Minnesota Vikings first year Head Coach Dale Arnold has made quite the splash in his first few months in Minneapolis. Whether it's his signature motivational drawings, his "everything is personal" mantra, his domain acquisitions, or his roster management mind games, Arnold has won over fans and media alike. But the winning has yet to fully translate to the turf.
The Vikings near upset vs. the back-to-back-to-back-to-back champion Detroit Lions in Week 4 looked like an aberration tonight, as the defending champs whacked the upstart Vikes to the tune of 42-17. When pressed for comment on the loss, Arnold offered up, "Varsity vs JV."
The game opened with the Lions receiving the ball. After a 5-yard sack on first down, Chris DiMarco hit the freshly-extended Deshawn Dent for an 80 yard touchdown. The message was clear, Lions were not overlooking their opponent today.
On the ensuing drive, Zack Richie was picked off, and the DiMarco to Dent connection quickly struck again, making it 14-0.
After a failed 4th down attempt near mid-field turned the ball over on the Vikings next drive, the score ballooned to 21-0 on DiMarco's third TD pass of the 1st quarter, this time to Thurman Wilson.
Undrafted free agent Bruton answered, busting a long run to cut it to 21-7, but the Vikings couldn't capitalize on momentum, as DiMarco led the troops down field to match within minutes, extending the lead back up to 28-7.
On their last drive of the half, Richie operated an effecient two-minute drill, leading the home team down the field and into the red zone. With 6 seconds on the clock, Minnesota faced a fourth down from the 11-yard line.
Arnold opted for a field goal.
A very questionable decision at the time looks even more baffling in hindsight.
The Lions touched the ball 4 times in the first half, and easily scored TDs on all 4 possessions. What made Arnold think his defense could get multiple stops? The Vikings were also getting the ball at the half. So the much-sought after TD-half-TD swing was right in front of them.
Instead, the man who played for the win Week 4 opted for 3 points, and went into the half down 28-10.
The Vikes then took the 2H kickoff down the field for another touchdown, making it 28-17. Had Arnold went for and scored a TD before half, you have to wonder if the Lions would have tightened up seeing their first half dominance was somehow down to a 7. A flukey tipped ball pick, a fumble, a single stop, and the Vikings could have been in position to tie the game.
But we'll never know. Instead, the Lions drove the field and scored again, making it 35-17 and ending any chance of a comeback. After a pick of back-up QB Amir Trent - in for Richie after a brutal hit sent him to the locker room early - the Lions scored again, bringing the blowout to 42-17, where the score would stay.
DiMarco was brilliant - posting a perfect passer rating with a 12/13 for 231 and 5 TDs and 0 picks for the Lions. And Dent showed everyone why the Lions gave him a 5-year, $110m contract, with 4 catches for 160 yards and 2 TDs. Chauncey Leggett - filling in for a cleary-hobbled Harvey Sutherland - chipped in 95 on the ground, and Jeff Grimes plunged his one carry in from the 2 for a score.
As usual, Issac Bruton was the bright spot for Minnesota. Fueled by revenge of being on the Lions practice sqaud, Bruton toted the rock 20 times for 106 and both Vikings touchdowns. He continues to be a remarkable find for Arnold and the Vikings front office, and truly an oversight by the rest of the league.
Initial reports show that Zack Richie suffered a minor abdominal tear, and will be sidelined for a couple games. But Amir Trent, another former Lions practice squad player, showed capable in his limited debut, and should be able to steer the ship for a couple weeks while Richie is on the mend.
Much to the dismay of the fans much of the game was blacked out to the public in what is becoming an unwelcome trend for the Vikings. It was well into the 3Q when viewers were finally able to tune in. A remarkable 13 viewers tuned in for the Week 4 Instant Classic - but they simply were not afforded the opportunity to watch the rematch. Hopefully this will get corrected by the end of the season.
The win moves the Lions to 8-0, and with the sweep of the Vikings, another divisional title appears to be a lock. Meanwhile the Vikings drop to 4-4, and are now firmly entrenched in a battle for a wildcard spot.
Dale Arnold inherited a poorly built roster with a clear lack of leadership at the top. In short time, the culture is already starting to change in Minnesota. There's a palpable buzz in the team facility that hasn't been felt since former coach Matt Wallbanger ran the team into the ground.
But winning the press conference doesn't get you into the playoffs. Winning on the field does.
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