Vikings Game Blog

Here are a few thoughts while waiting for THE HUGE GAME

• I was wrong. I told my wife the Buckeyes would lose 50 - 0 to the Trojans. But they only lost 35 - 3. Stupid me.
• Kravitz is calling for more Addai. Frankly, I agree with him. He points out a trend I think we've all noticed over the past 12 games. Although it should also be noted that the O-line has been a mess over that same stretch. During the Bears game I was desperately calling for the Colts to run the ball. I can't blame the team for not wanting to donate-a-down by handing off into the line, but the numbers weren't awful. Addai was 12 for 44 with a couple really bad runs bringing his average down. The bottom line is the Colts need to get an early lead and find out what the J.Addai Master can do.
• I have a very bad feeling about this game. Luckily my wife has promised to take me to Outback if the Colts lose, so I'm in good shape either way.
• Jeff Saturday and Dallas Clark are both inactive for today's game. Tom Santi will start in place of Clark.
• Did you know Adrian Peterson's personal assistant is a real viking? Love it. I think all the NFL teams should move for greater incorporation of their nicknames.
• My wife asks me kindly to Try not to freak Clark out.

First Quarter

1.) Vikings kick off. Nice return by the newly-signed Forsett. Pitch wide to Addai for four. Quick pass to Tom Santi for two yards. HUGE conversion to Gonzalez. Manning had just enough time as the right side of the line was breaking down. Ugly pick by Manning. Good tackle by Marvin.

2.) Peterson busts through an arm tackle by Kelvin Hayden for a huge gain. DZ informs me that there is no way in hell we win this game. Hard to disagree at this point. We need a turnover. Great job by Freddy Keiaho to fill the gap as Peterson turns it wide. GREAT D by Hayden to break up a pass on third and 9. Totally makes up for that missed tackle. Vikings 3 - Colts 0.

3.) The Colts need a touchdown drive to kickstart the stalled 2008 season. Forsett another solid return out to the 32. Very nervous right now as the team looks terrible. Kravitz's Addai thesis is looking very questionable. Pressure from everywhere on third down. Punt.

4.) A 15 yard interference penalty by Tim Jennings gives the Vikings great field position again. Really unforgivable. Peterson to midfield. The gameplan is clear. Sessions sniffs out the swing pass to Peterson for the second time. Big third down here. Great D despite the lack of pressure. I am shocked no one broke open for Jackson to find. Punt.

5.) Fair catch by Forsett will start things at the ten. I'll repeat: The Colts need a touchdown drive. Or maybe an 8 yard loss to Addai. Diem fails miserably. And folks this is why we predicted a loss for the first time in memory. Punt.

6.) BIG punt and Good coverage by Keiaho, Vikings start at midfield. This is hard to watch. I'm not sure there's a fix for sucking at blocking. That's football. Peterson and Taylor are starting to gouge. Grim. Manning has a bewildered look on the sidelines. WOW. Peterson turns a loss of three into a gain of five. Third and 3 from the eight. Ron Meeks looks. . . concerned. Incomplete. Bullet dodged. Vikings 6 -Colts 0.

7.) Forsett unwisely takes a deep kick out and the Colts will start at the 18 yard line. Gonzalez for nine yards. Here's DZ.

Second Quarter

• Bob Kravitz article today should have said: Remember the last time the Colts had a healthy offensive line? It was at Jacksonville last year. Running behind this line is absolutely impossible. It's time to go all passing. Reggie Wayne makes a huge catch.
• They are going to kid Joe killed at this rate. It's time for 60 passes.
• Gonzo is seriously atoning. Manning is focusing only him it seems. They have no time to look deep at all.
• Another blown block by a rookie TE. Unreal.
• The problem with the offensive struggles is that they embolden teams to run us to death. The Colts are just going for strips on every play.
• Faced now with a huge 3rd down, the Colts defense must make a stand. This could be the last pass (or draw) they see all day.
• ##%$#@#$@#$#$@$ Well, that was fun while it lasted. Illegal contact foul revives a stalled drive. Mathis and the Vikes O-Coordinator blow up the drive anyway.
• ALL TOGETHER NOW: YOU CAN'T RUN WIDE ON THE COLTS. RUN UP THE MIDDLE. The Vikings gash us up the middle and then try and get cute with end-arounds and bootlegs. I'd stab somebody with my Vikings horns if I rooted for that team.
• That punt downed at the one-smells like: a. a challenge b. a safety. Take your pick.
• Joe is a warrior, I'll give him that.
• Did Reggie really just drop the go ahead TD? Good Lord. Hey, Ugoh is hurt! Aweeeeesome.
• Wow, that was creative spotting by the official. 1st down.
• Diem goes downfield illegally? Nice.
• Can I at least explain that I originally thought we'd score 10 points today. When I heard Saturday might play, that's when I said we'd score 20. Just wanted that on the record. The third down play never has a chance as Harrison would have been short of the sticks anyway. I don't know if there is any possible way to make it to half down less than 10, but it would be a minor miracle.
• Here's a huge 3rd down play for the defense. A stop, and a trip to locker room down 6 would feel almost like winning. Not really. I'm still stunned that Reggie Wayne dropped a 96 yard TD pass. Unreal.
• Demond writes: Which would be more improbable: winning this game or coming back at SD last year? I vote San Diego.
• HUGE play by Hayden. He's been big all day long. He is SAVING this D.
• A huge penalty by the Vikes temporarily saves us from doing the Safety dance.
• Santi and Manning have a close bond due to their injuries. They are bursa sac buddies.
• Charlie Johnson almost gets Manning killed. Why does he never get hurt?
• More pressure. I think I saw my paper boy playing right guard. Hunter Smith has another big punt, and we survive down 6-0 (knock on wood).
• Jackson runs around, hits some passes, and gives Longwell a 53 yard FG attempt. It's money. Unreal.

