The raised voices emanating from the Vikings locker room Sunday couldn't be easily understood, but the tone of those speaking made it clear what was going on behind closed doors.

The Vikings, fresh off a last-second 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in their home opener, blew a game in which they led 15-0 in the third quarter, and started a season 0-2 for the first time since Mike Tice's final year as coach in 2005.

If players aren't panicking, they certainly are feeling a sense of urgency.

"I'm crushed right now," said running back Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 160 yards on 29 carries. "We gave those guys the game. We gave it to them. When I think about it like that, I don't even know how to explain it. It's terrible."

Perhaps the most frustrating thing for the Vikings -- and certainly the disgruntled crowd of 63,585 -- was that this defeat had many familiar elements of other losses during Brad Childress' two-plus seasons as coach.

Peterson's rushing output, which included 118 yards in the first half, was the third-highest total of his 16-game career.

That wasn't enough to overcome a second consecutive poor performance from quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who threw for 130 yards.

He had a 73.3 passer rating and didn't get his team into the end zone. Starting receivers Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian, one of the Vikings' big free-agent additions, combined for zero catches. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe dropped what would have been a 9-yard score in the opening quarter. That drive ended with Ryan Longwell hitting the second of his five field goals -- he later missed a 48-yarder in the fourth quarter that proved crucial.

Childress lamented the fact his team was 2-for-13 on third down and 0-for-2 in the red zone. Through two games, the Vikings are 1-for-5 on trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Jackson acknowledged the postgame locker room was not a pleasant place.

"A lot of guys were angry," he said. "A lot of guys know how to hide their feelings a lot. It's to the point where there is only so much you can say, you just got to go out there and do things. You can get mad, throw a chair, whatever. It really doesn't matter. We just got to go out there and execute on offense and defense."

Childress said Jackson is not in jeopardy of losing his job to backup Gus Frerotte and that he definitely will start next Sunday against Carolina.

"We're all in this thing together," Childress said of his postgame message. "The last time I checked, they're not going to crown anybody king after one game or after two games. That's why we press on."

The story for the defense was familiar as well. The front four of Jared Allen, Pat and Kevin Williams and Ray Edwards spent much of the day getting in the face of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Indianapolis' running game was virtually nonexistent, with Joseph Addai gaining 20 of the team's 25 yards. That wasn't a surprise; the Vikings had the NFL's top run defense last season. But their pass defense was last in the league in 2007, and when Manning needed big plays in the second half he was able to deliver.

In the third quarter, Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez got behind Cedric Griffin and hauled in a 58-yard pass that he took to the Vikings' 18 before lateraling to Reggie Wayne. That led to a 1-yard touchdown by Addai that cut the Vikings lead to 15-7.

The Colts tied it in the fourth quarter when Manning connected with Wayne over the middle for a 32-yard score. Running back Dominic Rhodes then ran for the two-point conversion. Adam Vinatieri's 47-yard game-winning field goal with four seconds left came after Manning completed a 20-yard pass to Wayne.

"I think we missed opportunities," Vikings safety Darren Sharper said. "You're up 15-0. Good teams don't let teams come back. Even with Peyton Manning. You have to find a way to stick your foot on their throat and not let them breathe. That's the mentality we have to get better at."

Allen, who was neutralized by Green Bay in last Monday's opener, rebounded to record a sack, a tackle for a loss and two quarterback hurries.

But that was of little importance to a guy who felt he was joining a Super Bowl contender when the Vikings traded for him last April. That is why Allen, according to teammates, was one of the players who addressed the team after Sunday's loss.

"I think this team has great potential. We've got to dig down now," Allen said. "We're in a hole. We're going to find out the character of this team, and my money's on we're going to come out of this hole. We're not backing down. There's a lot of good guys on this team, a lot of guys that work hard and that's what we're going to need right now.

"We need to win. ... We're just going to do it as a team. We're going to go out there and come next Sunday hope a new team shows up."

Judd Zulgad • jzulgad@startribune.com