Sunday, January 24, 2010

Props to the Experts

Gotta say, the experts got this one right.
The majority of sports analysts and talent in practically all well-known mediums -- from SportingNews, to ESPN, to Yahoo!Sports -- said that the Vikings were the better rounded team, but that the Saints would win.
Minnesota posted better numbers everywhere (see below) except the scoreboard ... and turnover margin.
Questioned by the average fan regarding their "superior" knowledge on matters such as these, it's safe to say that for now, at least, these analysts have gained a lead over local weathermen at accurately predicting the future.

Team Statistics

MIN NO
First Downs 31
15
Passing 17 8
Rushing 10
4
Penalty 4
3
Third Down Efficiency 7-12 3-12
Fourth Down Efficiency 0-0 1-1
TOTAL NET YARDS 475 257
Total Plays 82 55
Average Gain Per Play 5.8 4.7
NET YARDS RUSHING 165 68
Rushes 36 23
Average Per Rush 4.6 3.0
NET YARDS PASSING 310 189
Completions-Attempts 28-46 17-31
Yards Per Pass Play 6.7 5.9
Times Sacked 0 1
Yards Lost to Sacks 0 8
Had Intercepted 2 0
PUNTS 4 7
Average Punt 39.0 51.3
FUMBLES 6
3
Fumbles Lost 3 1
TIME OF POSSESSION 36:49 27:56

Vikings Poerty

The better team lost
Turnovers, hits took their toll
Vikes falter again

(A Haggy Haiku)

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Brett Favre's tears have dried as the rain of the past few days hardens overnight.
Bars sit vacant, closing early following the hasty departure of hundreds of thousands of people in purple and gold feeling blue.
Arctic winds whistle through an otherwise silent plains.
Miami never felt so distant.
Farewell Purple reign.

"Ball on the Ground"

It's not surprising the Vikings choked on the big stage.
The composition of their team doesn't even matter, they'll find a way to lose.
And the season filled with such palpable expectations and another comeback by Brett Favre ended Sunday night in New Orleans.
Prior to the game the Vikings sang of pants on the ground, but it was the ball and their quarterback who ended up on the turf most often.
Minnesota fumbled the ball six times and the offensive line allowed the Saints to hit Brett Favre on nearly 40 percent of his dropbacks, stalling the offense just enough to grant New Orleans its first trip to the Super Bowl with a 31-28 overtime victory Sunday night.
While it wasn't 1998 all over again, nor were they heavily favored (underdogs by 3 1/2, in fact) like 1970 in Super Bowl IV against Kansas City, the Norsemen found a way to crush the spirits of their loyal fanbase in a game they should have won.
Befitting, Favre once again has a chance to end his career with an interception (he threw one in overtime against the Giants in the 2008 NFC Championship Game, prior to announcing his retirement for the first time).
Throughout, this game was vintage Favre. A combination of talent, grittiness and competitiveness, the ageless wonder took a beating a la Frank Mir against Brock Lesnar Part II, yet continued to make plays. He took a high-low hit midway through the second half, badly injuring his ankle on the play, but limped back onto the field grimacing and ready for more on the next series.
In the end, though, his desire to win took a toll. Rather than scampering for a few yards or throwing the ball away to give Ryan Longwell an opportunity to kick a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation, Favre grew bold -- committing a cardinal sin for quarterbacks -- and threw the pigskin back across the field right into the awaiting arms of Saints cornerback Tracy Porter.
The Saints won the coin toss, drove down the field and Garrett Hartley kicked the air out of the Vikings for the final time and his team into a Feb. 7 showdown with Indianapolis.
A check into the stats indicates a rather different picture than the 31-28 outcome. The Vikings more than doubled the Saints in first downs (31-15) and third down efficiency (58%-25%) and nearly did so in total yards (475 to 257). Minnesota also had twice as many red zone trips as New Orleans (6 to 3).
The playing field was evened by five Vikings turnovers. Third best in the league at taking care of the ball during the regular season, Minnesota coughed it up six times (three lost) and Favre added two interceptions.
Give New Orleans some credit for its aggressive ball-hawk mindset (second in the NFL in takeaways in 2009). Much of the fault lands on the dreadful ball security by the Vikings. Such blunders have become a customary observation for close followers of the Purple and Gold.
Still that's no consolation prize big enough to make the lump in the throat and extra weight in the stomach (beyond the beer and brats) go away. ... Recoup, regroup and prepare for next year.

