The "Zygihood" Turns Into a House Of Horrors For The Cowboys

Well after a week of everyone and their brother picking the Dallas Cowboys to come into the "Zygihood" as Phat Pat called it I think the Vikings were just a little upset.  They got a chance to take out their frustrations on the hapless looking Cowboys.  And take out their frustrations they did.  It was an embarrassment for the Cowboys.  The "vaunted" Cowboys defense surrendered 34 points.  The "new" Tony Romo turned back into Tony "Uh-oh" (to steal a term from Skip Bayless) with three turnovers. 

That Vikings defensive line that everyone forgot about showed why they are called the best in football.  6 sacks, 6 tackles for losses, and 10 hits on Tony Romo.  Romo was running for his life all game.  That "dominant" Cowboys defensive line that was overhyped all week did okay, but for the most part the Gunslinger had his way.  However, the game didn't rest on the strength of the offense, it rested on our huge defensive performance.  That was the best defensive performance by the Vikings in a long long time.  Ray Edwards had himself a ball game before getting dinged up in the third quarter.  Edwards says he feels better today and should be ready to go on Sunday.

The "washed up" Brett Favre went 15 for 24 for 232 yards and a playoff high 4 touchdowns.  In the last 10 quarters of action Brett Favre has a QB rating of 140.  I thought this was the time of the year that Favre faded or something.  Something about a "December swoon."  Then again, the same people that hyped that whole angle were the same "experts" that drove the Cowboys bandwagon this past week, so the world keeps on a spinnin'.

Thus far in the playoffs the "hot" teams are a nice 0-3, the Packers, Cowboys and Chargers all fell after having their hype machines swelled to Megatron size.  Remember how the Packers "were the hottest team in the league," and no one stood a chance against them?  Then after they lost, these same "experts" said the same exact things about the Cowboys.  "Hottest team in the NFC, their defense is unstoppable, quarterback is playing at another level..." etc etc ad nauseum.  Then they got crushed so people hopped on the San Diego hype machine.  They're gone.  Amazing.

All the while the same teams that were "fading" and "vulnerable" according to these "experts" are a cool 4-1 this postseason.  The Cardinals went 1-1, and the Colts, Vikes, and Saints are all 1-0.  Remember how all of those teams were going to lose and stood no shot.  (I'll own up to calling the Colts a "one and done" team.  That had more to do with Peyton Manning's traditional struggles in the postseason than anything else.)  Perhaps we should stop watching these "experts."

In the NFC home teams are 4-0 (hopefully not a bad omen for the Vikings) while in the AFC Indy is the only home team to win a game as of yet.  Who saw the Jets coming by the way?  I mean seriously, a team that needed two teams to lay down the last two weeks of the season to slip in are now one win away from playing for it all.  Rex Ryan is looking like a prophet thus far.

Back to the Vikings, we dominated all three phases of this game.  If our defense can bring it like they did this week next week we have a real real good chance of playing down in Miami on February 7th.  I think the Vikings were just sick and tired of hearing about how good the Cowboys were.  We got systematically disrespected by everyone, our defense got overlooked, people doubted Favre, Chilly was ranked dead last as far playoff head coaches go, etc.  So I think this was a statement to the league and the media.  That's what that last touchdown was all about, it was just making so called "experts" and cocky Cowboys taste it a little bit.  The 'Boys and their cocky owner Jerry Jones swaggered into the Dome like they were somebody.  The Vikings just said, "oh no, this isn't happening.  Not in our house, not today, not ever."  Of course the Cowboys took exception to the last touchdown.

That really draws my ire.  This is professional football, it's the NFL.  If you don't like getting the score ran up on you, to borrow a phrase from Dan Hawkins "go play intramurals brother."  Seriously Keith Brooking, put a lid on it, perhaps if you clueless Wade had spent more time trying to stop our offense and less time crying you wouldn't have had to worry about getting the score ran up on you.  It's not pop warner, there is no mercy rule.  Keith Brooking, Wade, and Skip Bayless can go cry about it back in Jerryworld.  I will be crying stictly crocodile tears for them.