Half Time report: Is it as bad as it looks? No, it's way worse. I've never seen worse line play. Even so we'd still be in front if everyone else had played mistake free. Manning's pick was bad. He stared Harrison down and the DB cut in front. Wayne's drop was reminiscent of the NE drop last year. The defense played as expected, but really until the last FG, you sort of felt like they might hold us close. The Vikes have had amazing field position and start the 2nd half with the ball. They'll put us down 16-0. I think we get shut out today. The offensive line is indescribably bad. Diem and Johnson are a disaster. If they got crap on themselves, the crap would wipe itself off.

Third Quarter

• Did Dan Dierdorf really just blame the line problems on Tony Ugoh's injury half way through the second quarter? Wow. He is a dumb man.
• Hey! There's the biggish return given up we've been looking for!
• The Vikes could kneel for the rest of the half and win this game. I'm out for a while.
• Manning to Gonzo to about the 25, Gonzo spins and gets 5 more yards. as he goes down, he flips to Reggie. Wayne leaps over Gonzo AND the tackler, breaks one tackle and is tackled as he dives for the goal line. Replay canceled the TD and moved the ball to the 1/2 yard line.
• Addai TD is being challenged, and I think will be overturned. We'll have to go for it on 4th down.
• WHOO HOO! All it took was a crazy play and an awful call on the field for us to score!
• Nice play by Freddy, SAAAAAACK FREEEEENY
• FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENY SAVED US! FUMBLE! COLTS BALLLLLLL! Freeney had the strip/sack fumble on Jackson; Dawson fell on it.
• The catch streak lives! Marvin takes a hit, but hangs on for a first down.
• We were dead to rights, but one of the most improbable plays I've ever seen has bailed us out, and the Horse lives. It's freaking miracle.

Quarter 4.

• Huge 3rd and 10, but even a FG helps at this point.
• Manning avoids the sack, but throws a tad high to Santi, who can't hang on in the end zone.
• It's San Diego all over again. AV pushes it. Wow.
• Why is Minnesota throwing at all? The D forces a huge 3rd and 8. Jackson throws it to no one. RUN A DRAW VIKINGS. Colts ball.
• Demond writes: I just realize. They suck. And we are losing to them.
• The hope is short lived as Manning's pass is tipped and picked. The throw was awful. It was waaaaay behind Wayne. That's two bad picks on Manning.
• Chester Taylor is stuffed on third down. Longwell will try another long FG. WIIIIIDE. Wow.
• Bills score to go up 1 in Jacksonville.
• Peyton hits Reggie inside Vikings territory. Robinson fights for a first down. Man, I'd kill for that FG right now.
• TOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWN WAYNE. Great protection (!) Wayne runs the post for the score. Two point conversion....
• DOM FOR 2 TIE GAME. Crazy call, he might even have been down, but the Vikes have no challenges. This is nutsville.
• Football is weird. An hour ago, I was ok with losing this game. Now...I would be devastated.
• Hayden is draped in coverage again (missed call-it was interference). Here comes a HUGE third down for Jackson and for the Colts D.
• INCOMPLETE! NO FLAGS. Barrion tripped on his own two feet. Colts ball. The Vikes are offsides on the kick, and the Colts get a bonus 5 yards.
• HERE COMES THE RUN. Addai is brilliant, and the Vikings are gassed. First down on 2 good runs in a row.
• Manning avoids the rush and Gonzo makes a great catch. This is going to be a hell of a an 18 plays. 1st down with a snatch catch by Gonzo.
• Two minute warning. 2nd and 9. We need about 20 yards to win it.
• Third and 9 as Gonzo was held with no call. Ball at the 40. WOW.
• Incomplete as the protection fails completely. Gozno can't come up with it, but it would have been short. Damn.
• DID TIM JENNINGS JUST SAVE US? Ball at the one! Great play to down the punt. There will be a booth challenge, and it will be close. Looks CLEAN! No angle that I can see can overturn this. Play stands.
• Stuff on first down. Time out number 1. Dear God, don't let APete go 96 yards.
• Here we go, third down and five. One timeout left. A stop and we get it with a chance to win.
• THEY STONED THE SCREEN! PUNT WITH 1:23 from the three! Forsett is at the 50 awaiting the punt.
• FORSETT TO THE 35 on a 25 yard return. LATE FLAG....late hit on the Colts after the play. I'm sick. Dumb Ass.
• Jags lost. Titans are going to be tough all year.
• Robinson drops an easy pass. 3rd and 10. Wow.
• HOLY CRAP to WAYNE TO THE 30
• AV on to win it. 47 yards with 8 ticks left.
• DO A DANCE! DO A DANCE! DO A DANCE!

Post Game Recap:

It was San Diego II, only this time Adam Vinatieri hits the kick. I've never seen the Colts play worse than they did for two+ quarters, but then Anthony Gonzalez (the UNQUESTIONED player of the game-I will hear no debate on this) saved us with a huge catch and flip to Reggie Wayne. It was an amazing win, and I'm thrilled.

To be honest, we escaped. The Vikings decided they didn't want to gain huge chunks of yards with the run, and handed us a chance to get back in it. The line was still dicey, but when Addai (who ran hard despite getting destroyed on nearly every carry early) scored the first TD, the Vikings defense lost something. They got tired of beating Manning to a pulp, and only pressured him on every third or fourth throw, instead of every throw. Peyton and Reggie both had their mistakes today, but in the biggest spot, they hooked up for a sweet play (think Denver 2006 go ahead TD) and gave AV the chance at redemption.

He took it.

He made it.

We danced.