Arizona Cardinals Punch Minnesota Vikings in the Mouth

If you're looking for the Minnesota Vikings, check the woodshed behind the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Maybe the Vikings read too many press clippings. Maybe they got arrogant and complacent after taking that early 7-0 lead. Whatever the reason, the Vikings allowed the Arizona Cardinals to thoroughly obliterate them en route to a 30-17 loss that wasn't nearly as close as the score indicates.

Like every football beatdown since the beginning of time, it started on the lines. Specifically, what the Cardinals offensive line did to the Vikings defensive line.

The Vikings came into the game with more sacks than any other team in the league; the Cardinals held them to none, and only three quarterback hits.

Arizona doubled and chipped Jared Allen periodically throughout the game, keeping him away from Kurt Warner. Even when Allen was single-covered, he was always a split-second away from making a play.

Which is more than one can say for Kevin Williams or Ray Edwards.

Williams was often single-covered, and disrupted fewer plays than a gnat. Edwards' name was heard once: when his offsides penalty negated an interception. Pat Williams was the Vikings' only bright spot from their ballyhooed line.

The poor play from the defensive line impacted the entire defense. 

The linebackers were forced to blitz more than they'd like to, and were always a step late. With their defensive line, the Vikings should rarely have to blitz. Their defense relies on that fact. But the need to blitz, and the ineffectiveness of the blitz, created enough space for the intimidating Cardinals receiving corps to take advantage of.  

All things considered, though, the Vikings defense can't be blamed too much.

They held the Cardinals to field goals in the second half, despite being placed in some tough positions. The Cardinals first-half touchdowns came off a great punt return, a freakish play from Anquan Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald getting open on a deep pass. It's hard to blame the Vikings defense for things like that.

The Vikings' offense just couldn't keep up with Warner and Arizona.

Most of the credit for that goes to the Cardinals' defense, especially their secondary and Karlos Dansby, but much blame lies at the feet of the offensive line.

Bryant McKinnie and Phil Loadholt were injured for a series or two, but that doesn't excuse the sluggish protection Favre received overall, and the non-existent running lanes Adrian Peterson received.

To wit: Adrian Peterson was the third-leading rusher for the Vikings, with 19 yards on 1.5 yards per carry. Take away his 11-yard rush, and he had 8 yards on 12 carries.

It was expected that when Favre had one of those games , which he had on Sunday with a couple of head-scratching passes, Peterson would be able to carry the team. The way the line is blocking right now, that can't and won't happen.

It is depressing to see Adrian Peterson look mortal. 

But not as depressing as watching a replay of EJ Henderson's injury. His leg could still be lying on the field.

With EJ out for the year, Chad Greenway, Ben Leber, and rookie Jasper Brinkley are going to have to step their games up. Brinkley could be alright in the middle, protected by the Williams Wall. But it would be a large stretch to expect him to give 80 percent of the production EJ Henderson gave the Vikings.

Injuries are starting to pile up for Minnesota. A trio of concussions to Anthony Herrera, Tyrell Johnson, and Cedric Griffin will affect the team for at least a week. Antoine Winfield's injury continues to linger longer than expected, also. 

It's a bad time for that to happen with the tough-out Cincinnati Bengals next week, and games against other desperate teams in the playoff hunt after that.

The Vikings could conceivably be 10-4 going into Chicago. In late December. The Vikings could conceivably be 10-5 in the last game of the season, against a New York Giants team needing a win.

Things could—conceivably—get real ugly, real quick.

That is just the glass-half-empty negativity after a punishing and unmerciful loss.

Truth is, Arizona didn't provide any blueprint to beat the Vikings that wasn't known before: Try to stop Peterson and try to confuse Favre.

The Cardinals have a plethora of elite playmakers on defense that gives them the ability to do things other teams can't. They have the ability to stop Peterson and confuse Favre, and they did just that.

It happens. 

But the Vikings can still finish 14-2, still finish with the second seed, and play at least one playoff game in the Metrodome. 

And if history repeats, the team that gets blown out in the December Vikings/Cardinals game will go to the Super Bowl.

Not the worst spot to be in, but definitely worse than the spot they were in before the Arizona game.