52 is the most points surrendered by the Vikings in my lifetime. It’s the most since 1963.
I suppose that the headline of this unfortunate game was the career rushing performance by Saints running back Alvin Kamara.
22 carries
155 yards
6 touchdowns
The six rushing touchdowns equaled one of the oldest records on the NFL books. Ernie Nevers set the six rushing touchdown standard during the 1929 season. Nevers set the record on Thanksgiving. Kamara equaled it on Christmas. That’s something. 91 years apart. That’s something too.
Kamara was set up for a big day before the ball was kicked to start the game. Injuries forced the Vikings into the dreadful situation of starting a couple third-string linebackers. Running behind the Saints offensive line, Drew Brees probably could’ve rushed for six touchdowns against third-string linebackers as well as backups across the defensive front. From front to back, the Vikings’ tackling throughout the game was terrible. I probably could’ve run for six touchdowns against this defense yesterday.
The Vikings’ defense has often struggled this season. There has been some poor performances. This was, by far, the worst performance. The defense looked much like the sort of defense that bumbles it’s way through the fourth game of the preseason. There were more backups than frontline players. There were players out of position. There were players looking for answers. The defense looked more like a defense learning it’s way in the spring than one fighting for their playoff lives on Christmas. 52 points is a damn clear indication of those struggles. It was a tough watch. It’ll probably be an even tougher watch for the players that played it when they are forced to watch it with their coaches.
“Yeah this is a bad defense. Worst one I’ve ever had.”
-Mike Zimmer
It was a breezy day for the Saints offense. It was such a breezy day that they never had to punt. The only Saints’ possessions that didn’t end in touchdowns were one that ended in a field goal and two that ended with interceptions. Credit the Vikings’ defense for taking the ball away twice. The Vikings’ offense turned the first into a three-and-out and the other into a score. The defense nearly took the ball away four times as linebacker Eric Wilson (the day’s lone linebacker that hadn’t spent most of the season on either the practice squad or the street) had a chance for a couple interceptions. He couldn’t quite corral the ball on either. Two, and potentially four, interceptions seems like a decent deal for the Vikings’ defense. It’s the rest of the plays that were the problem. Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and friends pretty much did whatever they wanted.
The brutal 52-33 loss is mostly on the defense but it’s not entirely on the defense. For much of the game the Vikings’ offense beautifully sliced through the Saints’ defense. Despite the lopsided final score, they were within reach of the Saints for most of the game. They even had a couple opportunities to take the lead. The margin was four points entering the fourth quarter. With the players that the Vikings were forced to play on defense, this game, at best, could only have been a shootout. It might’ve been a shootout to the end if the Vikings offense hadn’t had a handful of empty possessions. They’d have a beautiful possession and follow it with a dreadful possession. They scored on consecutive possessions once. If your defense is giving up points every time that they step on the field, you can’t have empty possessions on offense. It’s that simple.
The frustrating thing about this loss and the two that preceded it is that the Vikings had fought their way out of a 1-5 start. They rolled into December having won five of their last six games. They held and controlled a playoff spot at 6-6. It shouldn’t be a surprise that their three-game slide coincided with the loss of linebacker Eric Kendricks to a calf injury. He might not wear the “C” on his jersey but he’s the heart of the defense. The Vikings have a lot of defensive front seven talent on the sideline. They simply couldn’t afford to have Kendricks join them. The Vikings fielded a marginal defense with him. It was much less without him. It was Zimmer’s worst defense yesterday.
And Alvin Kamara had a field day.
That’s it. No playoffs. The Vikings travel to Detroit next week for their final game of this hacked-up NFL season.
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