Well, boys and girls, I'm rocking my #69 Jared Allen jersey and I'm cautiously pleased with how this game has been going.
Steelers won the toss and deferred to us (it's what I would've done so I can't really say anything about that) and we make sufficient mistakes that Blair Walsh's leg once again bails us out with a 54 yard field goal. With that one, his twelfth, he broke Ryan Longwell's Viking record of 11 career 50+ yard field goals. Good for him!
Our D halted the Steelers, Sherels had a great return that got called back because of "fair play signal" (I still don't think his arm was REALLY over his head but whatever) and then Jennings makes the a Top 10 play with a SEVENTY-YARD TD RECEPTION. Jarius Wright made a fantastic block too, which almost definitely kept the TD alive.
Then we made some crucial third-down mistakes and Steelers scored. Sigh.
Tie-first moment of the game is Adrian Peterson's 60 yard run for a TD. I was fangirling all over the apartment for that one (not that I didn't for Jennings' grab!), and held my breath til I turned blue making sure no late flags would be thrown. His 12th rush TD of 60 yards or more!
Next series Jared Allen sacked Roethlisburger THREE TIMES - he now has 120.5 sacks in his 10 seasons!! 2nd overall, I think.
Anyway we hold the Steelers to a field goal, we get one of our own, and we enter the half up 20-10.
I am hoping this is a good omen, but with ominous reminders of our 3-13 season, I won't crow just yet.
Now my thoughts about Cassel so far: he's been stepping up the pocket and making decisions. Some of them have been quite poor decisions - Patterson saved his ass by breaking up a sure INT, and Simpson picked up a Cassel fumble right towards the end of the half. But he has been DECISIVE. And, frankly, that's something we need. He's not our golden boy, he's no season-saving potion. But he's doing exactly what we need him to do (sans the attempted turnovers and the fact he's 4-of-11 in the first half), and we're up by ten whole points at the half.
Our defense has played relatively well but there have been some serious failures here and there which lead to 7 of the Steeler's 10 points. In fact, you could say it was all 10, because on their last scoring drive Allen sacked Roethlisburger to result in a 3rd & 13 and they converted. We can't allow that sort of thing.
Second half starts and Robinson makes the worst PI ever. Ball at 1 yard line. THIS IS THE KIND OF SHENANIGANS WE CANNOT ALLOW!!! FORTY-EIGHT YARDS OF PENALTY!
1st and goal and Bell stopped at line. 2nd and goal and Bell scores. Well, I can't say I really expected them to not score there. Dammit Robinson...you're going the right way to get your ass replaced.
Patterson is looking quite strong, so I'm glad he's adjusting to the NFL in that way at least. And ANOTHER stupid penalty - this one on Rudolph. STOP with the STUPID penalties!
Jennings gets a FABULOUS reception - thanks to Peterson picking up a block - and gets a 51 yard reception! Then Peterson rush for 8, despite having half the Steelers piling on top of him...and he held on to the ball! 3rd and 1 he gets the first and a few more yards. He's still holding the ball a bit loosely for my tastes, but everyone says his grip is - TOUCHDOWN PETERSON!!
And the NFL just tweeted "LONDON BALLING!! Adrian Peterson, you are RIDICULOUS!!" haha London Balling, that's actually pretty funny. I'd like to high-five the intern that thought of that one!
Vikings have scored on 5 of 7 possessions today. Not bad, considering our last three games.
Steelers making a drive when Chad Greenway intercepts Roethlisburger!! Way to go Greenway!! Rudolph gets his first catch of the year, and is thrown down by the defender, he gets flagged, and then Cassel makes a beautiful toss to Jennings for a TD!!
Steelers drive, and Fred Evans gets his hand on the ball and tips it. Excellent play! Very next play Greenway sacks Roethlisburger! I am really very pleased with THIS defense. I would looove it if they turned up every time. Haha.
Sigh, the Steelers force a three-and-out. We can't get complacent! This is the NFL, not the NCAAF! Hell, I wouldn't get complacent right now even in the NCAAF. They make a stupid holding penalty during the return and will get 10 yard penalty and start on the 30.
And now they've made two big completions in a row, see this is what I was afraid of. Come ON Vikings, let's force a stop!!
Blair Walsh missed a FG. WTF.
And now the Steelers are looking like they might pull this one out. EXACTLY what I have been afraid of. COME ON DEFENSE!
Steelers got a FG.
So we need to score on this drive, and eat up as much clock as humanly possible.
Wow. Couldn't type during that. We didn't score and somehow, by the grace of the Football Gods we sack Roethlisburger and Williams comes up with the football.
The Vikings have won the game.
No comments:
Post a Comment