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Wednesday May 23, 2012
Michael Rand started RandBall with hopes that he could keep lies from conquering the minds of the weak. So far, he's only succeeded in using the word "redacted" a lot. He welcomes suggestions, news tips, links of pure genius, and pictures of pets in Halloween costumes here, though he already knows he will regret that last part.
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Guest post COW: Sassbottom's Vikings Super Bowl game story
Posted by: Michael Rand under Vikings Updated: February 8, 2010 - 2:24 PM
Sassbottom made a comment about "Dreammaker" that had us laughing last week, so we commissioned him to write a Commenter Of the Week post. We even suggested a topic (a fake game story from a Vikings/Colts Super Bowl), and he ran with it. So here we go. Sassbottom?
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MIAMI (AK) -- It worked.
The will-he-or-won’t-he. The “schism.” The “stream of consciousness.” And all of the wondering about whether a 40-year-old quarterback could keep picking himself up off the ground to make one more throw, play one more series, finish one more game.
It all resulted in the storybook ending the Vikings and Brett Favre had hoped for all along, as Minnesota beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, 34-24, in Super Bowl XLIV.
“Yeah, just the way we drew it up,” a jubilant, champagne-soaked Favre said, cradling the Lombardi Trophy in one arm and hugging coach Brad Childress with the other. “This is why I wanted to be in Minnesota, and this is why it was all worth it.”
It looked as though the Vikings’ worst dreams would come true early on, as the Colts took the opening kickoff and needed only four plays to score. After a 28-yard run by Joseph Addai and two quick passes to tight end Dallas Clark, quarterback Peyton Manning threw a 22-yard lob to Reggie Wayne for a touchdown. 7-0 Colts, before the smoke from the pre-game fireworks had lifted.
But the Vikings would respond. And respond again. Favre was 6-of-7 for 61 yards and a TD on Minnesota’s first drive, 5-of-5 for 48 and a TD on the second. The Vikings scored on four of their five drives in the first half, taking a 20-10 lead into the intermission.
Manning got off to a quick start again in the second half, bringing Indianapolis to within three points on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Clark. But again, Favre and the Vikings answered fast. Chester Taylor took a short pass from Favre on a screen play and broke through for a 42-yard TD to put Minnesota up 27-17.
That’s as close as the game would be the rest of the way. The teams traded punches throughout the rest of the third quarter, and traded touchdowns again in the fourth. Favre’s fourth TD, an 18-yard strike to Sidney Rice, put the Vikings ahead 34-17 with 5:01 left in the game. A 2-yard plunge by Addai with less than two minutes to play closed the scoring.
Manning repeatedly bent -- but ultimately could not break -- the Vikings defense. Despite a depleted secondary, Minnesota made enough plays at key moments to keep the Colts and Manning in check. Jared Allen had the Vikings’ lone sack, but Minnesota’s front four pressured Manning throughout the game.
“I give them all the credit in the world,” Manning said. “We had a great game plan going in, but so did they. They’re a great team, and they played like it today.”
After four previous losses, it seemed only fitting that the Vikings would win their first championship in the 44th playing of the Super Bowl, led by a 40-year-old quarterback wearing the No. 4.
“It worked,” Favre said. “It worked pretty good.”
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