13
Week 13 ... we've been waiting for this contest from the moment this 2019
Minnesota Vikings season schedule was released. Some see the number 13 as
being unlucky, where actually, it is my belief that it's the number 11.
Just ask Percy Harvin when he gave up the number 12 in Minnesota for the Number
11 in Sea-Birdie town. When most people run for the hills on Friday the
13th ... well, that's the time that I relish most. If all this pain &
agony over all these years has helped me learn anything it is that this
franchise was born under my star. In other words, the number 13 isn't
unlucky, except maybe for the other guy.
In case you haven't noticed, we've played the Sea-Birdies consecutively up in
Seattle, WA ... that is, except for some minus 6 degree Fahrenheit playoff
contest ... held within the confines of the University of Minnesota. That
was the day that Blair Walsh sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver ... well ...
at least that's how I saw it. Instead of a 2-glove Teddy's miracle comeback,
sending us to Arizona to face the Cardinal's, we instead got to go back into the
comfort of our homes. What makes that day so incredibly hurtful was
that if we had secured that victory that day, we had a great shot at beating the
Cardinals the following week, thereby having a shot in the NFC Championship
tilt. Of course this never happened.
In watching that recent debacle where the Browns got to continuously target the
Steelers, it brought my thoughts toward our up & coming contest with
Sea-Birdies. Make no mistake, the moment that I switched off the
Steelers-Browns contest was when Ju Ju took two helmet shots & plus a 3rd
defender while the QB Rudolph took his own helmet to helmet shot gaining the
Steelers only one personal foul penalty. It was at that very moment that I
knew that this game would get out of control because the "Officiating
Team" no longer had control over the field. In other words, a 15 yard
flag, or a potential fine, doesn't stop anyone from gaining the advantage over
your "Year-After-Year Tormentor". As it turned out ... I was
correct ... only to wake up the next morning ... in shock at what we all
eventually witnessed.
There are no words, and no accumulated list of deeds, that can take back that
split second decision made on that field. By all accounts, Pittsburgh's QB
Rudolph should be dead from the violent collision of that helmet to his fragile
human skull. What we witnessed was maybe yet another miracle, that somehow
protected Rudolph's life. There was no explanation for the actual
outcome.
You see, for some time now, those Sea-Birdies, under the direction of Pete
Carrol, have been our tormentors. In the game of inches, the Sea-Birdies
have used the manipulation of many rules to gain advantage over this
franchise. Carrol-Wilson were the first to introduce us all the ambiguous
"Side-Ward Slide", to allow Wilson to achieve the line of gain on any
slide ... as well as to gain a personal foul flag if this ambiguous side-ward
slide was contested by any defender's contact. Last year, our critical
field goal attempt was blocked by an illegal over-the-line self-help fiasco
performed by Bobby Wagner. This makes no mention of the stink of Blair
Walsh's chip-shot field goal miss to end our playoff hopes & season.
Yes, there is no question that these Sea-Chicks have been on my revenge list for
some time now. Now add in the tid-bit of NFL scheduling that has us
playing in Seattle, year after year, & you get a taste of my personal
ire. Make no mistake ... from its beginning, this game has been the focal
point of this franchises season, and now after 12 weeks of NFL play ... well ...
everything in the NFC now rotates around this particular contest. In many
ways, to this franchise, it might be bigger than playing in the Super
Bowl.
Just like when you played the Cowboys (a completely different team), what will
be similar is that to a man or woman, everyone will pick the Birdies to win this
contest. To be direct, as soon as the official NFL season schedule was
released, the Birdie franchise listed this game as a victory. Who could
blame them as they have been our tormentors, year after year, where Pete Carroll
absolutely owns Head Coach Mike Zimmer & his crew. That is just a
reality.
Did it begin when the young Wilson first obliterated Ponder? Yes! Yes it
did.
Do I miss that minus 6 degree Fahrenheit squad? Yes, I do, because an
outdoor team for some reason is always tougher than an indoor team. The
true 12th man is, and will always be, the northern wind of ice &
snow. So, what are we now? Well, within this new complex, it is no
longer clear, as maybe we play indoors ... and maybe we do not.
