LIFE, THEN DEATH

TITANS 31

VIKINGS 30

So close. The Vikings were so close to not just getting their first win of 2020 but saving their hopes for a competitive season. Instead, we sit at 0-3, a loss caused at least in part by the very things that looked to be leading the way to victory. And any realistic chance that this will be a playoff season appears to have already evaporated.

At times today this very much looked like it would be a full on redemption day for many of the pieces of this team that have been sputtering.

This was definitely, under better circumstances, going to be a day where the story was the offense. This time, the opening drive wasn't a scoring drive. And the 2nd drive ended quickly in a Dalvin fumble. But after this the offense was really looking good for a while.

Cook ran great, They didn't just run him up the middle all the time. He got outside and had room to run all over the place, including one long touchdown burst. He finished with a career high 181. 

The passing game was more consistent. There was a lot more quick passing, and a few designed rollouts for Kirk. Justin Jefferson had an incredible breakout game, with 7 for 175. It was amazing, cause Kirk was finding him all over the field. Bombs, possession throws, over the middle. It should have been the A story from this game.

The defense did a solid job of holding the Titans to only field.goals, and it was 17-9 at the half.

The 2nd half began with the Titans front bumrushing the Vikings OL and forcing Kirk into a bad pass that was picked off. An illegal block on the return nullified a pick six, and improbably the Titans wound up not even scoring at all.

2 drives later Kirk found Jefferson along the sidelines for what turned out to be a sensational 71 yard touchdown. The game was hardly over at that point but most everything was trending our way.

But then the short handed defense that had until then held up admirably just got burned. Ryan Tannehill hit a long one over the middle.to set up a Derrick Henry touchdown. Then after a 3 and out Tannehill burned Jeff Gladney for 61 yards to set up another Henry score. Just like that a 24-12 lead was now a 25-24 deficit. 

The Vikings last competent offensive series of the day was their response, a drive that concluded with Kyle Rudolph making a juggling catch along the endline that made his one in Dallas last year look routine. The 2 point try failed though, but we had the lead back at 30-25.

I didn't have much faith in the defense by that point, but again they held the Titans to a field goal, and a long one, but of course kickers never ever miss against us.

So up 2 we had a chance to seal the game. Instead we get 1 first down then see the drive implode with a penalty and a sack on Kirk. By this point the Titans rush had asserted dominance, yet no effort was made to move Kirk from danger. 

I pretty much knew the game was over at this point. The Titans again were stopped, but not before getting in position for a long field goal. Naturally Stephen Gostkowski, who missed all sorts of kicks before this game, made everything today, including 2 50+ yards in the final minutes.

The Vikings had one last chance, and had time to drive, but this was the worst 2 minute drill drive perhaps in the history of the NFL. This was all on Kubiak. With the game, the SEASON, on the line, Kubiak's game winning strategy was....stop me if this sounds familiar...to have Kirk drop straight back behind.an OL being manhandled. Over. And over.

This drive had 5 plays. All 5 plays the OL got killed. One was a bad snap that put us in a 4th and forever. Even on a desperation hail mary Kirk was hurried on the throw that got picked off. Gee, that sounds like maybe calling plays that drop Kirk straight back and leave him with no outs would be a bad idea, right? Nope, not according to Gary Kubiak. With the game and season on the line, Kubiak decided to ignore what was working and go back to the stuff that we have known for literally YEARS doesn't.

I have no idea why someone who has been in the league so long and been successful, would do stuff like this that is so clearly wrong. Especially when he has so much evidence JUST TODAY that a different gameplan can work and work very well with this offense.

The defense cannot carry this team. They have held on for dear life the last 2 weeks to just keep games within reach. Whatever you want to say about Mike Zimmer, he is coaching that side of the ball up. They are playing guys literally signed this week, and at least hanging in there. Ngokoue is settling in and looking like a beast. Harrison Smith is going all out to make plays. Eric Kendricks is doing everything he can.

The offense does not have the injury excuse. A strong case could be made that it has the better personnel. NO case can be made that Kubiak is doing his job as well as he should, as he NEEDS to. He has the.blueprint right in front of him for how to best utilize Cousins, Cook, these receivers and this OL. But all are being too often set up to fail by piss poor coaching by Kubiak. His playcalling in those crucial moments today show me that he doesn't understand what needs to be done. I know I often rail against fans who call for firings.so early in seasons, but Kubiak is guilty of coaching malpractice right now. I would love to see him go.

But after today, whatever is done now is just for show. The season is over. 

0-3. Already 3 games behind the Bears, and we'll see with the Packers.

The wild card hopes aren't there either. The NFC is going to be full of teams in that 8-10 win wild card range. Hell, it would not shock me if all 4 NFC West teams made the playoffs.

It's just over. Maybe they can beat Houston next week, but even if they do they play Seattle after that and Russell Wilson might be on his way to an MVP award. You're not winning that game.

We'll win some games, sure, but not enough to even sniff a wild card. The 2020 Minnesota Vikings are dead.

Other week 3 Sunday thoughts....

Well, I knew it would happen eventually. Trubisky benched for Foles. Who then immediately leads a big comeback over the Falcons. Now the Bears become dangerous. 

The Lions got their 1st win, upsetting the Cardinals, who I guess aren't quite ready to win all the games they should win yet. Oh, and this officially put us in last place. 

This week in Brady vs Belichick, the Patriots beat up the previously unbeaten Raiders. Oh but Brady got a win over a winless team led by Jeff Driskel, so he was real impressive too. 🙄

The Bills took a huge lead on the Rams, then blew that lead, only to rally and win. Still not sure what to think of either team yet. 

The Eagles and Bengals tied, so Joe Burrow gets a tie before a win.

Seattle won a shootout with Dallas. The 49ers started a bunch of backups yet still killed the Giants. Xavier Rhodes got a pick six in the Colts blowout of the Jets.