And the Vikings Make It a Perfect Night

My attention last night was mostly on the Red Sox Game 4 ALDS win over the Angels. But more than a few times I checked over to see how the Vikings were doing in their game in New Orleans. And I'm really sorry I missed so much of a really crazy night.

It was a game the Vikings really needed to win, as they had gotten off to a 1-3 start going in. And on a night when Adrian Peterson (pictured) was basically shut down to the tune of just 32 yards in 21 carries, the Vikings still found a way to win.

Gus Frerotte threw for 222 yards a TD pass, and Chester Taylor also threw a TD on an option pass out of the backfield. The Vikings got their first score on a blocked field goal that Antoine Winfield returned for a 59-yard field goal. And surprisingly, it was the first time in the regular season the Vikings had ever done that. (They did it once in the playoffs in 1976.)

It was 17-10 at the half, favor of the Vikings and 20-10 late in the third when Reggie Bush returned the first of two punts for a TD. Coach Brad Childress was clearly annoyed with punter Chris Kluwe after the game, and that he should have punted the ball out of bounds to keep the ball away from him on both occasions. The Saints built a 27-20 lead in the fourth when Frerotte threw his TD pass, a 33-yard bomb to Bernard Berrian, to tie it up.

New Orleans drove late in the game and were set up for a go-ahead FG when Martin Grammatica missed one from 46 yards wide left to give the Vikings life. And with just over one minute to play, Frerotte threw another long pass to Berrian, but he was interfered with, and it put the ball inside the New Orleans 20. A couple of plays later, Ryan Longwell hit a 30-yard FG with :13 left to give the Vikings a much-needed win. The Saints can blame themselves for this loss, as they turned the ball over four times and committed 11 penalties.

They face Detroit next Sunday at the Metrodome. The Red Sox advance in the MLB playoffs and the Vikings get a big win on the road to try to straighten out their season.

Not a bad night at all.