Rand: Reversal of fortunes highlights Vikings, Gophers similarities

Article by: MICHAEL RAND , Star Tribune
Updated: October 29, 2012 - 6:48 AM

Both teams are 5-3. For Vikings fans, the sky is falling after a blowout loss at home to Tampa Bay. Gophers fans are suddenly much more on board with the Philip Nelson era.

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Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) watched from the bench late in the fourth quarter.

Photo: Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune

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What a difference a week makes.

As of last Monday, the Vikings were the football darlings of the state. They were 5-2 -- with question marks, sure, but ones that a lot of fans were willing to brush past in the name of enjoying the ride. The Gophers? They were 4-3, but falling fast. The main topics of conversation were Big Ten stumbles, quarterback redshirts and payment for games NOT played.

Now? Both teams are 5-3. For Vikings fans, the sky is falling after a blowout loss at home to Tampa Bay. Gophers fans are suddenly much more on-board with the Philip Nelson era starting in 2012 instead of 2013. In truth, though? Both of the teams' seasons -- except for timing -- are quite similar. For example:

• Unexpected success: Regardless of how they got there, it is fair to say both teams have better records at this point in the season than a lot of fans would have expected. Both teams, after all, won only three games a year ago. And both already have five victories this year. Quibble over easy schedules in both cases, but know this: Even the "winnable" games usually turned into losses in 2011 for both.

• Best win: The Vikings' best win remains a 24-13 victory over San Francisco, a preseason pick to make a deep run and perhaps reach the Super Bowl. That victory provided the blueprint for success: efficient offense, stingy defense and solid special teams. The Gophers' best win came Saturday, a 44-28 victory over Purdue -- a preseason pick to perhaps reach the Rose Bowl. That victory provided the blueprint for success: a dual-threat QB making plays combined with a defense making enough stops to win.

• Young QB: Both teams will only go as far as their young QB can take them the rest of the season. Nelson was promising even in defeat against Wisconsin and fantastic against Purdue. Team success going forward is predicated on him playing beyond his years. Christian Ponder was lauded early but has since hit a speed bump (or a brick wall). The Vikings can't win unless he returns to early-season form.

• Schedule gets tougher: Both teams are at certain midpoints of their years: the Vikings in terms of actual games, the Gophers in terms of Big Ten games. For both teams, there is no doubt that the early schedule was much easier than the rest of the way figures to be. Both already have eclipsed last year's win total; but to truly judge the year as a major success and not just a step forward, an unexpected win or two down the stretch is vital.

MICHAEL RAND

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explore the Vikings/NFL

Full Scoreboard

Tampa Bay - LP: C. Archer	1	FINAL
Boston - WP: A. Aceves	5	FINAL

NY Mets - WP: M. Harvey	4	FINAL
Atlanta - LP: A. Wood	3	FINAL

Los Angeles	0	Postponed
NY Yankees	0	Postponed

Washington - LP: R. Detwiler	2	FINAL
Philadelphia - WP: C. Lee	4	FINAL

Kansas City - LP: K. Herrera	3	FINAL
Cleveland - WP: C. Allen	4	FINAL

Colorado - LP: J. Francis	3	FINAL
Toronto - WP: E. Rogers	8	FINAL

Baltimore - WP: Z. Britton	5	FINAL
Detroit - LP: J. Verlander	2	FINAL

NY Mets - WP: Z. Wheeler	6	FINAL
Atlanta - LP: P. Maholm	1	FINAL

Pittsburgh - WP: C. Morton	4	FINAL
Cincinnati - LP: M. Latos	0	FINAL

Oakland - WP: J. Parker	6	FINAL
Texas - LP: Y. Darvish	2	FINAL

Tampa Bay - LP: J. Peralta	1	FINAL
Boston - WP: A. Bailey	3	FINAL

Chicago WSox - LP: R. Troncoso	5	FINAL
Minnesota - WP: J. Burton	7	FINAL

Milwaukee - LP: A. Figaro	1	FINAL
Houston - WP: J. Lyles	10	FINAL

Chicago Cubs - WP: J. Samardzija	4	FINAL
St. Louis - LP: A. Wainwright	2	FINAL

Miami - LP: C. Qualls	2	FINAL
Arizona - WP: D. Hernandez	3	FINAL

Seattle - WP: C. Furbush	3	FINAL
LA Angels - LP: G. Richards	2	FINAL

San Diego - LP: D. Thayer	4	FINAL
San Francisco - WP: J. Machi	5	FINAL

Full Scoreboard

San Antonio	100	FINAL
Miami	103	FINAL

Montreal	6/20/13 6:00 PM
Toronto

Winnipeg	6/20/13 6:00 PM
Hamilton

Calgary	6/20/13 9:00 PM
Saskatchewan

Edmonton	6/21/13 9:00 PM
Brt Columbia

Montreal	6/27/13 8:00 PM
Winnipeg

Washington	86	FINAL
Seattle	96	FINAL

Man mauled by bear near Shell Lake, Wis.

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