Minnesota Vikings

Sometimes, sport is just plain cruel. Along with the Buffalo Bills, the Minnesota Vikings have lost more Superbowls without winning a single title than any other team.

Forced to contend with Brett Favre for years, when the legendary gunslinger was quarterbacking for long-time division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, they snapped him up when he retired for the second time from the New York Jets.

With the aging maestro enjoying one his deepest ‘purple’ patches, the Vikings suddenly became Superbowl contenders. With the addition of stellar running back, Adrian Peterson, the Vikings were strong all over the field.

Predictably they made it to the NFC Championship game only to encounter their worst nightmare.

They leapt out to a 14-7 first quarter lead and despite out gaining the Saints 475 yards to 257, 3 fumbles and 2 interceptions from Favre cost them the chance to wrap up the game and, tied at 28 a piece, the two best teams of the year headed to overtime and the Vikings headed towards defeat by the boot of Saints kicker, Garrett Hartley.

Favre came back and tried to repeat the magic but, despite bolstering his NFL all-time records in Touchdown passes, Interceptions and consecutive games started for a Quarterback, he faded badly and, at long last, succumbed to the wear-and-tear of a long and hard-fought career, sitting out his first game and signalling the end of the fairytale.

The Vikings knew things were going to change, but they couldn’t have expected the collapse of the entire unit, which is exactly what has happened.

The Christian Ponder era has begun. The interesting draft choice could well be the future, but he is not the now. Right now the Vikings are in trouble and, remarkably given their recent form, they are my shout to finish bottom of the NFC North.

Verdict: cruel, cruel, cruel – the Vikings are going to have to wait a long time for that elusive first Championship. They are really bad this year: it’s not that they lack talent, they simply don’t know how to use it, and I don’t think Ponder will be able to handle Favre’s greyed mantle. Good luck, but no hope – a real candidate for the number one pick. I’m going bold: 3-13, bottom of the North and selecting early on the first day come April.


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