Thursday August 29th, 2013 the Vikings played
their last preseason game ever at Mall of America Field and came out with a
24-23 victory.
PREGAME
My wife and I get to the games around 1.5 hours early each
home game and go to the front row to take pictures of players close up or hope
some players come over so we can meet them. Thursday I had a thrill as I got to
see former Vikings great. Keith Millard come over and sign autographs. Yes, he
is a Tennessee coach but that did not matter it was Keith Millard.
The Vikings always come to the field after the blowing of
the Gjallahorn. Thursday night former Vikings running back Rickey Young blew
the horn. Young scored the first ever Vikings touchdown at the Metrodome, now
known as Mall of America Field.
The team captains came out for the coin toss. The captains
for this game were Joe Webb (offense), Larry Dean (defense) and Marcus Sharels
(special teams).
FANS
I asked my wife on the way up to the game, would we see more
purple or more blue? The blue I am referring to was the seats we sit in. It was
a late arriving crowd because 10 minutes before kickoff the place seemed half
full. The stadium did not fill but I was
pleasantly surprised just how many people came
and even more surprised how many stayed late into the 4th
quarter people still were there.
Thursday night 5 fans were on the field each holding a
suitcase in which one of them had an England flag inside. The one that opened their
suitcase and had the flag won the trip to London to watch the Vikes take on
Pittsburgh. The woman that won it had the look as though she was going to pass
out but did not.
Each home game a lucky fan wins a trip to Mexico by playing
trivia. 4 fans each game are asked a question and the one with the closest number
to the answer wins the trip. Thursday was a strange and truly challenging
question.
Q-How many Miller lite pints of beer does it take to fill
Mall of America Field? A- just over 3.5 billion
One last nugget on fans- 3:11 left in the 3rd
quarter the wave began and before it was all said and done fans were shredding
any paper they could find including game programs each fans find in their seat.
It was a confetti wave like you may never see in your life. Paper airplanes
were flying onto the field. Security came up but in my section the security guard
just stood at the bottom of the steps and watched. If a plane made it to the
field fans cheered. It was kind of dangerous walking down the steps after the
game with so much paper covering the steps.
THE GAME
I am becoming a bigger Desmond Bishop fan the last 2 weeks.
He is explosive and appears to play with the intensity we need. I love his
hustle. I am predicting a start for him in Detroit.
I love the running back play of Matt Asiata and Joe Banyard.
I thought Asiata ran with authority including his touchdown. Banyard too showed
his strength and also his desire to find pay dirt. The swing pass should have
been stopped for a no gain or loss but the first move he made on the defender
and the next 10 yards was very impressive.
The unfortunate injury to Vikings Guard, Seth Olsen was
scary at first sight. I saw Eric Sugarman come on the field instantly. The next
thing I see is Suagarman putting both his arms straight out and looking at the
Vikes sideline. This was a signal for the stretcher. The Vikings showed true
team support as all 90 guys were on the field and kneeling. The paramedics get
Olsen on the straight board and begin to roll him to the locker room. The first guy to come up and pat Olsen was
Banyard. It was on the screen pass to Banyard when Olsen got hurt. I was truly impressed
with Banyard for this gesture.
The next salute goes to game captain, Marcus Sharels. What a
night for him after missing last week’s game when his father passed away.
The opening kickoff of the 2ne half I saw the wedge open
from my view in the upper deck. The next thing he saw it because as you know
109 yards later it is 6 for the good guys.
The interception he made was a great drop in coverage
running right in front of the receiver to steal the ball.
Captain, kickoff return for a touchdown and an interception
all in one night for this man who said he has always been told he is too small.
The fight he is in to make the squad I hope makes the coaches decision that
much easier.
Two guys who are not projected to make the team made plays
that stood out. Darius Eubanks (#49), made a great hit causing a Titans fumble
and later Eubanks made a great break up in the end zone.
Rodney Smith (#83) made a great sideline catch from Cassel
and later in the game made an important catch from Bethel-Thompson. Smith is 6’5”
and weighs 220. I am hoping he will be signed to the practice squad.
I was very impressed with both kickers, Vikings (Walsh) and
Titans (Rob Bironas) on their ability to kick off deep and out of the end zone.
Walsh was 5-5 on hammering it out and Bironas first half was outstanding but
the 2nd half not quite so good as we saw Sharels work some magic.
A 4th game can be ugly with no regulars playing
however Thursday I found entertaining and even better with a W for the purple.
A kick by Walsh to win it never gets old.
I mentioned Rodney Smith and Eubanks but now add Collins
Ukwu (#67) as his hustle to the botched
snap by Titans quarterback, Rusty Smith helped end the game and get the
Vikes their only win of the preseason.
Next up: decision time by the coaching staff. I would not
want to be them
The biggest talk after the game is how many receivers do the
Vikes keep? Do they keep Stephen Burton or Joe Webb, or both?
It’s an exciting time to be an NFL fan because less than 10
days and it’s the kickoff to 2013 season.
Thanks for reading
Purplestick
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