Texans going 26-of-31 for 267 yards and 2 TDs. Houston built up a 28-10 lead into the fourth, but Detroit rallied for 10 points in the final quarter and had the ball at the end of the game, but being stuck at their own 2-yard line proved to be too big a hole to climb out of for the winless Lions.
Next game: Washington (5-2) at Detroit (0-6)

Green Bay 34, Indianapolis 14- The Green Bay Packers pulled off a minor surprise last Sunday, whipping up on the struggling Indianapolis Colts (3-3) despite injuries at key positions. Peyton Manning was picked off twice and kept out of the end zone through the air, while Aaron Rodgers was effecient enough in the passing game to open things up for Ryan Grant (31 carries 105 yards, TD) and the Packer running attack. Both Manning interceptions were returned for touchdowns, one from 62 yards out and the other from 99. The Colts find themselves in a bad spot now with three of their next five games on the road against solid teams. Their next task will be to tackle an undefeated Tennessee Titan squad on Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, the Packers move into a first place tie in the NFC North division with Chicago after the Bears knocked off the Vikings earlier in the day.
Next Game: BYE; week 9- Green Bay (4-3) at Tennessee (6-0)

What does it mean for Minnesota- The Vikings lost a 48-41 shootout to the Bears in a battle for top spot in the North division, so that means they'll have to bide their time until the opportunity to reclaim first presents itself again. With the way the teams in this division are playing it could come at almost any point in the season. Three of the four teams in the division, including the Vikings, have a bye this coming Sunday so they'll definitely use that time to get rested up and figure out how to correct the mistakes that were made. Minnesota is going to need to find out how to bottle that 41-point offensive output they had against Chicago and use it more often. It's sad to say, but Minnesota could have done a LOT better offensively (Frerotte's four interceptions didn't help much), and putting up 41 points in the NFL is a pretty tough thing to do so that is saying something. Of course that's what has left Vikings fans scratching their heads. Score 41 but look ugly doing it. That's hard to do, but I guess that's what the Vikings are good for.
The other side of things is that 48-point showing the Bears had. Despite two of those touchdowns being mental miscues by Minnesota, its still gotta leave a bad taste in the defense's mouth that they even allowed 34 points to a football team. The defense knows they are much better than what they showed against Chicago last Sunday, even though they held the Bears to 53 yards rushing. But they are gonna have to make those corrections in a hurry, because they face a surging Houston Texans team that is hungry to make a name for themselves this season. Also Minnesota doesn't want to lose back-to-back games. That would not be good for the playoff hopes.

Mistakes Bite Vikings in Loss to Bears

If you were a Vikings fan on Sunday watching the Bears-Vikings game, you probably got that feeling, all-in-all while watching the game, that Minnesota just wasn't going to win.

It just wasn't meant to be. Minnesota had several golden opportunities to beat the Bears and blew just about each and every one of them in a 48-41 loss to Chicago at Soldier Field.

It probably surprised anyone who turned on their TV set to find the Bears-Vikings game such a high-scoring affair considering both teams boast two of the best defenses in the NFL. It didn't help that the Bears had injuries throughout their secondary and that the Vikings kept spotting the Bears wonderful field position throughout the game.

But perhaps the thing that really set the two apart was the discipline level between the two teams.

Whether it was more drive-killing penalties, or Jarod Allen diving onto a pile of players 3 seconds after the whistle had blown, that little yellow hanky found it's way onto the field way too many times (8) for the Vikings. Most of which were at crucial times.

Ray Edwards jumped offsides on what would've been a 53-yard field goal attempt by Bears kicker Robbie Gould, but instead made it a 48-yarder that he coasted through the uprights.

Vinny Ciurciu was flagged for a questionable pass interference call on 4th-and-goal from the 1 that gave the Bears new life and Matt Forte walked into the end zone on the next play to make it 48-31, a deficit too great for the Vikings to overcome.

