Jeff: Daunte's Down & the Vikes Are Out

A team that we thought was going to be a Super Bowl contender in August, is looking like a team who will only be contending for the #1 pick heading into November. The last-second miracle win against Green Bay two weeks ago provided a glimmer of hope, that maybe, just maybe, the Minnesota Vikings squad we had hoped to see would finally show up. The bloodbath in Carolina sank any of that talk. After getting demolished 38-14 by Steve Smith and the Panthers, the Vikings season is essentially lost, as is starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper was running for his life once again in the first half, and when he finally found some daylight he decided to take his frustrations out on Panther safety ... At the same time, corner Chris Gamble went low, just as you're taught. THe combination collision bent Culpepper's knee in an awkward way, and he slumpt to the turf. After being helped off, the worst is feared today for him, and the same can only be said for the entire organization as well.

Two things about that hit: One, it was NOT a cheap shot by Gamble, as a few morning radio hosts were trying to say. Gamble is AT LEAST 60 pounds lighter than Daunte, and as all corners are taught when tackling a much bigger man, go low below the knees. A man Gamble's size couldn't possibly tackle somebody like Daunte by going high. Hits like this happen all the time, and this one just happened to be at an unfortunate angle. Two, yes Daunte is 265 and moves like a gazelle, but that injury never happens if he slides like he's supposed to. Commentators today said it was just Daunte wanting to be competitive and win and get some extra yards. Look, I would assume the other 31 starting NFL QB's want to be competitive and win. They're not sliding because they care less, they're sliding because they care MORE. Even at Daunte's size, he's the one being hit, not the other way around, and by not sliding, he's leaving himself open to shots like he took. Especially when his knee was already a detriment to him all season, there's no excuse for him not sliding and avoiding further contact there.

So now the season rests on the shoulders of Brad Johnson, who looked nothing Sunday like the Super Bowl winner he was with Tampa five years ago. But even if we had the Brad of five years ago, it would matter little with this team. Nobody can seem to explain why the Vikings are a completely different team on the road, but neither their offense or defense has had a clue away from the Dome. $25 million down the drain on what was supposed to be a much improved defense. Steve Smith humiliated a once-confident Fred Smoot, and Jake Delhomme and Stephen Davis carved up everybody else. There was hope that after strong first-halves and second-half flops the last couple of seasons, that maybe this year will be the opposite. Sunday's loss showed both halves of the season will be woeful this year. Perhaps it's for the best: with no hope to cling to now, this should give owner Zygy Wilf all the reason he needs to completely overhaul the players, and organization, from top to bottom. This year has proven that this Vikings' ship has so many holes, it's a wonder it's stayed afloat as long as it has.