Third quarter ultimately costs Vikings in Dallas

By Krupka  |   Monday, October 22, 2007  |  Comments( 4 )

Minnesota Vikings
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Another Sunday gone by, another game Minnesota feels it could have or maybe should have won.

Heading into Dallas, most people believed the Vikings had no chance of defeating the Cowboys. The belief that was Tony Romo would throw at will, and the Vikings' offense wouldn't be able to keep up with Dallas' high-powered attack.

And while eventually that would prove to be true, the game was quite close for a while.

Then, like a bad dream, the Vikings and their fans could only watch as the offense and special teams imploded before their eyes. And head coach Brad Childress' decision to challenge an obvious touchdown plunge by Marion Barber contributed to the disastrous second half.

Certainly, Sunday was the tale of two halves for the Vikings.

Despite being out-gained significantly in yardage and time of possession in the first half, Minnesota was able to build a 14-7 lead through 30 minutes thanks to an opening-drive score and a defensive touchdown on a fumble return.

The third quarter turned into the complete opposite of the first half. Minnesota controlled the ball for 10 minutes, yet it was unable to score and found itself trailing 21-14 entering the fourth stanza.

Childress' aforementioned challenge was a poor decision because it threw away a timeout, and in close games you can't afford to do that. Then, with the game tied 14-14, Minnesota had a 49-yard field goal attempt. However, offensive lineman Ryan Cook was running on the field and the Vikings had to burn a second timeout. And the subsequent kick was blocked by Cowboys lineman Chris Canty and returned for a Dallas touchdown.

The field goal block was the turning point in the game. With the offense struggling to complete a pass, it completely took away any momentum the team had. The facial expression of kicker Ryan Longwell on the sidelines was one of disappointment and frustration. You could tell, that was the big play which helps determine who wins or loses a game, and Minnesota felt that was the one that lost them the game.

Surely, even if the field goal was made, there's no guarantees the Vikings would have won. But playing with a three-point lead late is a lot different than down seven with only one timeout left.

In the end, it was the same story for the Vikings. Solid defense, not enough offense, and a poor result.

Eric Krupka can be reached at ekrupka@realfootball365.com

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