Vikings postgame meltdown: Every time you think the Vikings have outdone themselves ...

Good times

December 8, 2013 at 11:22PM

The Vikings are 3-9-1. They deserve every bit of that record because in the NFL, you are what your record says you are.

That said, Sunday marked the FOURTH time this season that the Vikings have given up a winning TD in the final minute after being ahead. Four times. At Chicago. Cleveland. At Dallas. At Baltimore.

But this one ... oh, this one ... this time the Vikings out-Vikingsed themselves.

We all saw it, so there is no need to rehash all of the details. But suffice to say, we know of no other team that could score a go-ahead TD ... give it right back on a kick return ... get it right back with 45 seconds left ... and then let a team march 80 yards in those 45 seconds to gut-punch them for a second time.

We were watching at a bar in St. Cloud with our good pal RandBallsStu, and it really tied a bow around this 13-game stretch. We were at the same bar for Game 1 of the season, when the Vikings looked to be in command against Detroit until crippling Christian Ponder interception tilted the game completely.

The Vikings have been completely outclassed in three of 13 games this season: against Carolina, at Green Bay and at Seattle. They could have competed at New York, but their QB situation was at its messiest.

In nine of the 13 games, they have ... three victories, all of them down to the wire ... those aforementioned four losses on TDs in the final minute ... the tie against the Packers after leading 23-7 in the fourth quarter ... and that loss to Detroit, a game they could have commanded.

This is the fine line in the NFL. With a few more plays from their defense or their quarterback along the way, the Vikings are a .500 team.

Instead, they were the epitome of themselves Sunday, and they added another loss to that 3-9-1 ledger.

about the writer

about the writer

Michael Rand

Columnist / Reporter

Michael Rand is the Star Tribune's Digital Sports Senior Writer and host/creator of the Daily Delivery podcast. In 25 years covering Minnesota sports at the Star Tribune, he has seen just about everything (except, of course, a Vikings Super Bowl).

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