The mistakes on special teams were even more evident. Minnesota spotted the Bears 14 points on mental errors despite getting a 7-0 lead early after Adrian Peterson scored on 4th and-goal from the 1 in the 1st quarter.

Veteran punter Chris Kluwe botched the snap and then had his kick blocked, but instead of falling on hit he tried to kick it again and it was batted into the end zone and recovered for a Chicago touchdown.

Then to make matters worse, on a Bears punt in the second quarter, returner Charles Gordon decides to try and block a Bears defender, instead of waving for a fair-catch, and gets pushed into the ball which conveniently makes its way into the end zone and the Bears promptly fall on it for another gift-wrapped touchdown to make it 24-17 at that point.

Couple that with 4 Gus Frerotte interceptions and the Vikings never had a chance.

Well, that's almost true. Despite trying their hardest to lose this game, Minnesota still found themselves with the ball trailing by 7 at the end of the game. If there's any negatives the Bears can take away from this, that is one of them.

Minnesota out gained the Bears 439-327 in offensive yardage. Frerotte passed for 298 yards and 2 TDs while Orton only threw for 283 and 2 TDs. The difference was the interception ratio- 4/0.

Adrian Peterson again rushed for over 100 yards against the Bears with a 121 yard, 2 TD performance, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. But it wasn't enough. Peterson only had the big 54-yard run that provided a brief spark to Minnesota's otherwise schizophrenic offense.

It must also be a very vindicating day for Chicago fans to get a win over the Bernard Berrian-led Vikings. Berrian was a receiver for the purple and orange last year, but led the Vikings with 6 catches for 81 yards and a TD today.

To add to just how bizarre this game was, Minnesota's only punt attempt was Kluwe's blocked punt. That usually means one of two things: you're either winning by a lot and scoring at will or; you did what the Vikings did today and turnovers, special teams included, served as your "punts".

Chicago (4-3) now is atop the NFC North, but will soon be joined by the Packers who are putting a hurt on the up-and-down Indianapolis Colts. Minnesota (3-4), meanwhile must regroup as they may be down but are certainly not out. One loss to the Bears is not the end of the season. Minnesota will head into the BYE week and hope to correct a lot of their mistakes before they return to the friendly confines of the Metrodome to face the Houston Texans (2-4), a team they can and should beat.

NFC North Recap- week 6

Green Bay 27, Seattle 17- Aaron Rodgers wasn't about to watch his team lose four games in a row. After falling behind 10-3 in the 2nd quarter, Green Bay rolled off the next 24 points to take a 27-10 lead in the 4th and they would hold on to beat the Seattle Seahawks (1-4) and move into a first place tie with Minnesota and Chicago atop the NFC North standings. Rodgers had a decent day, passing for 208 yards and 2 TDs and rushing for another one during Green Bay's 24-point swing. Aaron Kampman had four tackles and two sacks to anchor a depleted defense that has four starters out, some for the remainder of the season, from injuries. Seattle, meanwhile found itself riding a roller coaster throughout the game. At times it looked like 3rd-stringer QB Charlie Frye was really gonna be able to lead the Seahawks to a win over the Packers, but an inconsistent offense throughout the game and two Frye interceptions on the day would dull any sense that Seattle was going to win. Things will get a little tougher for Green Bay as a very raw secondary will be tested when Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts come calling next Sunday.
Next game: Indianapolis (3-2) at Green Bay (3-3)

