Embrace The Madness

VIKINGS 34

CARDINALS 26

For two weeks, one question loomed over the Minnesota Vikings. What would we see after the bye week? 

Turns out, on Sunday we saw, well, basically the same thing we saw for previous weeks. We saw an offense that at times looks surgical, but that occasionally stumbles. And we saw a defense that gives up a lot of yardage but proves opportunistic, particularly late.

And that's okay. You know what? This team now sits at 6-1, and is proving week after week to be a team that is exceptionally easy to root for, and that displays flair and guts.

We got out to one of our customary hot starts. The first drive ended in a touchdown, as Kirk took off running, then showed some actual wheels and dove into the endzone. Two drives later Kirk tossed a score to Johnny Mundt and we had a 14-3 lead.

Arizona's offense didn't reach the endzone until DeAndre Hopkins made a brilliant one handed catch late in the 2nd. 

Kirk got us into position for a 56 yard field goal, but Greg Joseph's kick was blocked. We'll get back to him. 

Jared Allen was inducted into the ring of honor at halftime. He rode out on a horse. And then we had a wild 3rd quarter. 

The teams traded punts. Then Arizona finally hit a deep shot, which led to a Zack Ertz touchdown. So there were we were in the familiar spot of seemingly having been in control of a game only to trail in the second half.

But so far this season whenever this Vikings offense, whatever their lapses, REALLY needs a drive they seem to get one. And so they did it again. Kirk hit JJ on a fantastic contested catch to gain 29 yards, then hit an open Thielen for another 18. Mattison sprinted in to retake the lead.

For whatever reason, Kyler Murray began the following drive by chucking a ball up into no man's land. Harrison Smith was there for an easy interception, and we quickly cashed in with a short Dalvin Cook TD run.

The Vikings defense was quickly gashed for a touchdown before I could even get back from the bathroom. But we did stop the 2 point try. 

Unfortunately, Ed Ingram (who had a brutal day) got beat badly and it led to a strip sack of Kirk. Arizona had it pretty deep in Vikings territory as the quarter switched. But on 3rd down Murray wasn't ready for the snap and fumbled it. Murray recovered it and they got a field goal, but this was their one shot to take control of the game and didn't do it.

Into the 4th, the Vikings offense stalled out again due to a holding penalty, but Arizona muffed the punt and Troy Dye hopped on it. We cashed in quickly, as Kirk hit Osborn on a dime for the touchdown.

Then Greg Joseph missed the fucking PAT. This kept it a one score game. This has to be it for Joseph. He has more missed kicks than anyone else in football. And having such an unreliable kicker WILL cost us eventually.

That it didn't today is a credit to the defense. While the Vikings offense saw a pair of would-be game sealing drives end quickly due to a sack and another holding penalty, the defense got a Cam Bynum pick, a massive Jordan Hicks tackle just short on a 4th down pass, and finally a pair of sacks on Murray as he scrambled to get off a last ditch pass or two as time ran out. 

I'm a believer in this team. Even though this game had our usual collection of chaotic odditites, I never felt like the Vikings did not have control of the game, even during their brief deficit. And I really never had any major doubt they were going to win.

This team is flawed, messy, sometimes frustrating, but week after week they are doing what they have to do late in games. Some weeks that's getting the big drive. This week it was getting a couple big plays on defense to stop drives and preserve the lead.

All over the internet I see Vikings fans complain incessantly about how mad they are about these close, imperfect wins. Why? They fucking win! Style points mean nothing. This team is consistently winning games in a winning way. This team is tremendously likable. This head coach is a homerun hire to a degree I don't think most fans have even grasped yet. We have a FOUR GAME LEAD already in the north. We haven't peaked yet. What is there not to like? 

I mean, other than Greg Joseph?