Season Recap - 2010 Minnesota Vikings

Final Record: 6-10

Finished: 4^th Place in the NFC North

2011 Draft Position: 12^th

Preseason Ranking:   8
Preseason Letter of Misfortune:

To paraphrase a quote from Marion in Raiders of the Lost Ark, “I’ve learned to hate the Vikings in the last ten years.”

I won’t bother quoting from the rest of the line, because, frankly, that would be weird, but suffice it to say, my dislike of the Vikings has steadily grown over the decade I have lived here in the frozen north. When I first moved to Minnesota, the Vikings were a surprising team, going 15-1 en route to a colossal, heart-breaking collapse in the NFC Championship game. I felt bad for them. I really did.

As the years went by and the jaded optimism of the typical Vikings fan became more apparent, I started to hope for their team to struggle. When Favre first arrived in town in 2009 and the local media covered his trip to Winter Park (the Vikings training facility in Eden Prairie, Minnesota) like it was the O. J. Simpson van, it almost seemed cute to see a fan base so infatuated with a player. It was quite annoying this year when the same thing happened after Favre played the “I just don’t know” card until the Vikings upped his contract and sent the three musketeers down to Mississippi to get him.

I know I won’t get my wish for the Vikings to finish with a 3-13 record this year (they play the NFC East, so I’d love for them to beat the Giants, Eagles and Redskins). They are too good to be that woeful, but they will struggle this season. Favre is a year older, another year and an injury slower, and has almost no chance of duplicating the magic of last season. Adrian Peterson is the fumbling man at running back and without Chester Taylor to change things up, he will have to take on more of the load than he has in recent years.

The defense is great, but with the continuing suspension saga surrounding the Williams Wall, the Vikings D could find themselves trying to fill a gaping hole at their center. If the 49ers ability to run the ball on Sunday night is any indication of the Vikings run defense starting to fail, this could truly become a team that needs to win shoot-outs in order to be successful.

At least they’ll have a gunslinger at quarterback. They have that going for them.

Week 1: Lost at New Orleans Saints, 14-9

Ranked – 13

The magic may have left the building, because the timing and chemistry just doesn't seem to be there. Maybe Favre needs to practice after all. At least they still have Jackson waiting in the wings

Week 2: Lost to Miami Dolphins, 14-10

Ranked – 21

Age has finally caught up with the Chosen One. The defense should win games when they only allow 7 points, but missed opportunities and untimely miscues have doomed the Vikings before they even managed to get their walkers out.

Week 3: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 24-10

Ranked – 18

Yay! You beat Detroit! We're happy for ya.

Week 4: BYE WEEK

Ranked – 21

Moss coming back to town to help out a decimated receiving corps? I can't wait to see Favre throw interceptions 50 yards downfield now instead of the 20 yards he's been throwing to the likes of Baskett, Harvin and Lewis.

Week 5: Lost at New York Jets, 29-20

Ranked – 21

Favre to Moss for #500. That's about all that can be said in a positive manner about the Vikings. Don't bother to mention Favre's harassment scandal, his two fumbles or the pick-6 that ended the game in New York's favor.

Week 6: Defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 24-21

Ranked – 21

Special teams and defense once again get the Vikings the win. Favre is just going through the motions and Moss so far has had very little impact.

Week 7: Lost at Green Bay Packers, 28-24

Ranked – 22

Age, broken wheels and poor decisions - by both the quarterback and the coach - have all but doomed the Vikings.

Week 8: Lost at New England Patriots, 28-18

Ranked – 24

I'm beginning to think Chili suddenly realized he is not in charge of this team. Panic seeps from his every pore. Instead of battening down the hatches and guiding the ship to safer waters as great leaders would, he's chuckin' everybody overboard so he can finally, clearly, be recognized as the true captain on a sinking ship.

Week 9: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 27-24

Ranked – 23

Ha, Ha! Childress remains your coach for at least one more week.

Week 10: Lost at Chicago Bears, 27-13

Ranked – 26

The season's over. I say fire Brad Childress now and make Brett Favre the offensive coordinator. I mean, seriously, how much worse could it be?

Favre kneels down in the huddle. "Ok, Harvin, you be the bottle cap."

           

"I don't wanna be the bottle cap."

          

 "Well, what do you want to be?"

           

 "The piece of glass."

           

 "Ok. Intercepted deep pass on three. Ready? BREAK!"

Week 11: Lost to Green Bay Packers, 31-3

Ranked – 26

Great news! The Vikings are still undefeated in the interim Leslie Frazier era. Bad news. The Vikings have difficulty playing out of doors on the road and their next game is back east in Washington. Good news. The Redskins aren't that great. Bad news. They aren't bad, either.

Week 12: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 17-13

Ranked – 23

That's how you win games with Brett Favre these days- turn him into a "Game Manager" and make him run naked bootlegs to the defense's complete dismay.

Week 13: Defeated the Buffalo Bills, 38-14

Ranked - 24  (ROCKY WEEK!)

            Brett Favre, explaining why he came back for the miserable 2010 campaign: We always have to be in the middle of the action 'cause we're the warriors. And without some challenge, without some damn war to fight then the warriors might as well be dead. Now I'm asking you - as my fans - stand by my side this one last time. You know, it's too bad we gotta get old, huh?

Disillusioned Vikings Fan: Ah, just keep throwing interceptions, Brett...

Week 14: Lost to New York Giants, 21-3

Ranked – 25

Well, Brett, it was fun while it lasted. Now the Vikings have to turn to Tarvaris Jackson, who single-handedly took out Adrian Peterson on a hand-off. It's usually not a good sign for your future, Tarvaris, when the announcers spend 10 minutes talking about all the available college quarterbacks coming out in the draft.

Week 15: Lost to Chicago Bears, 40-14

Ranked – 22

Joe Webb may be the future... if the Vikings open the 2011 season running the veer option offense.

Week 16: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-14

Ranked – 22

One more game until the nightmare season ends, but at least the 2011 search for a quarterback has gained some positivity. Joe Webb looked quite impressive against Philadelphia. And as far as Favre- will he or won't he? Oh, please, just go away already.

Week 17: Lost at Detroit Lions, 20-13

Final Rank – 26

Tomorrow, the 2010 Detroit Lions…