Atlanta 22, Chicago 20- I wanted to save the best for last. The Chicago Bears had a golden opportunity slip right through their fingers. Kyle Orton was going to be the hero. He had orchestrated a 4th quarter drive for what was thought the be a game-winning, 17-yard touchdown pass to Rashied Davis with 11 seconds left. It's not often you hear such words about Bears quarterbacks. Atlanta had practically no chance. But somehow, rookie sensation Matt Ryan set the Falcons up with a chance to win. Following a controversial decision to squib kick the ball, Atlanta would have the ball at their own 44 yard-line with six seconds left. Ryan hit Michael Jenkins, who planted two feet in bounds, for a 26-yard gain to the Bears 30.
Then with one second left, Jason Elam broke the hearts of Bears fans everywhere and brought joy to Vikings, Packers, and of course Falcons fans when his 48-yard field goal sailed through the uprights. The celebration that ensued at midfield looked like Atlanta had just won the World Series. In reality, all's it did was knock the Bears back into a three-way tie in their division and move a surprisingly impressive Atlanta squad to 4-2 on the year making many question whether or not this Falcons team could actually make the playoffs as the NFC South champions. Matt Ryan also made a major bid for Rookie of the Year with his performance on Sunday. The Bears, meanwhile, will try and shake this one off and get focused for a home date with North division rival Minnesota on Sunday.
Next game: Minnesota (3-3) at Chicago (3-3)

Detroit (0-5)- lost to Minnesota 12-10, next: at Houston (1-4). The Lions just can't catch a break. What's worse is that even though they play a team with only a 1-4 record, Houston just got their first win this past week in dramatic fashion so they should be reenergized for their game against Detroit.

What does it mean for Minnesota- The Vikings somehow have a chance to be all alone atop the NFC North standings thanks to the Bears loss. A win over Chicago and a likely Green Bay loss to Indianapolis could make this scenario a reality. Not bad for a team that started 1-3. But the offense is going to have to start playing more consistently and they are gonna have to start scoring more points. For this game I could understand a 12-10 finish because both defenses are very good, despite a few knicks to the Bears' secondary. But Minnesota is gonna need to start finding the endzone more often than once or twice a game or the potential lead in the division won't last very long. The Vikings will meet the Bears again in the Metrodome later in the season, but this game in Soldier Field on Sunday is perhaps even more important than the opener against the Packers as it will give either team a much needed boost of confidence heading into the remainder of the season. And since first place in the division is on the line, one can be sure that both teams will come ready to play.

Can Frerotte lead the Vikings to the playoffs?

Gus Frerotte is 37 years old. He's been around the NFL for 15 years and with 7 different franchises. He was with the Vikings before in 2003 and 2004 before being picked up by Miami in 2005. At the beginning of the 2008 season, Minnesota signed the veteran QB in the hopes to provide some experience at a position that was a question mark coming in.

However, in four starts for the Vikings, since Head Coach Brad Childress's decision to bench former starter Tarvaris Jackson, Frerotte has helped Minnesota return to a .500 record at 3-3 and has thrown for over 200 yards in all four starts. Frerotte's passing ability and experience in situations have proven valuable for Minnesota in climbing back from a 1-3 start. Frerotte was poised in leading the Vikings to comeback wins over New Orleans and Detroit and has a chance to put Minnesota into first place in the NFC North division next Sunday against the rival Chicago Bears.

Frerotte's numbers haven't been that impressive. His best completion percentage (58.1) came in a loss to the Tennessee Titans. He passed for a season high 296 yards, but has 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions thus far. The Vikings are still not lighting up the scoreboards on offense, nor is the addition of a passing threat one that's going to make opposing defenses shutter, but the ability to make plays and execute in crucial situations has been more prevalent when Frerotte is in.
He may not put up impressive fantasy football stats, but it's his leadership skills that he has acquired over the years that make him a viable threat for the Vikings. His ability to come up with key plays is a reason Minnesota can still hope for a shot at the playoffs.
For example, in the last two games, he has hooked up with Bernard Berrian for two deep balls that resulted in critical touchdowns and drew two major pass interference penalties from deep passes late in the game as well, which aided in the Vikings' past two comeback attempts. That's what veteran knowledge will get you.

