Vikings Booed Off the Field vs. Colts After One of the Worst Halves Ever
The 10-3 Vikings thought they had a good bounce-back spot on Saturday, with a home game against a struggling 4-8-1 Colts team that has one of the NFL's worst offenses. They were hoping to come out in front of their home fans, shake off last Sunday's loss in Detroit, and clinch the NFC North title with their 11th win of the season.
Instead, they played one of the worst first halves in the 62-year history of their franchise.
Losing 33-0 at halftime, the Vikings were booed off the field by an exasperated U.S. Bank Stadium crowd. And for good reason. Absolutely nothing — offense, defense, special teams, coaching, anything — went right for Minnesota in the first 30 minutes of football.
Let's run through a quick summary of what happened.
To start the game, the Colts had a 49-yard kickoff return to set up their offense with a short field goal. The Vikings managed a red zone stop, but it was 3-0 very quickly.
Then, following a four-and-out by the Vikings' offense, special teams struck again. Ex-Vikings DE Ifeadi Odenigbo blocked the punt, and it was returned for a touchdown. 10-0.
Dalvin Cook provided a spark on the ensuing series with a 40-yard run. But on the very next play, Cook had the ball punched out before he hit the ground. Fumble.
The Colts proceeded to march down the field, with a 36-yard pass to a tight end as the big play, and score a touchdown. 17-0. At this point, there are still four minutes left in the first quarter, by the way.
On the Vikings' next possession, right guard Ed Ingram stepped on Kirk Cousins' foot for a sack. That helped set up a 3rd and 1 from their own 31. Kevin O'Connell called an end-around to fullback C.J. Ham, which went nowhere. Out of desperation, the Vikings went for it on fourth down and Cook was stuffed on an unimaginative run up the middle. The Colts' defensive tackles dominated the Vikings' interior O-line all half.
With another short field, the Colts tacked on a field goal to make it 20-0.
After another sack, Cousins hit T.J. Hockenson on 3rd and 11, but he slipped a yard short of the line to gain. This time, facing another 4th and 1 from their 31, the Vikings sent out their punting unit. They had Ryan Wright fake it and pass to Jalen Nailor, but his throw sailed high, which isn't shocking since he isn't a quarterback.
Another short field. Another Colts field goal. 23-0.
After a Vikings punt, they nearly got a spark with a Chandon Sullivan fumble return touchdown. Except the refs blew the play dead early, so it didn't count.
That meant the Colts got to punt, they pinned the Vikings deep, and Cousins threw an awful pick-six to Julian Blackmon. 30-0.
The Vikings punted on their next series after a 40-yard pass to K.J. Osborn was overturned because Osborn couldn't quite secure the catch. So the Colts added another field goal to make it 33-0 at half.
There was even an injury scare involving the Vikings' best player, Justin Jefferson, but it appears that he's OK.
So, yeah. That happened. One of the worst halves of football ever.
The Vikings came into this game as 3.5-point favorites and trailed by 33 at half. There are still 30 minutes of football to play.
I'm not sure what else to say.
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