Vikings avoid disaster versus Steelers
Minnesota is still in the playoff race after a win but the win leaves everyone unfulfilled after near meltdown
By Matthew Coller
MINNEAPOLIS — Just when the Minnesota Vikings were on the brink of blowing somebody out, they could not pull off a Christmas miracle and actually close out a game without drama. Lots and lots of drama. A ridiculous and totally unnecessary amount of drama.
From the start, the Vikings looked like they were going to blow out the Steelers on Thursday Night Football. Instead the Vikings let the Canton version of Big Ben Roethlisberger show up in the second half.
The game should have been a convincing bounce back from an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions and it ended up coming within a finger tip of one of the biggest meltdowns in team history.
From the opening drive, something seemed off with the Steelers. One week removed from slowing down Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens’ offense in a victory, the Steelers’ allegedly vaunted defensive line was nowhere to be found. That’s not a metaphor. They were literally pushed right off the screen by an offensive line that has struggled to run block this year.
On the third play of the game, a wounded Dalvin Cook ran through a massive hole in the Pittsburgh defense for a 20-yard gain that put the Vikings in scoring position. Kirk Cousins missed a deep bomb touchdown to Justin Jefferson by inches and the Vikings elected to try a field goal rather than go for it on fourth down.
Greg Joseph missed the field goal way wide left. Who would have ever thought the miscue would end up playing a role in a close game late in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh didn’t respond right away though. They stalled and then missed a 49-yard field goal.
SantaBen and the Pittsburgh elves on defense would really start delivering gifts after that. Taking over at their own 39-yard line, Cook instantly flipped the field without a defender in sight, breaking out for 30 yards. The Vikings then ran a play-action pass with crossing routes that the Steelers seemingly never saw coming. Justin Jefferson was doing the Griddy dance seconds later to put the Vikings up by six.
Vikings fans in attendance — maybe two-thirds of the stadium — enjoyed the next couple of possessions as Big Ben looked like Mets Willie Mays. The next two drives by Pittsburgh gained two yards on six plays and included a sack that the mid-20s version of Ben would have turned into an explosive play.
The Steelers defense was far from a Steel Curtain in the first half. They appeared to steal the gameplan from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this year: Don’t cover anybody or pressure anyone and most definitely do not stop the run.
Cook opened the Vikings’ fourth drive with a 15-yard gain. The Vikings held on the next play but it didn’t matter, they picked up 19 yards on second-and-20. Cousins flipped the ball to a wide-open Tyler Conklin for 19 more yards and then Cook waltzed into the end zone for a 29-yard run.
Before the game, it was unclear whether Cook would play through his injured shoulder. It was worth wondering if he should play considering he separated the shoulder just 11 days ago. Nobody figured the Steelers would agree, in the Christmas spirit, to never touch Cook.
Down 16 points, Pittsburgh got the ball back with hopes of getting back in the game. Instead, those wearing black and gold in the stands put their Terrible Towels away. Another three-and-out ended with Roethlisberger getting sacked again.
At that point, it looked like the Vikings would finally put an opponent away.
Cousins found Chris Herndon — yes, the player they traded for before the season, he’s still here — for a 17-yard gain. KJ Osborn got in on the action with 13 yards. Then Cook scored again.
Flo Rida played at halftime. Let’s say the Steelers were really relating to that song that goes, “Low, low, low, low.”
Even to open the second half, Pittsburgh showed no interest in entertaining the national TV audience. Roethlisberger threw the first pass of the half into the ground. On third down he was sacked again.
Following the Steelers slowwwlowlowlow start to the second half, the Vikings kicked a field goal to go up by 26 points midway through the third quarter.
Roethlisberger interception. His inaccurate side-armed, shotput throw was tipped and picked by Breeland. Over, right?
But if Steelers fans were already across the street drinking eggnog, they regretted that decision.
What’s was notable about the big lead for the Vikings is that Cousins wasn’t playing particularly well. Multiple throws were ahead or behind receivers, including two into the end zone after the interception. As the Vikings were up 29, he was 11-for-23 with 125 yards passing. His issues would come into play later.
The Steelers scored on their following drive, thanks in part to a pass that looked like it was an INT being ruled a catch and a Kris Boyd taunting penalty. A few folks swung their towels around after Roethlisberger’s first touchdown pass of the day.
Justin Jefferson, gave the Steelers’ defense a gift in return for their help throughout the evening, dropping a pass over the middle that was intercepted.
Cam Dantzler decided to make things a little spicy by committing interference at the goal line and the Steelers cut the lead to 29-14. It wasn’t Dantzler’s worst effort around the end zone of the last five days but it made things mildly interesting.
Then Roethlisberger somehow found the ghost of Christmas past. Following a Kris Boyd pass interference, Big Ben made a big-time throw to James Washington for a 30-yard touchdown.
But Cousins responded this time, hitting the deep bomb that had been missing throughout the game, landing a rocket right in the mittens of KJ Osborn for a 62-yard touchdown.
The Steelers failed on the next drive and that was supposed to be that. But there were a few more twists to this holiday special.
Cousins threw an interception and the Steelers took the ball back into Vikings territory, down by 16 points. Roethlisberger instantly made the Vikings pay, throwing a touchdown to bring the game to one score.
Still, all the Vikings needed was a couple first downs and everybody could go home. But the Vikings simply do not know how to finish a football game. Cousins threw incomplete toward Osborn, the refs picked up the flag they originally tossed, and the Steelers were in business.
Roethlisberger heaved a pass down the sideline. Complete. He found Chase Claypool for a throw over the middle on fourth down for a first down to the Viking 34-yard line. An underneath pass picked up another first down.
A heave into the end zone took the clock down to 11 seconds. The Steelers completed another pass and got out of bounds with two ticks remaining in the game. Roethlisberger’s throw slipped out of the fingers of his intended receiver and the Vikings won 36-28, staying alive in the race of the most worthy of the unworthy No. 7 seed playoff teams.
Everything about Thursday night screamed get-right from the beginning but the Vikings refused to play a complete football game, as they have for the entire season. As much fun as it might have been for outside observers, Vikings fans will still walk away saying “bah, humbug.”
How can they be expected to win enough down the stretch to reach the playoffs if they can’t protect a 29-point lead? And even if they do, does it matter? The Steelers were playing like they wanted a higher draft pick to take their next franchise QB and the Vikings couldn’t even find a way to put a bow on it.
They’ll always tell you a win is a win. But this one ends up feeling like an empty stocking.
This is now a team mentality... and thats a coaching issue... Zimmer has at times been a good NFL HC..and is clearly a professional level HC unlike many other who actually dont know WTH they are doing. But Zimmer is done..he has run his course, he has instilled the team with a lack of killer instinct, aggression and confidence... his years of being conservative and playing not to lose can only work with superior talent (2017) but will doom a decent team to mediocrity. Hes been our best HC since Green but he needs to go...now...
Glad the Vikings won but it doesn't change a thing as far as needing to move on from Zimmer, Speilman, and Cousins. I appreciate the good years Zimmer gave us. I've not appreciated much from Cousins. I still see him as a self-serving self-centered individual interested in his stats but not necessarily the team winning. Without a change we'll be wasting JJ and Cook as well as see players that need to be developed not make the grade. My opening prediction was 8/9. I'm staying with it.