The Vikings may win ugly, but a win is a win, and if veteran leadership at quarterback is what it's gonna take to get the Vikings into the 2008 playoffs then they may have found the right guy in Gus Frerotte. He will have a chance to lead the Vikings against a Bears' secondary that will be battered up in the hopes of stealing a win at Soldier Field, moving above .500, shifting into first place in the division, and giving Vikings fans a bit more hope for the near future.

All of this...and he's 37 years old.

A win is a win...

My weekend is complete. As I sat on a stool in Buffalo Wild Wings watching four great NFL games come down to the wire, with each TV screen lined up right next to the other, I couldn't help but think about how good a day it was for me as a football fan. My Iowa Hawkeyes finally ended their three-game losing streak with a 45-9 win over Indiana. Iowa State lost although that's more for those diehards that hate the Cyclones. And the Vikings and Bears were fighting for a victory in the closing minutes to set the stage for their showdown at Soldier Field next weekend.

The end result? I watched Houston come back in the closing seconds to knock off Miami 29-28, St. Louis making one spectacular play after another in route to a stunning 19-17 win over the Redskins in Washington thanks to the first of three game-winning field goals, Chicago take the lead over Atlanta late and then in two plays lose it thanks to a Jason Elam game-winner, and of course the Vikings who overcame terrible offensive execution to beat the Detroit Lions 12-10 on another game-winner by Ryan Longwell.

I missed the whole first half of the Vikings-Lions game thanks to FOX deciding to broadcast that amazing Bears-Flacons game, but if it was anything like the second half then it wasn't pretty.

The Vikings trailed at halftime 3-2 after a 50-yard run by Kevin Smith set up a Detroit 40-yard field goal with 1:56 to go in the 2nd qtr. Minnesota got on the board first when the defense forced backup QB Dan Orlovsky out of the back of the endzone for a safety in the first quarter. Orlovsky was starting for the injured John Kitna (back).

Things looked even worse for Minnesota when Calvin Johnson, first caught a 37-yard deep ball on 3rd and 19, and then caught a 12-yard touchdown pass to give Detroit a 10-2 lead.

But then the Vikings caught lightning in a bottle. After forcing a three-and-out on Detroit's next possession, the first play the Vikings ran was a slant route in which Gus Frerotte hit Bernard Berrian, who broke a few tackles and raced down the field for an 86-yard touchdown to make it 10-9.

The Vikings had the momentum back. However, penalities and turnovers killed scoring opportunities for much of the remainder of the game for Minnesota. They just couldn't capitalize. Even Ryan Longwell, who was 13-of-15 on field goals coming in, had a kick blocked by former Hawkeye Jared DeVries (who ended the game with 6 tackles and a sack).
It just looked like it wasn't meant to be for Minnesota yet again.

Then with 2:22 left to go in the 4th, and the Vikings with the ball needing to get it down the field in a hurry, Frerotte went deep to Aundrae Allison. Allison stretched out for the ball, but it looked as if he was slightly pushed from behind by Lions DB Leigh Bodden causing him to lose his balance. The play drew a pass interference penalty and Bodden was quite upset with the call. Even the announcers were unsure about the legitimacy of the call. From my perspective it looked like he pushed off on Allison and the contact kept him from being able to make the play. Call it ticky-tack (I will), but it was not a horribly incorrect call in my opinion.

That set up Minnesota at the 32 with 2:15 to go and of course here I am thinking they will try and punch it in or at least take some shots. Well they get to about the 15 yard-line and low and behold they go run-run-run taking a page right out of Mr. Conservative's play book. The good news is that they had enough faith in Longwell to give him the opportunity for a game-winner after they ran the clock down to 12 seconds on a 4th and 4 from the Detroit 9.
Longwell had hit 13 game-winners is his career. This 26-yard attempt would be number 14. The kick gave Minnesota a 12-10 win and moved them back to a .500 record (3-3).
But my what a terrible game.