NOTE: American Idol sensation and creator of the rap "Pants on the Ground," Larry Platt, 62, performed in front of the Vikings team prior to the start of the game.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Maybe it's the Network

The healthiest, hottest team in the NFC versus one of the more explosive league-wide.
A team with recent post-season woes against one with a history of them.
Dallas versus Minnesota.
Who will win?
Fox analyst Terry Bradshaw thinks Tony Romo's Boys will win easily. NBC analyst Chris Collinsworth agrees.
Dallas has the better defense and a well-balanced offense. Minnesota has home field.
The Cowboys negate the fact the Vikings have Adrian Peterson's ability to hit the home run with his breakaway speed or play smash mouth football by using a trio of backs -- Felix Jones, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice -- to do the job.
Romo is every bit as into the big play as counterpart Brett Favre. Both also happen to historically be susceptible to making costly mistakes.
And each team's success on the defensive side of the ball hinges on its ability to pressure the opposition's quarterback.
Before you place your bets on whichever side you believe will win, consider this fact: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be calling the game from Mall of America Field; The Vikings are 11-0 this season when covered by the Fox network and are 8-0 at home.

Divisional Round



Save the best for last
Cards, Packers play sudden death
Birds win in shootout

(A Haggy Haiku)

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Not surprising. Only one game from the Divisional round of the playoffs was close, predicated on repeat one-sided matchups from Week 17.
Thank goodness the Arizona Cardinals trashed the trend, getting revenge on the Green Bay Packers in an Old West 10 paces and turn affair, otherwise the intrigue of the divisional games and the outcomes would have been as abysmal as Ryan Leaf's professional career.
The Bengals offense showed their ineptness one last time, the Eagles proved too one dimensional for the more complete Cowboys, and Tom Brady and the Patriots shot themselves in the foot too many times in what resulted in the worst first quarter under Bill Belichick. In the last one, Baltimore took advantage and held firm the rest of the way in a 33-14 victory.
Now the playoffs really begin -- fresh matchups and the top four teams record-wise during the regular season return to action after first week byes.
Expect a competition overhaul as three games almost certainly appear destined to be close, or at worst entertaining (high scoring).
Baltimore's defense will make things challenging for the Colts offense and the team's running game can make the score interesting; Dallas is playing great football and the Vikings have a deafening Metrodome, an ageless gunslinger and talented running back; and the Saints have Drew Brees, but are injury-depleted on defense and must face Kurt Warner, a quarterback every bit as precise, and his slew of big play receivers.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said before the playoffs began that his team is the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Defeating the Bengals gets them closer to walking the talk, but hardly counts as proof that this team can contend with the likes of the true AFC contenders, Indianapolis and San Diego.
New York will have its shot this coming weekend against the Chargers.
Mark Sanchez has made few mistakes of late and the defense and rushing attack have been brilliant. The rookie signal-caller's good game management should end in Southern California. San Diego has one of the best offenses in the league, a solid defense and is the hottest team in the NFL.
Sorry Rexy, your run stops after one game.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Deja Vu

Tell me this isn't happening.
The playoffs are supposed to be the most exciting time of the season in the NFL -- and really, in every sport.
But the way next weekend's divisional matchups have shaken out, the first go-round could be watching paint dry kind of fun.
Count them: Of the four games being played next week, three will feature repeat matchups from Week 17. New England's battle with Baltimore is the lone dissident from a scheduling loop.
The Jets will play the Bengals, the Cowboys the Eagles and the Packers the Cardinals (the winners were listed first).
The scores of each game were 37-0, 24-0 and 33-7.
Sure, Arizona and Cincinnati benched their respective starters early, so the outcomes could change next week to some degree.
Any Given Sunday.
At the same time, each of the winners so thoroughly pounded the losers it seems difficult to grasp that next week will produce varied results.
On top of that it's kind of bollocks that fans have to witness the same story and plot line.
Hopefully the ending is more climactic than four score differentials, even if the embarrassed cannot turn into the composed.

Bengals v. Vikings Notebook