Loss to Detroit finally gave Vikings fans a chance to be angry

A general rule of digital journalism is "don't read the comments," but let's indulge for a moment and look at some of the 468 (and counting) messages left by readers on the Star Tribune game story describing Sunday's 34-23 loss to Detroit.

"Defense can't be 'fixed' at this stage of the season, folks." ... "Fire Donatell today." ... "Well, once again Viking Fans don't need to get overly excited about any Super Bowl aspirations."

Looking across fan bases nationwide or even worldwide, we would probably find that angst-driven chatter dominating over happier talk about teams is a feature, not a bug.

But it does feel particularly acute with Vikings fans. (There were 150+ fewer comments on the game story from the Vikings' dramatic comeback win over the Lions earlier this season).

As I told Patrick Reusse on Monday's Daily Delivery podcast, it felt like Sunday's anger had been bottled up for a while because, well, a there hadn't been all that much to genuinely complain about during a 10-2 start.

The wins were almost always narrow and dramatic, leaving fans shaking their heads but generally smiling. The two losses had been lopsided enough to create alarm, but it's hard to be really mad when you lose 40-3. It's easier to chalk it up to "one of those days," especially when it's followed up by two wins over good teams.

But Sunday? Even a casual observer never got the sense the Vikings were very serious or sharp when it came to trying to win.

They took the injury long view with players like Harrison Smith, Garrett Bradbury and Christian Darrisaw, a collective move that could pay future dividends but that set a tone Sunday.

Kevin O'Connell made curious coaching decisions — stranger to me than the red zone jump pass that became a fumble, a play that very easily could have worked, was the two-point try down eight in the third quarter.

And Ed Donatell's defense was shredded again, prompting some clear-the-air words from O'Connell and plenty of those aforementioned angry comments.

Fans sopped it all up, seeming relieved in a strange way to be able to air some grievances in a disappointing defeat.

It's fine. Good to get some of it out of the system now so everyone can go back to being quiet next weekend when the Vikings beat the Colts to improve to 11-3 and clinch the NFC North in the process.