- It's sad that when the Vikings accumulated 392 yards of total offense you could nitpick about the poorness of their offensive showing. Gus Frerotte threw for 296 yards and a touchdown. Adrian Peterson carried 25 times for 111 yards. Bernard Berrian had 131 yards receiving and become the first player since Nate Burleson in 2004 to have back-to-back 100 yard games for Minnesota.
But against one of the worst defenses in the National Football League...they should've done more.
Adrian Peterson had the quietest 100 yard rushing performance I had ever seen. This was mostly due to the two fumbles he lost in the game, both on potential scoring drives for Minnesota (although the first later resulted in a safety). For whatever reason, All Day is not finding the same success he had last year when he won Rookie of the Year. The holes aren't there as much anymore and he has already lost 3 fumbles this year, which is 3 more than you would like your running back to have. He is trying too hard to run people over and is missing opportunities to cut outside for bigger gains.
I realize that defenses are keying much more on stopping Minnesota' run game, but for arguably one of the best offensive lines in the league you should expect better. The O-line also gave up 5 sacks today.

- The defense did their part aside from a few miscues here and there. Some examples would be on that 3rd and 19 when Orlovsky hit a WIDE OPEN Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith's 50-yard run, and Rudi Johnson ripping off 6-7 yards at a time setting up the Lions with more manageable downs. Detroit's offensive line is not good, so to allow 100 yards of rushing from the Lions has obviously gotta leave the defense with a bad taste in their mouth.
Nonetheless, in the second half the stout D-line was the determining factor in keeping Detroit out of the endzone. The Williams Brothers (Pat and Kevin- no relation) were in the face of Orlovsky the whole game. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams had an exceptional game recording 8 tackles and 4 sacks. Despite giving up the touchdown early on, the Vikings defense played with a certain tenacity for he rest of the game and really put the hurt on Detroit's offense.

- Gus Frerotte didn't do too bad a job. But for more on him stay tuned as I will be discussing Frerotte in an upcoming post.

- And finally....just who the heck is Dan Orlovksy? The guy was 12-of-21 for 150 yards and a TD and almost led Detroit to an upset win over Minnesota. There were times where the Vikings were letting this guy look like Tom Brady. But thankfully the Vikings D stepped up and got in his face in the second half.
Oh and in case you really were wondering who Orlovsky is: click here.

Thanks to the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings are now in a three-way tie atop the North division with the Bears and Packers. Next week's showdown with Chicago is going to be a big time matchup to establish some early separation in this division race. Despite the Bears loss, Minnesota is going to need Adrian Peterson to repeat the performance he put on a year ago - (224 yards rushing, 3 TDs, 128 KR yards) - in Soldier Field if the Vikings have any hope of taking them down.

NFC North Recap- week 5

Chicago 34, Detroit 7- The Chicago Bears routed the Detroit Lions and took a one-game lead in the NFC North division race thanks to another Green Bay loss. The Lions have been established as the worst team in the NFC at least, and probably the NFL too, only mustering 185 yards of total offense against the Bears resurgent defense. Kyle Orton, an Iowa native, had another big game passing for 334 yards and 2 TDs, one of those going to Devin Hester as the Bears are looking to utilize the All-Pro athlete more in any way possible to put points on the board. The Bears are starting to look like a formidable opponent down the road, but impending match-ups with Green Bay and Minnesota loom so we'll see what the Bears have in store for them when the time comes.
Next game: Chicago (3-2) at Atlanta (3-2); Detroit (0-4) at Minnesota (2-3)

Atlanta 27, Green Bay 24- The Atlanta Flacons, led by rookie QB Matt Ryan, went into Lambeau Field and knocked off the Packers to hand them their third straight loss. Aaron Rodgers threw for 313 yards and 3 TDs but also threw a pick and the Falcons kept Green Bay off the scoreboard for long enough to win the game. After the Packers tied it early in the 4th quarter at 17-17, Atlanta racked up 10 more points to make it 27-17 with 3:35 to go. Rodgers' third TD pass, which was to Donald Lee, cut the lead to 27-24 with 1:56, but Green Bay could not get the ball back and the Falcons continue to surprise as many thought it would be a rebuilding year for Atlanta. Green Bay is now tied for second in the division with Minnesota.
Next game: Green Bay (2-3) at Seattle (1-3)