I am sure this whole week all we will hear about is New Orleans.  "Their offense is unstoppable, Drew Brees is playing at another level, it's so loud in their stadium, they have such passionate fans, etc." Shoot me.  (By the way, if I have to hear ONE MORE STORY about how "passionate" Saints fans are I am going to puke.  Their "bond" with their team is no more special than any other NFL team.  Vikings, Steelers, Packers, and even Cowboy fans are just as passionate.  Though for the record the Packers are the other fanbase that gets credit for being extra passionate for whatever reason.)  Hopefully all of the hype for the Saints and disrespect for the Vikings gets them fired up again. 

No one wants to give us a shot, then great, I prefer it that way.  The Vikes play better when they are the Rodney Dangerfields of the NFL.  When the Vikings are being hyped up I think it goes to their head a bit.  When we are the underdogs we play better.  The first 11 games people were "yeah but"-ing us.  "Yeah they're good but."  "They play great but."  All of our accomplishments were just kind "yeah butted" away.  We played "bad teams," we needed a "miracle" to beat Baltimore and San Fran, we let Green Bay back into the game, etc.  I think it pissed us off.  But after 11 weeks we had slaughtered three straight opponents and were riding high.  Then the wheels fell off a bit and we "stumbled."  I like adversity in the regular season, I'd rather walk through the fire in the regular season than the postseason.

All of these are reasons I'd rather play the Colts, if we make it to the Super Bowl, (which is not a sure thing by ANY stretch of the imagination the Saints are great, especially at home) because that Peyton Manning hype juggernaut would be at full force.  Whereas the Jets would have the whole "we get no respect" angle down.

This win against the Cowboys right now is anyways is my highest high as a Vikings fan.  Being that I am only going on 22 I haven't had a chance to see the Vikes in the Super Bowl, yet.  We have reached the NFC title game twice in my lifetime and neither one turned out in our favor.  A win next week would be uncharted territory for me.  I wouldn't know what to do.  This game makes me nervous.  I will be a wreck all Sunday.  1998 was a bit hazy for me, being that I was only, and I was only 11 for 2000.  I can't remember the week leading up to those games, only the bitter sting from disappointment lingers.  This will be the first time that I will fully appreciate the whole experience.  This is the first time where the weight of the moment is hitting me now, as opposed to after the game.  Back then I was so young and carefree in my optimism.  Now, being an older, more jaded Vikings fan, I am already bracing myself for a letdown.  My youthful unabraided optimism is replaced by a jaded caution.  Part of me can't fully commit to being all in because I remember the pain of 98 and 00.

This year feels different though.  This is the best Vikings team of my lifetime, forget 1998 we were soft that year.  2000 was a mirage mostly.  This Vikings team is the best of my lifetime.  I would take our quarterback, running back, receivers, and defense this year over any from the past.  With that said, I will be back later in the week to give my preview to NFC Championship.  I can't believe it's already here and part of me still can't believe we are actually in it.  1 postseason win down, two more to go.  I just can't believe that Favre would have come this far to let anything stop him now.

My last order of business is to hand out my weekly Gunslinger award.  For those not in the know, my Gunslinger award goes out each  week to the person (not necessarily football player or athlete) that best embodies the spirit of the Gunslinger Brett Favre that week.  This week it goes out to....Brett Favre...and Sidney Rice.  Favre did awesome but I have to take some time to brag on Sidney Rice.  That kid had a monster of a game.  6 catches, 145 yards and three touchdowns.  He owned the Cowboys secondary.  He's headed to his first Pro Bowl this year and I think he's the best receiver left in the playoffs. 

I also want to real quickly give props to Ron Jaworski and Colin Cowherd.  Those two were John the Baptists this last week "lone voices calling in the wilderness" because they were really the only two people I saw pick the Vikings to beat the Cowboys.  Good job fellas. 

Well until next time, c'est la vie.

Skol Vikings.