vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Final gun report from Ford Field
Posted by: Dan Wiederer under Vikings, Lions, NFC, Jared Allen, Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe Updated: December 11, 2011 - 3:19 PM
Postgame snapshot from Ford Field where the Lions beat the Vikings 34-28.
Good news: At least the Vikings’ two biggest playmakers showed up this afternoon. Defensive end Jared Allen had three first-half sacks and now has 17.5 sacks for the season. He needs five more over the season’s final three games to tie Michael Strahan’s single-season NFL record. Allen went over 100 sacks for his career with a second quarter takedown of Matthew Stafford. Offensively, Percy Harvin provided a spark with 109 yards from scrimmage and a 6-yard touchdown catch late in the first half. We’d also be remiss not to give Joe Webb his due credit. He led two second-half touchdown drives, showing off his eye-opening athleticism on a 65-yard touchdown run and keeping the Vikings in the game to the final play.
Bad news: Christian Ponder may have been healthy enough to start this afternoon. But the Vikings may have been better off in Ponder had taken the week off. The rookie quarterback had an atrocious afternoon and the misery started right away. On the Vikings’ first snap, Ponder was hit and stripped by Cliff Avril and Detroit’s Stephen Tulloch recovered the fumble in the end zone for a Lions touchdown. Ponder also threw three interceptions, one returned 30 yards for a score by Detroit’s Stephen Tulloch. Ponder was 11-for-21 for 115 yards on the day with TD tosses to Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe. But he was yanked from the game for good midway through the third quarter, replaced by Webb.
Extra point: Stafford threw for 131 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter, connecting on a 57-yard scoring strike to Titus Young and a 12-yard TD to Brandon Pettigrew. But once the Lions built a sizable first half lead, they became conservative with their playcalling. Stafford had 11 completions for 96 yards in the final three quarters.
Next up: The Vikings will host the Saints at Mall of America Field next Sunday. New Orleans sits atop the NFC South and held off Tennessee 22-17 this afternoon to improve to 10-3.
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| Minnesota | 0 | Bottom 1st Inning |
| Atlanta | 1 |
| Cincinnati - M. Latos | 12:10 PM |
| NY Mets - M. Harvey |
| Los Angeles - H. Ryu | 12:10 PM |
| Milwaukee - W. Peralta |
| Oakland - J. Parker | 1:05 PM |
| Texas - R. Wolf |
| Arizona - T. Cahill | 2:10 PM |
| Colorado - J. De La Rosa |
| Washington - G. Gonzalez | 2:45 PM |
| San Francisco - M. Bumgarner |
| Tampa Bay - J. Hellickson | 3:37 PM |
| Toronto - M. Buehrle |
| Chicago Cubs - J. Samardzija | 6:05 PM |
| Pittsburgh - F. Liriano |
| Detroit - J. Verlander | 6:05 PM |
| Cleveland - U. Jimenez |
| NY Yankees - H. Kuroda | 6:05 PM |
| Baltimore - J. Hammel |
| Seattle - B. Maurer | 6:05 PM |
| LA Angels - C. Wilson |
| Philadelphia - C. Lee | 6:10 PM |
| Miami - K. Slowey |
| Boston - C. Buchholz | 7:10 PM |
| Chicago WSox - H. Santiago |
| Kansas City - J. Shields | 7:10 PM |
| Houston - J. Lyles |
| St. Louis - T. Lyons | 9:10 PM |
| San Diego - B. Smith |
| Indiana | 7:30 PM |
| Miami |
| Pittsburgh | 6:30 PM |
| Ottawa |
| Date/Opponent | Time | W | L | Score |
| 2013 preseason | ||||
| Aug 9 - vs. Houston | 7 pm | |||
| Aug 16 - at Buffalo | 6 pm | |||
| Aug 25 - at San Francisco | 7 pm | |||
| Aug 29 - vs. Tennessee | 7 pm | |||
| 2013 regular season | ||||
| Sep 8 - at Detroit | Noon | |||
| Sep 15 - at Chicago | Noon | |||
| Sep 22 - vs. Cleveland | Noon | |||
| Sep 29 - vs. Pittsburgh (in London) | Noon | |||
| Oct 6 - Bye | ||||
| Oct 13 - vs. Carolina | Noon | |||
| Oct 21 - at. NY Giants | 7:40 pm | |||
| Oct 27 - vs. Green Bay | 7:30 pm | |||
| Nov 3 - at Dallas | Noon | |||
| Nov 7 - vs. Washington | 7:25 pm | |||
| Nov 17 - at Seattle | 3:25 pm | |||
| Nov. 24 - at Green Bay | Noon | |||
| Dec 1 - vs. Chicago | Noon | |||
| Dec 8 - at Baltimore | Noon | |||
| Dec 15 - vs. Philadelphia | Noon | |||
| Dec 22 - at Cincinnati | Noon | |||
| Dec 29 - vs. Detroit | Noon |
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