What does it mean for Minnesota?- With the Vikings' exciting win over the Saints on Monday night, it should give them plenty of momentum heading into a week 5 showdown with the winless Detroit Lions. It will also help that they are returning home after a two-game road stint. A win on Sunday will get the club back to .500 and will be an important step in getting back into the playoff picture. Meanwhile, Chicago travels to face off against a surprising Atlanta team that's looking to make it two wins against two NFC north teams in two weeks. A loss by the Bears could find the Vikings right back in the thick of things with a match-up against the Bears coming up next week at Soldier Field.
It also means that if Minnesota wants to continue to build momentum as the season goes on, they're gonna need to keep getting better on offense. The run game was nonexistent against New Orleans, so hopefully that can get back on track against Detroit. The defense continues to play well though so I'm not so worried on that front, but they can't overlook the Lions. They just aren't good enough to be looking past anybody.

Crazy Game Ends With Vikings Victory

The Vikings had the lead at half. And then in two plays watched it shift right back to New Orleans.
On a night where the improbable was more than likely to happen though, the Minnesota Vikings overcame two Reggie Bush punt returns for a touchdown to beat the New Orleans Saints in the Super Dome 30-27 on Monday Night Football.

Minnesota had a 20-10 lead. All was going well. Antoine Winfield became the first player in the NFL since they started recording sacks in 1982, to record a sack, force a fumble and recover it, and return a blocked kick for a touchdown in a single game. The defense was making plays left and right and all signs pointed to a Viking victory. But that soon changed with a punt.

Minnesota's offense was stagnant for most of the game. Once again the Vikings were faced with 4th down and had to punt from their 23 yard-line. Chris Kluwe, one of the best punters in the league, boomed another kick that Reggie Bush fielded at the 29 yard-line. Bush made them pay. He ran right around would-be tacklers and got two huge blocks downfield on his way to a 71-yard return for a touchdown. Just like that it was 20-17. Momentum Saints.

Next possession, Vikings must punt. They punt to Bush again. And again Bush shakes poor tackling attempts and it looks like he is going to do it again, but thankfully he trips over his own feet after a 29-yard return. With good field position the Saints move into range for Martin Gramatica, who boots a 53-yard field goal to tie the game.

Minnesota gets it back. And then two penalties and two incompletes later, it's time to punt again...and again they kick to Reggie Bush. Kluwe's 39-yard punt is taking by Bush at the 36 yard-line and returned 64 yards for the go ahead touchdown. Saints lead 27-20. The Super Dome is going nuts. 1-4 for the Minnesota Vikings is imminent now. It makes sense after all. Minnesota was outgained in total offense 375-270 and gave up 354 return yards, two returns for touchdown, and several more that put Minnesota's defense behind the eight-ball all night long.
But the way the night had gone, you just couldn't count them out.

The Vikings had punted in five straight possessions since the end of the half. They had done literally nothing on offense to suggest that they could mount a rally. New Orleans defense was flying off the ball and stuffing Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson for little to no gain and sometimes even for a loss. The Saints had the momentum and the crowd and Minnesota had Gus Frerotte at quarterback. Que the comeback.

On the fourth play of their next drive, Frerotte hooked up with offseason acquisition Bernard Berrian for a 36-yard gain and suddenly the Vikings were in business. But then two plays later that trusty old yellow hanky made another appearance as Aundrae Allison was flagged for offensive pass interference after he picked up what would've been a first down completion. This made it 3rd and 16 and it looked like Minnesota was gonna shoot themselves again. But oddly enough the Vikings did something out of the norm in this situation. They took a shot down field, and it paid off. Frerotte launched a pass towards the endzone and out of four players (2 Saints DBs and 2 Vikings WRs), Berrian came up with the ball after running into his own teammate in the process. Touchdown Minnesota. Game tied 27-27 with 7:18 to play in the fourth quarter.

