Minnesota Vikings: Vikings Ship Sinks In New Orleans On Way to Miami

In week 17 of the NFL regular season finale, it looked as if the Minnesota Vikings had gotten back to the team that was a preseason pick to make it to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, with a commanding 44-7 win at Mall of America field over the New York Giants. With the number 2 seed in the NFC playoffs in sight, they had done their part to get this spot and all they needed was a little bit of help from the Dallas Cowboys to retain the spot they had lost a week ago to the Philadelphia Eagels with a loss to the Chicago Bears. Well, as we all know Dallas took care of business over the Eagles to give the Vikings the number 2 seed and a first round bye in the playoffs.

Dallas ended the season as one of the hottest teams in the NFL and once again plundered the Eagles during their first round divisional playoff game to set up a match up at Mall of America with the Vikings. Once again the Vikings offense and defense looked like the team that was destined to go to the Super Bowl  with an impressive 34-3 victory over the second hottest team in the NFL behind the San Diego Chargers to set up the dream matchup in the NFC Championship Game against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

The atmosphere in the SuperDome was mind blowing. There was a sea of black and gold with signs saying the Saints catch phrase "Who Dat?" in the crowd. The Vikings received the opening kickoff and marched down the field for an opening drive score when Adrian Peterson plunging into the end zone to give the Vikings an early 7-0 lead. This lead didn't last long as the Saints took their first drive down the field to tie the score at 7-7. This was the first opening drive score that the Vikings had given up and season. The high scoring game that everyone wanted to see looked as if it was going to happen. Both teams scored touchdowns on their second drive of the game with the score being 14-14.

The game was still tied at half at 14-14, however the Vikings had a chance to quiet the crowd when they recovered a fumble by Reggie Bush on a punt return to set up first and goal. On second and goal from the four yard line, Favre and Peterson messed up on a handoff and fumbled that was recovered by the Saints. This was a golden opportunity for the Vikings to take the crowd out of the game and put the pressure back on the Saints.

The Saints took the third quarter kickoff and drove down and scored a touchdown to make it 21-14. The Vikings tied the game at 21-21 a few drives later. The Saints scored with about seven minutes left to go in the fourth to take a 28-21 lead. Favre drove the Vikings down the field and Adrian Peterson ran in his third touchdown of the game to tie the score at 28-28 with three minutes left. The Saints next drive resulted in a punt and the Vikings got the ball back. Favre returning from ankle injury marched the Vikings down the field late in the fourth quarter. With 15 seconds left in the game, Farve took a time out. After the time out, Minnesota got penalized for 12 men in the huddle. This set up third and fifteen. Instead of running to get some yards back to give Ryan Longwell, one of the best clutch kickers in the NFL, a chance at the game winning field goal to send the Vikings to Miami, they decided to try a play action pass to the right. With Bernard Berrian open a the sideline for about ten yards, Favre threw a late pass to Sidney Rice that the Saints picked off and sent the game into overtime.

In overtime, the Saints won the toss and marched down the field with a key fourth and one conversion and pass interference call to set the game winning 40- yard field goal by rookie Garrett Hartley to send the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl berth in franchise history against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Vikings were sailing down the right path toward Miami, but when your playing on the road and have fsix turnovers (2 fumbles by Peterson, 1 fumble and 2 interceptions by Favre and 1 fumble by Harvin) its hard to win any game with those stats. But once again, the Vikings had the opportunity but shot themselves in the foot numerous times and at key times.

They should have tried a run to get the yards back and try a field goal with Longwell. Why? Well because 1) your in a dome 2) it was a 55 yard field goal on 3rd and 15 so run to get a few more yards to make it anywhere from 50-55 or maybe even closer 3) running game was working the last drive 4) Longwell's career long was 55 (5)it was the safest route and 6) even if Longwell missed the field goal you still would go into overtime and you gave yourself a chance to win the game.

I have been a Minnesota Vikings fan my whole life which is 19 years. Yes i'm only 19 but I'm already sick of these big game losses. 1998 against the Falcons, 2001 against the Giants, and now 2010 against the Saints, 5 NFC Championship games in a row lost. Any veteran coach with that good of kicker and in a dome would have ran the ball and tried the field goal. Is it time for Childress to be gone and give someone else like Fraizer a shot at coaching? Like me, the state of Minnesota is sick of just getting to the playoffs and getting to the NFC Championship game, we want a SUPER BOWL!!! However, come this August I will be just like other fans trying to forget how our team always lets us down in big games and gets us all hyped up for nothing, and will be cheering them on as I will still continue to bleed purple and gold. But like I said before making the playoffs is not good enough for fans in Minnesota anymore.