Vikings pull out stunner in O.T.

by poohty_t | 8 years ago | 0 Comments

 

 

Coming off a bye week the Vikings look to have their best start of any season under coach Tizel, as they came into the game 2-1 and facing their divisional rivals the Packers. The Vikings have been hit with some major injuries in the first few weeks of the season. Losing starting QB Heath, starting rookie TE Jeter , starting SS Jaron Kearse , and ROLB Ostrowski , they have really had to rely on back ups to even get those wins.All of those players are still out coming into week 4 and a couple of them still have 4-5 weeks before they projected to be back on the field. "Its been tough no doubt.Probably the hardest hit was losing Heath as he was finally starting to look like he may be jelling with his wrs . But as always its next man up and we move forward. If our teams success is based on just 1 player, then we are not a very good team are we? " said coach Tizel when asked about the injuries his team has faced.

 

 This game started off looking like it was going to be a knock out , drag down kinda game , and it surely was. Neither teams offense could do much in the first as both defenses were playing lights out.Then with 1 minute left in the first, Vikings FA HB Marlon Lamar ran the ball in from the 3 to go up 7-0. The first quarter was dominated by both defenses.The Packers were not pleased going down at home.They drove right down the field to start the 2nd and finished the drive on a short run by HB Quandre Salley to tie it 7-7. After an INT by Tyler Bray , and a defensive stop by INT BY CB Tre Waynes ( one of two in this game , despite numerous teams not interested in trading for him earlier in the season, he is proving he still can play his position very well).The Vikings managed a decent drive only to stall out at the Packers 20 yard line and had to settle for a FG.Making it 10-7 with 3:42 left in the half. Which is how the score remained at half time due to both defenses stepping up again and forcing some punts.

 

Coming out of the half , the Packers defense got fired up by their coach in the locker room. They pushed the Vikings backwards 12 yards in 3 plays of the opening drive after the half to force a quick 3 and out by the Vikings.However the Vikings defense after giving up 1 first down returned the favor and forced a punt as well. This was really the story for a good part of this game. The Vikings then get a drive going and with  1:25 left in the 3rd finally score another 3 yard run by HB Lamar to go up 17-7 with just over a minute left in the third. Oddly the 3rd quarter played out almost just like the first, neither team could move the ball well and the Vikings scoring a td on a 3 yard run by Lamar. 

 

However the Packers were not going down at home like that. On the sidelines it was seen that QB Hundley was yelling at his teammates and getting them fired up.Telling them this is not Packers football and we are not losing like this to these bums in front of our home crowd. They got the ball back and again almost just like how things played out at the end of the first and start of the second , the same happened here . Starting off the 4th the Packers drove down and scored a TD on a short run by Salley to make it a 17-14 game with 7 minutes left to go.The Vikings then went 3 and out after Hundley was seen after the TD yelling and pumping up his defense telling them they did their part now the defense must step up, and that they did.Packers got the ball back with 6 minutes left. They drove the ball down the field and got to the Vikings 3 yardline, with 2:45 left in the game.It seemed they were about to finish off the comeback Hundely had been seen on the sidelines telling his guys they were going to pull off. Momentum was all on their side at this point.Dominating the 4th quarter.Then, the Purple Monster showed up known as that stiff Vikings Defense.They held the Packers to the 3 yard line on 3 plays  and forced them to settle for a FG to tie it 17-17. With 2:30 left, the Vikings managed a good quick drive that found them at the Packers 27 yard line with 4 seconds left ,and the wind at their backs at 8 mph . In what looked like a sure thing to wrap up the game, Vikings kicker bounced the kick for the win off the goal post .Sending this game to overtime. 

 

At the start of OT, the Packers won the coin toss and elected to recieve hoping to just drive down the field and end this game and finish off a great hard fought comeback.Their first play from the 25 went for 4 yards up the middle.On 2nd and 6 Tre Thomas ( leagues leader in sacks last two seasons) came in on a huge play t osack Hundley at the 18 for a loss of 11 to make it 3rd and 17. The packers tried a slip screen pass for their HB but was sniffed out by MLB Casey and broken up, luckily for the Packers it was not INT for TD there, but if forced a 4th and 17 from the 18, which set up the dramtic finish. On the punt, FS Sherman Gaiter timed the snap perfectly and came in to block the punt, pick up the ball and run it in for the game winning TD. This is actually the second time in 6 seasons the Vikings have scored a game winning TD off a blocked punt against the Packers. We asked Gaiter about the play " Well i work on trying to time my jump alot, its something ive been paying close attention to for years now and i work hard to try to time my jump off the line. Sometimes i fail and get drawn offsides, thats happened a few times and its caused us to give up a 4th down for a 1st. Most times i dont get it just right and i get blocked, but every now and again i get that timing just right and bam, make a big play for our team. This one i timed just right." It would seem he is correct as the Vikings team has the most blocked FGs,Extra points and punts in the league for the past 6 seasons combined. So its not something out of the question when you play them. 

 

After the game Coach Tizel had this to say " Man what an exciting game and finish.That was a good team out there , who was giving it their all and a great comeback by them.Great job on their part to not just give up, as giving up is easy to do.But sticking your head down with determination and fighting thru the tough times towards your goal is always tougher, but always in the end worth it when you look back on it.We have struggled most our seasons ive been here , i know what thats like , last season we lost all but two games by a td or less, often less than 6.It is hard mentally on you, but thats when you strap up your boots and come out with fire and be determined to overcome it. So far this year , although early , we are doing better than we have so far under my lead to start a season.While 3-1 isnt really a great thing and still alot of games left to be played. We are proud of our team for not just hanging our heads and giving up when we lost 3 starters and main pieces on our offense and defense at that.Most teams lose a starting QB and they just give up saying ,we are toast. We have a good offensive coordinator who istryign to work up gameplans to help bray be successful.So far its going ok. We just have to fight on , 1 week at a time. We felt like last year our team was in a good spot and should have been able to make playoffs, but we started off so cold that it took us to long into the season to get warmed up.Hopefully we can play this strong the rest of this year but again there is alot of football left, so we will see.Just have to tackle it 1 week at a time. Props again out to the Packers for fighting back and creating an exciting finish in a well hard fought game, that really was dominated by both defenses really.I love defensive battles."