The weather was beautiful outside, but inside Mall of America Field the weather started out cold as for the first 29:19 minutes of the first half was a struggle. The temp heated up in the second half as the Vikings came out with a huge victory in overtime.
The dome crowd started out so loud in the pregame with the announcements of the Vikings offensive starters. The first 10 were announced and it was loud but when the 11th player was announced the place blew up. That 11th player was Adrian Peterson. My ears were ringing with everyone screaming as AP made his entrance.
The loudness of the crowd to start turned to some unfortunate booing when the offense just could not get much moving in the first half.
The defense I thought played alright in the first half with one problem area. The issue was so frustrating to watch as the Jaguars repeatedly were successful with their 3rd down conversions and allowing the drives to continue. This being said still to the credit of the defense held the Jaguars to 9 points in the first half.
The touchdown finally for the Vikings as Adrian Peterson ran the ball in with 41 seconds in the first half may have been as big of touchdown the team has scored in some time. The booing I had heard during the first half turned to cheers and continued as the team made their way to the locker room just down 2.
The touchdown by the Vikings coming out of halftime was so encouraging for the fans as it was really getting loud in the dome.
The connection Christian Ponder found with Percy Harvin repeatedly was so fun to watch. It did not take big deep throws, rather the short pass and then seemingly taking half of the Jaguars team to drag down Harvin.
The play of Harvin and Adrian’s return were the medicine at least for today that seemed to inject the much needed life into the offense.
The young defense came to play as I sat in the upper deck watching many of these youngsters really hustled to make plays.
A seam pass quarterback Blaine Gabbert threw seemed open looking from the upper deck like it would be successful. The effort by safety Mistral Raymond to come across and break the play up was such a nice effort.
I really thought Harrison Smith made his presence felt today. He made a great break up of a pass in overtime.
The crowd today was awesome, but I was also concerned as with the Vikes up with 5 minutes left fans were exiting.
The touchdown Gabbert threw to the corner of the end zone with 20 seconds made many other fans exit. The game seemingly to be a game the Vikings would finally win and then this disaster. Did this create another disappointment for the fans? Only time would tell.
Christian Ponder just would not give up. The 2 completions he had in the final 16 seconds with one to Devin Aromashodu and the next one to Kyle Rudolph are as big of completions this team has had in sometime.
I wrote in an earlier blog questioning with which receiver would step up in the absence of Jerome Simpson. We got some great answers as Michael Jenkins and Aromashodu both came up big today. Percy Harvin there cannot be said enough about him. His desire, his strength are such a pleasure to watch.
The kicker Blair Walsh, who I watched kick 50-60 yard field goals in training camp consistently came through Sunday going 4-4 including the 55 yarder to send the game into overtime. The pressure for Walsh to do what he did so successfully will not be forgotten. I drafted him in both fantasy leagues I am because I am a believer.
The overtime was interesting as Walsh gave the Vikes a three point lead. I watched to see if the crowd would have thought we won. The fans seemed to have good knowledge of the rules. The intensity of the game just would not go away as Gabbert threw the last pass of the game and it fell incomplete. What a win!!!!!! Who would have thought especially after the Jaguars TD.
The first game of 2012 is in the books and for the fans that did stay all I can say is thank you. The crowd was a huge difference maker even though as the game went on fans kept leaving.
It was Coach Frazier’s first opening day win along with Ponder’s first win at home. This win was a total team effort. You saw veterans and rookies contribute.
These games are truly draining but in a win like today it is worth everything to yell and scream for everything you are worth. My voice will eventually come back to normal.
Thanks for reading
Purplestick
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