FAILED BY THE FOURTHS

SEAHAWKS 27

VIKINGS 26

I'm not saying this was going to be the springboard to a playoff run or anything like that. It probably wasn't.

But this Vikings team came out on the losing end, at the bitter end, in a game that they showed more collective guts and heart than I have seen from any Vikings team in years. And the fact that not only was their fight not rewarded in the win column, but the win was taken away from them on the 3rd of 3 4th down plays that all went against them in the final minutes...well it's just heartbreaking.

This is just not going to be a season where things can work out for the Vikings.

The first half of SNF was amazing. I could barely even believe my eyes. It was the Vikings playing at the peak of their current ability, particularly on defense. They were facing arguably the best quarterback in football, and imo the MVP of the league so far, Russell Wilson. And they shut him out at halftime. And it wasn't some fluke. Zimmer had this pass rush on fire. Wilson was being harrassed constantly (even James Lynch got a sack in his 1st active game). And when he could get a clean pass off the coverage was strong. 

And Wilson didn't touch the ball that much to begin with, cause the offensive gameplan by Gary Kubiak was equally strong. It was not the gameplan I kind of wanted, with a super aggressive downfield passing game, but it wasn't conservative ball control either. It was a very creative approach, using Cook of course, and later Mattison, and really spreading the passes around to everybody. The Vikings 1 touchdown drive in the first half had passes to Jefferson, Irv Smith, Chad Beebe, Bisi Johnson and even an incomplete one to Ham. And obviously Thielen was a big factor later. Screens were utilized. Cousins wasn't throwing really any deep balls, but the shorter stuff was just clicking. About the only negative in the half was Cousins just barely missing a TD to Thielen before halftime (great play by the DB).

But of course this is 2020, so no happiness could last. And the 3rd quarter was a nightmare.

We actually got Seattle to go 3 and out, but then all hell broke loose. Our 1st offensive play is a swing pass to Cook, who pulls up lame with an obvious groin pull. We go 3 and out, punt, and then in just 4 plays Seattle zips down the field to their first touchdown. 

Then Kirk gets the ball knocked from his hands, just a split second before it would have been a pass. Seattle gets the ball, and in just 2 plays takes the lead. 

THEN on the very first play of the next series, Kirk tries to float a ball to Jefferson and the ball is picked on an amazing one handed grab by the defender.

Literally the next play they run it right up the middle through our stunned defense and it is 21-13.

3 touchdowns on 7 plays in less than 3 minutes. Just a total team wide breakdown in a blink.

So this is clearly the point where the Vikings just get run out of the stadium in humiliating fashion. Even I was certain the final would wind up being 42-13 or even worse.

But instead, the Vikings composed themselves, and just got right back into the gameplan that had given them that halftime lead.

Kirk shrugged off the turnovers, and led them down the field with a good run/pass mix that culminated with a Thielen touchdown. 

I agreed with going for 2 there. It was late 3rd, and you don't know for sure when or if you're gonna get down there again. I just didn't like the play call, a Kirk draw. It was honestly probably the only play call all night I had an issue with.

The defense too composed themselves and went back to what was working. Seattle did drive a little bit but we stopped them short of field goal range.

They pinned us deep on the punt, but again there was no panic. Kirk simply led them on a 15 play, 97 yard, 8 minute drive to take the lead. Once again the mix of plays was on point. Mattison and even Mike Boone running hard. Kirk zipping passes around, finally to Thielen again for the lead. This time they just kicked the PAT, which also came back to bite them. 

On the next series, we had Wilson on Wilson crime as Eric intercepted Russell. This was the big turnover we needed, and now the offense went right back to work gashing Seattle's worn out run defense. Mattison and Boone took us inside the 10. A Thielen reverse nearly sealed the game but instead set up the already infamous 4th and 1.

This is the call that set off a horrific chain of events that doomed the Vikings to one of the biggest gut punch defeats in years.

But you know what? Mike Zimmer made the right call. He went for it. He went for the win right then and there. He didn't kick the short field goal that would have made it an 8 point game, which would not have assured a win (not to mention our history of gimme field goals against Seattle). He trusted in his offense, particularly a ground game that had run up about 200 yards, and asked them to get one more yard.

It didn't work of course. Mattison got stuffed. On replay it was clear if he just cuts right he probably walks into the endzone. Does Cook make that play if he's in there? 

Anyway, we gave Wilson another chance and he took it. And he took it in brutal fashion. He lobbed what was basically a hail mary on 4th and 10 over a totally out of position Cam Dantzler. Then they just kept going. They got down to the 6, 1st and goal. 

Well hey, we won on a goal line stand last week. And it looked like maybe history might repeat itself, as Wilson threw 3 straight incompletions.

4th and goal. 3rd chance to make the play on a 4th down and win the game. 

And again we didn't. Wilson did. He lasered a pass to Metcalf, who was well covered by the Ant Man, and Seattle had the win.

Just to add salt to the wound, Kirk got the ball knocked from his hands again on the final play, and the Vikings again left Seattle defeated. 

It ain't fair. They deserved a better result for this smart gameplan, and more guts and resilience than I've seen in a long time. There are no moral victories, especially when you lose a game that could have turned your season around.

It felt predestined. Every little mistake killed the Vikings. Sound decisions came back to cost them. If you just kick the 2 PATs in the 2nd half the 4th and 1 becomes an obvious field goal. But you don't know that until later. This was a game of inches in which Seattle always got them.

And so we sit at a dejected 1-4. The team has improved a great deal already, but I don't think they have improved nearly enough to go on the at least 8-3 run that you would need to have a chance at the playoffs. The schedule does ease up considerably but there is zero margin for error anymore. This is just a god damn snakebit season. We have been swimming upstream the whole time with everything.

Other Sunday thoughts...

The Raiders found the formula to beat the Chiefs: Just outscore them. That's really the only way to beat any of these top teams right now.

The Steelers-Eagles game was so interesting I actually turned off Redzone to watch JUST that game for a while. Pittsburgh is a definite super bowl contender.

Teddy and the Panthers beat the now 0-5 Falcons, who fired their head coach....right before we play them. I don't like that. Teams usually win the week after a coaching change (as the Texans did today). 

The 49ers got back Garappolo, so naturally they went out and got slaughtered 43-17 at home to the Dolphins. Seriously, why even try to figure this shit out?

Dallas lost Dak to a gruesome injury, yet still might be favorites in the awful east. 

Cleveland won again. They are 4-1, and have their biggest game in more than a decade next week against the Steelers.