MIN @ NO Recap

Even though it was the first game of the season, the Vikings put on an underwhelming performance Thursday night. For some reason, I was expecting some sort of shoot-out but as is usually the case when I get this feeling, it was a close defensive struggle. It looked like things were going well for the Vikes at halftime, but they just could not get things started in the second half.

The offense that came out after halftime was not the same one that entered that locker rooms after 30 minutes of play. The Saints did not have an answer for running back Adrian Peterson during the first two quarters, and he seemed to be reeling off five and six-yard gains with no resistance. However, coach Brad Childress and the rest of the coaching staff seemed to shy away from using Peterson in the second half and decided to opt for an airborne approach for the duration of the second half, which was surprising, considering the Vikings were never down by more than five points the rest of the game. The passing game looked flat-out rusty, with Visanthe Shiancoe appearing to be the only receiver quarterback Brett Favre had chemistry with. Favre spent the last two quarters appearing to try to win the game by himself, overthrowing targets and putting balls on the grass. The Vikings' quarterback missed on several throws to Percy Harvin, Greg Camarillo and Bernard Berrian. Berrian himself did not have the best night, either. He dropped several passes and looked flat-out lost on several routes. One can only hope that Favre will be able to establish a better connection with his receivers throughout the season, especially since his favorite target, Sidney Rice, will likely be gone for the next six to eight weeks. A big concern coming into the game was the protection of Favre, and he only ended being sacked once, although he was hit on several other plays, with one of them leading to an interception by linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie left the game with an injury, and second year tackle Philip Loadholt moved to his position. The pressure seemed to be getting to Favre all night, and several holding and false start penalties were called throughout the evening. Overall, the offense looked like a unit playing it's first game of the season with a quarterback who came to to the team in mid-August. The passing game was rusty, but Peterson looked like the same All-Pro superstar we've come to expect. The Vikings will have all weekend and the next week to work out its kinks in time for the Dolphins game.

The defense, especially young cornerback Asher Allen, was having troubles with coverage all night. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees was expected to have a huge game against the decimated Vikings secondary, and he attacked the Vikings with mid-range slants and curl routes. The secondary seemed unable to keep up with the short passes, and starting cornerback Asher Allen was fooled on a few plays. Even though he never completed a pass longer than 29 yards, Brees only had nine missed passes to his name. Much of this success could be credited to the pressure up front, and Jared Allen and his cohorts were invisible for most of the game. The pressure from the Vikings defensive line was just not there, and Brees just sidestepped the pass rush on several plays. Cornerback Antoine Winfield made several nice tackles, but even he was fooled by receivers on a few plays. The run defense was equally underwhelming. Saints running back Pierre Thomas was able to rush for an astonishing (for the Vikings) 71 yards on 19 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown in the third quarter. Tackles Pat and Kevin Williams were manhandled by the Saints stellar guards, Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans, and let Thomas get to the linebackers and multiple plays. In the end, it was a typical night for a Minnesota Vikings defense: short passes everywhere and a quarterback with a rating over 100. Had the offense been able to support them with more than 9 points, this section would likely have had a more positive overtone.

Vikings fans were looking for revenge for the NFC Championship game, and they left the game feeling disappointed and frustrated. After so much success last season, many expected seamless play on offense and a defense with several sacks and a few interceptions, even if was just the first game. What came on the field was a flat passing attack and an inconsistent defense. The Vikings, especially Brett Favre, definitely tried hard to win this game, maybe too hard. Nonetheless, this was only Week 1 of 17, and the Vikings have a few extra days to prepare for Miami next Sunday, a team with a less-established quarterback and a terror at wide receiver.