ACCEPTING YOUR FATE

PACKERS 37

VIKINGS 10

I spent 3 hours on Sunday afternoon furiously rooting for the Vikings. Oh, the Vikings weren't actually playing yet. But the Eagles were, at Washington. And we desperately needed a Washington win, to give us life into next week. Washington led most of the game, but gave up the lead in the 4th quarter, and just when it appeared that Taylor Heinicke was about to lead a game winning touchdown drive, he threw a terrible pass to the endzone that was intercepted.

With that, the 2021 Vikings fate was sealed. Because we all knew that we had absolutely no chance to win at Lambeau Field on Sunday Night Football. None.

And the inevitable has now happened. The 2021 Minnesota Vikings were officially eliminated from playoff contention in a gross, lifeless blowout loss to our most hated rival. 

This game was guaranteed to be a loss the moment the news came out on New Year's Eve that Kirk Cousins had tested positive for COVID and would miss the game. Naturally the thing we all feared since the dawn of training camp finally happened at the absolute most crucial time. 

It meant that Sean Mannion would start. Mannion, one of the most useless players to ever don a Vikings uniform. Mannion, who wasn't even on the Vikings roster during training camp. We had finally wisened up and let him leave as a free agent. He had gone to Seattle and failed to win a roster spot there, and nobody else wanted him. And here he was 4 months later starting a must win game.

We were fucked regardless of whether it was Mannion, Kellen Mond, or Kyle Sloter (yeah, he's back too for some reason). But that doom is for fans to think. What's sad and unforgivable is how the coaching staff clearly gave up too. All season it's been beyond baffling to watch Zimmer and Kubiak just never alter anything, like they we just committing career suicide 9ver and over. When gameplans weren't working out, they never adjusted a thing. It cost them winnable games. It made some wins needlessly tougher. It has now hammered the final nail in the coffin of this season and of many careers.

The Vikings offense only managed about 30 yards in the first half before they actually managed a bit of a drive to get a long Greg Joseph field goal. By that point, however, the defense that showed some early grit by stopping the Packers 3 times in the redzone had already begun to fade. It was 20-3 at the half. Might as well have been 200-3. 

Nothing changed after halftime, except my numb depression took hold more. Sean Mannion threw his 1st career TD pass. Garrett Bradbury had an amusing catch and rumble off a deflection. Kellen Mond got a series and looked worse thsn Mannion. And the defense more or less got demolished. All night it appeared the Packers were merely toying with a wounded animal. The final wound up 37-10 but could have been way worse if the Packers wanted it to be. 

For once this season the Vikings couldn't even muster up some false hope. And so, they will now sit on the outside of the playoffs for the 2nd straight year. 

I feel overwhelming sadness that this is how Mike Zimmer chose to go out. Even just a little less foolish stubbornness would have secured wins over Dallas, Detroit, and maybe other games. At least if they had tried more of a go for broke approach tonight, yeah you probably lose anyway. The Packers were fighting for a needed bye, and no doubt wanted revenge on us for our earlier win over them. But go down swinging. Fucking TRY. Mannion sucks, but Kubiak gave him no chance and Zimmer allowed it. 

I will forever hold Mike Zimmer in a higher regard than many fans do, at least through the current fog of hate his name elicits. But I can't forgive the way this season failed. There is a lot that went wrong that Zimmer couldn't control. But Zimmer went out his own way, and his own way seems to be to basically lose games on purpose.

I think laying this big of an egg in a primetime setting seals the deal that Mike Zimmer is done. Only matter left to decide is how his departure is handled. I would guess he will not officially be fired. Something else will be worked out. But next week against the Bears will be the end. It has to be. It appears that's what Zimmer wants.

I'm ready for a fresh coaching staff to get their hands on a roster that, even with injuries, is just too talented to miss the playoffs two straight years.