MIN @ NYJ Recap

Anticipation was high for the Minnesota Vikings' Monday Night Football match against the stout New York Jets after two weeks that saw a scandal involving the starting quarterback and a blockbuster trade that brought back a familiar face. The game started out slow, with the only scoring through the first half being three straight Jet field goals. The Vikings offense started itself up beginning in the third quarter when Brett Favre connected with newcomer Randy Moss on a 37-yard touchdown pass. Favre kept the momentum flowing with two more TD passes to speedster Percy Harvin before abruptly snapping it with an interception to Dwight Lowery that was returned for the game-clinching touchdown, leading to a 29-20 New York victory.

The only way to describe the Vikings offense through the first two-and-a-half quarters is "stagnant". They wasted the prime field position they were given on the opening kickoff and only managed one first down through the first three drives. The Vikes were unable to stop the blitzing of the Jets and could not make any even resembling a threatening drive. In fact, the Vikings punted on their first five drives of the game. It didn't help that Favre ended another drive when he fumbled a snap from center. Randy Moss, who had huge things expected of him, was all but invisible in the first half. Neither the running nor the passing game were able to keep the offense on the field until things started changing in the third quarter. The vintage Randy Moss touchdown finally gave Favre and the offense the confidence it needed, and the passing game began to click. Following the touchdown, Brett and the rest of the Vikes drove on the Jets at will, and Harvin made the more than potent Jets pass defense look like the Detroit Lions, who the Vikings had dismantled in their previous game. Adrian Peterson did his part in the running game and had a nice 20-yard reception to go with 88 rushing yards. However, this writer could feel a sense of impending doom as the Vikings prepared for a final drive in the remaining few minutes of the game. Favre had been in this position for the Vikings game before, with both positive (see: 49ers game last year) and negative (see: NFC Championship Game) results in the end. Alas, every Vikings fan had their fear realized when Dwight Lowery picked off a pass intended for tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and took it back for a score. Much like the last contest of the 2009 season, Brett Favre had single-handedly gave the Vikings a great chance to win a game that they were supposed to lose, only to hand it right back on a silver platter.

The Vikings defense maintained its same "bend, but don't break" philosophy. While they were able to keep New York to one single touchdown, the Jets still converted on several third downs and gave kicker Nick Folk the opportunity to put 15 points on the board. That number could have been significantly lower had the Vikings stopped the seemingly overpowering running game and the intermediate passing routes. Jet running back LaDainian Tomlinson ran for a shocking 94 yards on 20 carries, with Shonn Greene adding 57 yards and touchdown on a mere 10 carries. With stats like that, it appears the Minnesota Vikings reign as the best run defense of the NFL is history. The interior has been sliced through on several occasions this season, with the game against the Miami Dolphins being another example. The pass defense was only marginally better. The rain of the evening had a prominent effect on the game, and miscues from the Jets receivers assisted the Vikings on many plays. Receivers Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Santonio Holmes, who in combination were targeted by quarterback Mark Sanchez 30 times, only contributed 13 total receptions as a group. Sanchez certainly had the time to make these throws. Once again, the defensive line looked dumbfounded against the talented Jets offensive line, and end Jared Allen continued his season of irrelevance. The pass rush has not been nearly as effective as it were last season, when Minnesota led the league in sacks as a team. The Vikings, as a whole, have six sacks so far in 2010, 10 less than they did through four games last year. In comparision, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has 8.5 by himself. The Vikings need to find ways to get to the quarterback if they want to have any shot at being a player in the NFC North.

The Vikings need to put this game behind them in a hurry, as the next three games are going to be absolutely brutal. The true test of strength starts this Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys come to the Metrodome. The Cowboys have been a huge disappointment so far this year and, much like the Vikings, were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders. They will be looking for revenge after the disaster they experienced in the playoffs last year against the Vikings. When the smoke clears Sunday evening, one team will be one step closer to salvaging its season while the other will be left with its fans calling for the firing of a head coach.