The Minnesota Vikings had it just the way they needed it Sunday at home against the Seattle Seahawks. It was 6 degrees below zero, the third coldest playoff game in NFL history and the coldest in Vikings history. Add the windchill factor and it was so cold, Minnesota’s famous horn, called the Gjallarhorn, was shattered into pieces.
Marshawn Lynch stayed at home with his abdominal injury after looking like he was going to play. Tackling Lynch in that kind of weather is the last thing in the world the Vikings defense wanted to do. Plus despite the hot streak quarterback Russell Wilson was on, you know he’s not the kind of quarterback that carries a team through the playoffs.
So the Vikings took advantage of the Seahawks being Lynchless and had a 9-7 lead in the fourth quarter. Then with around eight minutes left, the Seahawks added a field goal to go up 10-9. Then the Vikings had a chance in the closing minutes to get Adrian Peterson, who deserves a Super Bowl more than anyone in the NFL, one step closer to it.
And it would be a big step because the Seahawks looked better than any team in the NFL at the end of the season. So the Vikings start a drive after a Seahawks’ punt and it’s added by a bogus pass interference call. The penalty was a gain of 19 and it set up a 24-yard play to tight end Kyle Rudolph, who drew the bogus penalty.
From there, the Vikings are set up to win the game on a chip-shot field goal but kicker Blair Walsh missed it. Now, the Vikings are going home after having a chance to beat the best team in the playoffs. They surely could have beaten anyone left in the NFC playoffs had the Vikings just won that game.
They have a great defense and Peterson just led the NFL in rushing but he’ll be a year old next year. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t look like a budding elite quarterback, managing the game behind Peterson. So when Peterson is gone, the contender window is closed until another great running back shows up.
And remember, the Packers, still in the playoffs, have Jordy Nelson among other coming back from injury. That will make it even harder for the Vikings next year so Sunday was a big-time miss. Sure, it was could but it wasn’t that windy and it’s not like the attempt was from 55 yards—it was from 27.
If you can’t trust a kicker to make a field goal like this from 27 yards, can you trust him to make in for 47-55?
I guess what I want to know is should the Vikings cut Walsh?
Give me an answer below.