The Saints got the ball back with a chance to retake the lead again, but this time Bush was not back deep to return. New Orleans did manage to do what it had all night long, however, moving the football down the field under the guidance of Drew Brees and allowing Martin Gramatica to come in once again to try and give the Saints the lead and possibly the win. But as fate would have it, Gramatica's 46-yard try went wide left and hope was restored in the Vikings for they now had the final shot at a game-winning score with two minutes to go.

It wasn't easy getting there though. Faced with a 3rd-and-3, Frerotte took another shot downfield for Berrian, who was bear-hugged by two Saints defenders drawing a defensive pass interference penalty that set Minnesota up at the 14 yard-line of New Orleans.
The Vikings ran the clock down and on 4th-and-8 from the 12, Ryan Longwell netted his 13th career game-winning field goal capping off another perfect night going 3-for-3, none more important than the one that gave Minnesota their second win of the 2008 season. Vikings win 30-27.


So it was a crazy game to say the least. A few things I want to knaw on before I go though.

- I am still sold on Minnesota's defense being one of the best in the league. They already have the stats to back up their claim to most opportunistic (16 turnovers returned for a touchdown and now a blocked kick returned for a touchdown). The Vikings were in this game because they were able to come up with key stops and force critical turnovers (2 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries) that kept the high-octane Saints off the score board. Antoine Winfield practically played himself into the Pro Bowl with his performance last night ( 8 tackles, 1 sack, forced fumble and recovery, blocked kick return for TD). Though Winfield has been making plays for Minnesota all year long, he got a chance to highlight his talent on the brightest stage of the week. Cedric Griffen also put on a display with 10 solo tackles including a bone crunching hit on Saints tight end Billy Miller. The good news is that Minnesota's D allows them to win games.

- Now for the bad news. Aside from a few big plays and lucky breaks, the Vikings offense did absolutely nothing and looked overmatched by the Saints defense, which isn't even that good to be honest. Peterson was held in check and the offensive line is just not getting things done up front like they were last year. The pass protection is better at times, but what happened to the NFC's best ground game and the monsters that cleared the way? If we don't start seeing more of that soon, the Vikings are gonna need more than a few big plays and luck-of-the-draw penalties to get any more wins.
It was also nice to see Bernard Berrian finally produce on offense as well. Berrian had a solid evening with six receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Berrians was traded from the Bears in the hopes that he could give a very thin wide receiver corp a much-needed boost and make the Vikings' passing game seem a little more threatening. Hopefully after tonight, teams will start loosening up by trying to defend the deep ball from Frerotte to Berrian, which should open the lanes for Peterson and Chestor Taylor to run through.

- And speaking of Chestor Taylor, FINALLY this coaching staff breaks from the dull and throws in a little trickery and look what happens. Taylor threw a 4-yard toss to Visanthe Shiancoe for Minnesota's first touchdown. It was the first of a few occassions where the offensive coordinators decided to break away from their standard plays that have resulted in stagnant offensive production. The other most noticeable play calls were on 3rd downs when Frerotte was called upon to take a shot down field to a streaking Berrian. It takes guts and ingenuity to make those calls and I'm glad to see this staff actually show some signs of thos qualities. ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast crew even criticized the Vikings' staff for a lack of urgency and imagination in the final minutes of the first half as they settled for a field goal when they could've taken more shots in the endzone. More imaginative play calling and more trust in the players to make plays such as Taylor's TD pass will go a long way in improving the production of this offense.

Up next for the Vikings (2-3), they return home to take on the winless Detroit Lions (0-4) in an NFC North showdown. Hopefully playing the hapless Lions will be just what the Vikings need to put together, perhaps, their first complete game and keep pace with the Packers and Bears in the early division race.