Maybe the hardest words of all to consider is that to have a shot at a first
round bye, or even a home playoff game, this franchise cannot tie (win-loss)
with the Packers, as divisional losses versus either the Bears or Lions isn't
likely. What that means is that our playoff outcome rests squarely on the
result obtained in Seattle. Do you think Peter Carroll realizes
this? How about Coach Zimmer?
So, what is different? What can be used against the birdies next Monday
night?
Well, as you may or may not be aware the birdies are actually a better team
playing away rather than playing at home. Why? It is because the
Birdies "Mythical 12th Man" are overly impatient for an ill conceived
& overtly projected dominance ... being billed, and known as ... the NFC's
best team. After all, they are sporting the NFC's 2019 MVP that is running
their show. Yes Mythical ... because their 12th Man is nothing like
Minnesota's northern winds of ice & snow which acts like the effect of incessant
gravity that never leaves you alone for even a moment. The Sea-Birdies
12th man is produced by fickle-crowd-noise. Any Viking fan worth their
salt knows ... dating back to 1981 ... that crowd noise is a function of
production meaning that crowd noise can be taken out of the game. If the
boo-birdies come out ... well ... the Sea-Birdies fate will be
sealed.
Weather, which is the trade moniker of the pacific northwest, may come to call
just like it did in Foxboro, MA on Sunday night. Believe it or not, on
several occasions this year Kirk Cousins aerial attack has been grounded for a
whole host of reasons, which included the unexplained opener, so we are well
versed & ready for this eventuality. Unlike any other franchise in
this 2019 season, this franchise has something that will travel well in it's
"Four-Headed-Hydra" (Cook, Mattison, Abdullah & Boone), also known
as our brutal running attack. Seattle has both a potent pass rush as well
as a solid run defense that slowed the 49ers rushing attack, however it cannot
stall all three phases of our offense. In short ... Kirk Cousins is my
guy! My unwaivered belief is on course &
TRUE.
In playing the Sea-Birdies, Kirk Cousins has to allow himself to be human in
that mistakes will happen & that he will need to get over it quickly.
Bad stuff is going to happen when you're playing the NFC's elite. Just
focus on the keys, including ball security and finishing each drive with some
sort of kick & be patient ... as the game cannot be won on the first play
... but it is now clear that it can be won on the last play. Play loose
& play free. Your purpose & your quest is to focus on laughs &
smiles. Never dwell on the negative as the the strength of the team is
based upon your positive energy. Achieve these things and you will have
won the game.
Head Coach Mike Zimmer cannot allow his team to win the game on any field goal
attempt to secure victory. Pete Carroll won't do it & neither should
you.
Coach Stefanski needs to focus on what doesn't work & what is being taken
away. Every time Mattison & Cook ring the bell by reaching the 2nd
level it will add 20% to your percentage at winning the game. What doesn't
work, in time, will work, under the grind. The Sea-Birdies are not
designed to subsist under the incessant Gggggrind. Put another way, there
is no 16-6 loss in Chicago if the Vikings rushed the ball 100% of the
time. Said another way, the loss came from the loss in your
convictions.
Pete Carroll is now sitting at the Poker Table holding his cards close to his
vest knowing his only chance will come from that gained ... over the top.
He's got one of the best Poker Faces in the league ... but to know the true
intent ... you need just a whiff from his drawers. Never has Coach Zimmer,
or any Viking Coach for that matter, has held onto a hand like
this.
In history, there was only one game that you could watch on tape that could ever
feel like you'd be watching it ... as if it were live. It didn't matter
that you had known the result ahead of time because, on that special day, as any
part of this franchise would be immediately drawn into a different unexplained
realm. Of course, this was the 1987 Vikings versus 49ers in Candlestick
Park in the playoffs versus Joe Montana. There could be no comparison to
beating Bill Walsh & Joe Montana ... as that was a virtual impossibility ...
but it actually happened. No one has a clue of exactly what we have &
maybe this crew just doesn't have it, but I'd like to think, "Maybe ...
just maybe ... we might have a day like that again".
This team ... on any particular day ... can best anyone
... too.
The Viking Ghost Writer
http://MyVikingBlood.org
Date: November 25, 2019
