The Minnesota Vikings’ historically bad running game was supposed to get a big boost when Adrian Peterson returned to the line-up after spending most of the season on injured reserve. To be kind, that’s not what happened on Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts came in to US Bank Stadium desperately needing a win to stay relevant in the AFC playoff race, but the Vikings appeared to already be thinking about what they’ll be doing in the offseason. There were a few individual efforts that merit praise, but the team as a whole looked unco-ordinated, unsynchronized, and unmotivated. Andrew Luck is a good quarterback, but the Viking defence made him look like the league MVP — when they weren’t giving up bone-headed penalties and playing out of position. Without safety Harrison Smith in the defensive secondary, the Colts’ tight ends and receivers seemed to be open all game long.
Before the game started, the TV announcers emphasized how much trouble Indianapolis would have against the Vikings’ fearsome defensive line, especially as the Colts would be starting three rookies at centre, right guard, and right tackle. Yet once the game began, a strange thing happened: Andrew Luck remained upright and almost completely untouched until the fourth quarter when Tolzien came in for clean-up duty. No turnovers, no sacks, and almost no pressure made Luck’s day a very easy one.
Adrian Peterson, activated from injured reserve on Saturday, got the start for the Vikings but was unable to do anything behind Minnesota’s historically bad offensive line. His longest run of the day ended in a lost fumble that the Colts turned into a touchdown. It would probably have been better for Peterson and the Vikings if he’d waited until next week to make his return: Jerick McKinnon was much more effective in both the running and passing game after Peterson was benched.
The Star Tribune‘s Jim Souhan says the team let down Mike Zimmer badly enough that similar performances had gotten other coaches fired:
Behind an offensive line that had been as battered and ineffective as the Vikings’, Andrew Luck was not sacked once. He had time to complete passes to eight different receivers.
The Vikings allowed 411 yards and 27 first downs and didn’t force a turnover.
Zimmer should take this personally. His players embarrassed him on Sunday.
The last time the Vikings looked this pathetic in a home loss was when the Packers beat them 31-3 at the Metrodome on Nov. 21, 2010, when the Vikings allowed 31 straight points and succeeded in getting Brad Childress fired.
It was remindful of a December game against a bad Packers team in 1991, when Vikings players lost 27-7 at the Metrodome while making it clear they no longer wanted to play for Jerry Burns.
That’s what is strange and unsettling about Sunday’s loss. There are no signs that the players have anything but affection and admiration for Zimmer — other than the final score.
“I felt like we just came out lackadaisical, like we were just going to get this win,” cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. “Like they were going to read our name or look at the stats and lay down for us, that we have a good football team and a good defense, and just lay down.
“It doesn’t work like that.”
Munnerlyn said he was embarrassed. Zimmer hinted he felt the same.
“Very poor, lethargic, didn’t get off blocks, didn’t make tackles, busted coverage, didn’t cover people, poor on third down,” Zimmer said.
Matthew Coller on Adrian Peterson’s day:
Peterson’s return was an epic dud. The Vikings opened the game with two plays in his direction that totaled three yards. From there, the Colts slowed him down over and over and the one time he broke out – the one shred of the old All Day Adrian Peterson we saw – he fumbled at the 8-yard line, setting up a 92-yard drive for the Colts.
The Vikings have survived brutal offenses before, but this time their top-ranked defense finally gave way. Given plenty of time to chuck the ball around, Luck was allowed full use of his powers. He dropped in passes over defenders, bought time in the pocket and picked the Vikings apart.
Minnesota’s run defense didn’t do them any favors either. There was only one future Hall of Fame running back on the field that made an impact on Sunday and that was Frank Gore.
Not only did the Vikings fail to stop the Colts in any capacity, they gave Indy help with brutal penalties, including Linval Joseph inexplicably trying out for the USA hurdling team by illegally jumping over the center on a chip shot field goal, giving the Colts 1st-and-goal. Of course, they took advantage because other teams can gain a yard at the goal line.
This has been the story of the Vikings season. Every time they are on the cusp of finding the magic of games 1-5, they come apart.
At the Daily Norseman, Ted Glover regretfully compiles his Stock Market Report:
Normally I open up with what I like to think is a catchy paragraph or two that sums up the game and cleverly leads in to the song/music video of the week. This week, I’m going to change things up a bit. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so I’m going to use two GIF’s to sum up today, followed by the music video. That way, you can fill in this space with your own 2,000 descriptive words to describe today’s debacle against Indy.
And yes, they can be 2,000 swear words is you like. I don’t mind.
[…]
Blue Chips:
No one. When you get your ass kicked at home, in a must win situation to keep your playoff hopes alive, there are no blue chip stocks. None. You got beat 34-6 in what was, essentially, a home playoff game. Losing is one thing, but this is damn near inexcusable. Almost to the point of people losing jobs inexcusable, from the front office on down.
