The Vikings Season that Could Have Been
By Nick Fritz
In September, hopes were high for the Minnesota Vikings. Matt Cassel took the reigns to lead a previously one-dimensional offense to success. Adrian Peterson returned healthy and we’d seen what he could do off an injury. The receiving core was finally becoming a threat with Kyle Rudolph, Cordarrelle Patterson, Greg Jennings and Jarius Wright. We also had a bevy of young talent to mesh in with our proven veterans.
Well, it’s safe to say nothing has gone according to plan.
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The team was full force in week one against the Rams in St. Louis. It was a Vikings blowout victory and with every play our hopes grew higher for the 2014 campaign. Shortly after, Adrian Peterson removed from the equation after child abuse allegations took over the life of the league’s best running back. Not only the league’s best running back, but the life-line of the Vikings offense. They’ve been on life support since.
Then, amidst all the drama, the Vikings were smoked by the Patriots. But there was still hope for the squad, which was growing under the new staff. That was until they lost their starting QB Matt Cassel, TE Kyle Rudolph and RG Brandon Fusco in a week three loss to the Saints.
In hindsight, that about did it for the Vikings. Their offense has been absolutely anemic minus a couple of good games against awful teams. They just weren’t built to lose four main pieces and it’s shown. Even worse, with the way the defense has improved, the Vikings could have competed this year with an average offense.
Now, at 4-6 and with no Adrian Peterson for the rest of the season, it would take a miracle for this team to make the playoffs. We’re forced to focus on developing young guys like Teddy Bridgewater, Jerrick McKinnon, Anthony Barr, Xavier Rhodes, Cordarrelle Patterson and Shariff Floyd to name a few. They’ve all shown promise and will be key parts of this team for years to come.
Bottom line, this offense and our chances of competing in the NFC North have been completely gutted through injuries and legal problems. It’s looking like the season that never had a chance for the Minnesota Vikings.
Oct 26, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer stands on the sidelines as the Vikings beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-13 in overtime at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
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