Colts 18, Vikings 15: Team With a QB and Little Else Beats QB-less Team of Stars

The Colts were this close (hold your thumb and index finger real close together) to dropping to 0-2, but they can thank Peyton Manning and the Vikings passing game for saving their season.

Manning and his receivers managed to make something of a day where the offensive line was filled with rookies and scrubs, the running game was nonexistent and Adrian Peterson was piling up yards in big chunks. But with the defense holding Minnesota to field goals (helped by Tarvaris Jackson's iffy passing and Vinsanthe Shiancoe's horrible drop of a potential touchdown), the Colts were hanging around long enough for Manning to piece together the offense with some duct tape and some pieces the Colts found in the spare-parts bin.

Dallas Clark' fill-in Tom Santhi dropped a couple of key passes--but Manning made up for it by finding Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez. Gonzalez was about to go down on a long bomb from Manning, so he flipped a lateral to Wayne who added 18 more yards to get the ball to the Vikings' 1. Adam Vinateri blew an easy field goal early in the fourth quarter, so the Colts simply drove down for another touchdown, added a two-point conversion and then gave Vinateri another chance to win it (he did).

It was one of those games where the better, more experienced team simply decided not to lose. It's hard to say the same thing about Minnesota, which has been losing games like this for long enough that it's hard to remember when they used to pull these games out.

After the game, coach Brad Childress promised that Jackson is still the Vikings' starting quarterback. He better look forward to road games, where he'll get a better reception from the fans. Playing in Philly may sound pleasant to Jackson after the fans turned on him whenever he airmailed another pass. The fans had reason to boo, as Jackson and the passing game were non-existent for most of the first half, even though the Colts were selling out to try to stop Adrian Peterson. With games the next two weeks against undefeated Carolina and Tennessee, the Vikings won't have an easy path to a turnaround, but for Jackson and Childress, it better come pretty soon.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-15-2008 @ 8:13AM

JP said...

Being a lifelong Viking fan, this current regime needs to be flushed. Brad Childress and his "project" T-Jack, need to go ! Zigi, needs to get smart and not let this situation get out of hand.

9-15-2008 @ 10:29AM

Fred Smorgasbord said...

Jackson sucks and Childress double sucks for not removing him as QB. I like the Vikings, always have. But there's a reason they were last in passing yardage last season. And his name is Tavaris Jackson. You reap what you sow. This will be a losing season for the Vikings with Jackson at QB.

9-15-2008 @ 8:28AM

chris said...

give Gus Frerotte a chance. He is a proven winner.

9-15-2008 @ 9:19AM

Dj said...

This nob as a head coach has to go..3 years is enough....as anyone seen marty or even denny...

9-15-2008 @ 10:08AM

Willie said...

Zigi lets make some decisions.., you have no QB a weak coach and are about to lose the next two games. Its time to make changes. You are a good not great QB away from having an awesome team. I have aways been a Viking fan even in the days of Les Steckel. Zigi pull a Steinbrenner and lets get the Vikings on the road to winning.

9-15-2008 @ 10:57AM

Mtn Man said...

I guess us fans are just a bunch of dumb-asses. How many thousands of fans say there has to be some changes in the offense? It looks like we are good only for game tickets and other revenue! When there are only a few thousand seats being filled for a game, maybe Zigi & mgmt. will wake up. I doubt we would watch football if we didn't know something about it!

9-15-2008 @ 11:17AM

steve said...

THE EXPERIMENT IS DONE! childres should be fired. t-jack demoted. i would even take tice, fat dumb, marty, jimmy, or to dream of bill cowher

9-15-2008 @ 11:19AM

Dave F. said...

Its as plain as the nose up Ziggi's butt. This is not a starter QB. Maybe a backup if at all. The project era is over, and its time for a change at the helm. We shouldn't have to stumble or try and get help into the playoffs. We should be leading the way. And that would be making ajustments NOW not later.

9-15-2008 @ 11:53AM

Doug said...

Listen, this is a sadder situation then just needing a starting calibur QB or even a coach. The Vikes have no receivers either. They have been unable to stretch the field for at least two years now. Nobody with breakaway speed that can actually go down the field and catch the ball! Who do they have for the short passing game? The tight ends suck and nobody is tuff enough to catch balls in the middle of the field. Gus Ferotte isn't going to change those facts. Another fruitless season for us fans.

9-17-2008 @ 1:04PM

Dave M said...

Zig keep up the good work. as a packers fan its great to watch you loose every week. The question isnt if the vikes are going to loose but rather how much are they going to loose by. Ha Ha And your coach and qb are doing a wounderful job. DONT CHANGE ANYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!

9-18-2008 @ 10:36AM

The Packers have a great history of success on the field and morons in the stands. It's good to see somethings haven't changed since they screwed up the Favre situation.

9-16-2008 @ 12:14AM

Tony Linder said...

Childress needs to be canned immediately ! The Vikings could have made the playoffs last year and are (were) picked to win it ALL this year. Childress cannot admit he botched the decision on Tarvarian Jackson. He is a novelty QB and should be used as a Slash type player if not cut altogether. He is another Shaun King happening NOW, not waiting to happen and the rest of this team is too good to have to put up with Childress merely trying to save face on a bad pick.

9-16-2008 @ 11:03PM

David said...

Yes, I agree with all. It is not T. Jackson time. They need to try to pick up another QB- one in mind would be J. Gracia he still has alot of heart and still has an arm and already shows he can win, with the right tools in place which we have now. The only thing holding up the Vikings is the QB postion. We don't need another running back- we have 2 of the best on our team. We need a QB to be a leader and drive this team to victory. Can't win by only kicking field goals you need to get in the end zone to close the door. And this is what happened when we lost to the Colts. The only reason why they were hanging around was because we were only kicking field goals. And with a team like that not going to happen. Defense played hard but they can do it all. The running game was awesome but you need to mix it up with the passing game to be successful. Without a passing game there maybe a chance of losing our first five games. With a passing game we should be 2-0 not 0-2. Jackson still needs to learn from a veteran QB. If they don't make a change soon our only win this first half may only be against the Lions hate to say it but the schedule does not get any easier from here on out. Long Time VIKING FAN in Florida.

9-19-2008 @ 7:16PM

Herbie said...

We have a great wr who has plently of speed and can catch the footballs. His name is Aundrae Allison. He caught two great passes toward the end of the game against the colts. He is in my mind better then Bernard Berrian. Come on Childress use him and see if the "new" qb can throw the ball. If you look at the stats of frerotte and Jackson last year Jackson's was better. So, we really do need a better qb. Vikings fan from North Carolina. So we need to beat the Panthers so I dont have to hear how good they are.