By Larry Fitzgerald
Originally posted 1/27/2009
For some the NFC Championship game was a classic. For others it was a classic example of how to waist the Vikings best championship opportunity since 1998 and 2000. In 1998 the Vikings lost the NFC Championship 30-27 in overtime to Atlanta.
Kicker Gary Anderson who had not missed a kick all year missed a 38 yard field goal with two minutes left with the Vikings leading 27-20.
Can you honestly tell me the Vikings are not better than the New Orleans Saints? Before the game each Vikings player saw a message over their locker that said. "There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come... our time is now."
The Vikings promptly went out and handed the NFC Championship game to the New Orleans Saints 31-28 in overtime Sunday Night.
Allowing the Saints a pass to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami Feb.7th.
Adrian Peterson again struggled hanging on to the football, he ran
25 times for 122 yards and scored three touchdowns.
The Vikings ran for 165 yards in the game. The Saints had just 68.
Brett Favre threw for 310 yards and a touchdown. Drew Brees threw for just 197 but he had three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Favre was intercepted twice plus the critical fumbled exchange between he and Peterson in the first half at the Saints four yard line with the score 14-14.
Make no mistake about it this was a gift. The Vikings all but put this game on a platter for the Saints like a hot bowl of seafood gumbo.
This game featured the two highest scoring teams in the NFL when it ended the Saints were left marching towards South Beach.
Don't get me wrong the Vikings played hard in fact they played their hearts out. But they failed to do what great teams must do finish.
"To finish first you must first finish."
They did everything else started fast and rolled offensively for 475 yards 31 first downs and had the football for nearly 37 minutes.
However they could not do what Head coach Brad Childress has preached all season.
Protect value and secure the football. They committed five costly turnovers none bigger than Brett Favre's last pass. Bernard Berrian had his best game 9 catches for 102 yards.
But his big fumble at the 10 yard line early in the fourth quarter was a killer.
And Farve's ill fait ed attempt to hit Sidney Rice in the left flat while throwing across his body. The cardinal rule in football is you never ever throw a pass late over the middle.
The Vikings character showed they climbed out of two self inflected holes in the second half to tie the game 28-28. And with two minutes
left in regulation went on a march that could have put them in Super Bowl XLIV.
Favre limping slightly moved the Vikings down the field securing a first down at the Saints 33 yard line with 1:06 left. The Saints burned their last timeout.
The Vikings then tried two running plays Chester Taylor right for no gain-then Adrian Peterson right for no gain. The Vikings then called a timeout with 19 seconds left still stalled at the 33 yard line.
What happened from this point on is inexcusable.
Had Ryan Longwell even attempted the field goal from the 33 yard line who knows? Vikings win? He's made pressure kicks his entire career.
In fact he made two 52 yard field goals this year. In a 27-24 win over San Francisco and a 36-10 win Vs Chicago.
The Vikings wanted to run more time off the clock before breaking the huddle they were called for 12 men in the huddle.
You gotta be kidding me right? A five yard penalty moved them back to the 38. That put Favre in a position to force the issue on a third down rollout right. It turned into a colossal blunder.
It was the third time that and NFC Championship had been decided in overtime, back in 1998 Falcons Vs Vikings, and 2007 New York Giants Vs Green Bay.
The Vikings are now 0-2 in NFC title games in overtime and so is Favre. Was this Favre's last game? He took such a physical beating without being sacked throughout the game. The game plan was get after Favre and knocking him down.
The Saints did the same thing to Kurt Warner in the Cardinals game.
The Vikings locker room was extremely quiet several players in tears.
Favre looked as if he had been in a fight.
This team knew they had just let a championship slip away. The 218 yard difference the Vikings had of 475 yards to New Orleans 257 was and NFC Championship record. Never had the team with that many more yards not won.
