Does History Favor the Vikings Today?
by Christopher Gates on Jan 24, 2010 11:30 AM CST
in Vikings 2009 Season
34 comments
I'm not sure how much stock to put into history when it comes to the National Football League. Maybe I'm reaching, maybe I'm just looking for something to keep me from losing my mind for the next. . .SIX AND A HALF HOURS!? Are you kidding me? Come on, stupid clock, be faster!
But, be that as it may, the Vikings would appear to have history on their side on this one. How can I make such a declaration? Well, let me see here. . .
-Including playoff games, the Vikings have beaten the Saints in eight of their last nine meetings. That includes last year's contest in the Big Easy, where the Saints got an early touchdown and then saw their offense held out of the end zone for the final 56+ minutes of the contest. (By the defense. . .yes, Reggie Bush, punt returns, yadda yadda. . .I'm talking strictly about the New Orleans offense.) That was with Gus Frerotte at quarterback and a receiving corps that isn't as good as what we have right now. It also includes two playoff games, a 44-10 blowout at the Superdome in 1987, and a 34-16 Minnesota victory in 2000. Overall, the Vikings have an 18-7 record against New Orleans.
-No team that has lost their last three regular season game has ever advanced to the Super Bowl. The Saints dropped their last three games of 2009 against the Dallas Cowboys, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Carolina Panthers.
-To add on to that one. . .and I find this stat to be pretty amazing, to be honest. . .no team that has lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the regular season has ever advanced to the Super Bowl. Now, granted, that's only something that's been in effect since 1976, but I think it's still pretty impressive. The "Tampa Bay Curse" has even affected the Vikings. . .just think back to 1998, when the Vikings went 15-1 in the regular season. Who wants to take a stab at who that one regular season loss was to? That's right. . .it was a 27-24 loss. . .at Tampa Bay.
-According to Kevin Seifert, teams that play in domed stadiums are 1-11 in 12 games when they've gone on the road for a conference championship game. That doesn't sound like it bodes well for the Vikings. However, 11 of those 12 games have been played outdoors.
The one that was played indoors? Atlanta at Minnesota in 1998. Yeah. . .we don't need to remind everyone how that turned out, short of confirming that that game comprises the "1" side of the "1-11" figure above.
Like I said, I don't know how much it means. It might not mean one single, solitary thing. But it's something to think about as we get closer to game time.
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GO VIKINGS
Nap time for 1 1/2 hrs…drank enough to make get up to pee, then watch the first gane (graphicsanyway) and follow here….
Drinks ready (already tested hehe), popcorn done, purple ready – now let’s het these last few hours over with!!!!!
CROSSING FINGERS HERE FELLAS AND GALS….AND LEGS AND TOES, AND EYES, AND WHATEVER THE HELL ELSE I CAN FIND…
See ya in a couple of hours!!!!
SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!
Oh yeah, nice post Gonzo too….getting my climbing boots polished up as I write this…ready to climb that Burj Khalifa and proclaim to the world that VIKES are going to the SB baby!!!!!!!! Let’s roll!!! The team is ready for this I can feel it…….
I would rather be IN the Arena than watching from the stands...That is my life!
* Read Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" if you need further explanation...
by vikingfanfrom afar on Jan 24, 2010 12:39 PM CST reply actions
Distant past matters not at all...
For the Saints, remember they lost two at home, one to the woeful Bucs. Saints homefield advantage has not bee that impressive this year.
Also, remember they should have lost to the woeful Redskins on the road too, if Sean Suisham makes a chip shot field goal… actually, that might have helped us out because Suisham wound up kicking for the Cowboys last week.
Moreover, lest one read too much into the Cardinals-Saints game, remember that the Cardinals gave up 45 to the Packers… AT ARIZONA…. The Cardinals defense during the postseason was simply awful in both games. So the blowout against the Cardinals might indicate the Cardinals defense was just plain spent by season end.
We can win this game. Skol!
Don't know if its been mentioned before
But I’ve seen two outlets say Ray, Kevin, and Percy are ALL going to play today. I’m sure they’ll be good to go.
by Jepp The Viking on Jan 24, 2010 12:57 PM CST reply actions
4+40 'til Gametime
Thanks for the interim post until gametime….going crazy here watching all the pre-game hype. Love the stats especially the T.B. stat…very nice. Funny thing on ESPN, just before they cut away to the ever so exciting PBA, 4 out of the 7 “analysts” picked the Vikes (Boomer, Chris Carter, Mort, and Adam). Enough already! SKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!
"Skol Vikings! Let's win this game Skol Vikings!
Interesting picks
I noticed the Strib beat writers for the Vikes all picked the Saints. Is “anti-homer” a word?
We all know that art is not the truth, art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.--Picasso
Good post, Gonzo
as always. But whatever happened in the past between these two teams, or in Conference championship games (home team winning 75%, for example), will have no affect whatsoever on teams’ performances after kick off (as we all know). Vikes need to: get to Brees; not turn the ball over; and have AD run well.
I’m looking forward to a good game. Skeauxl Vikes!
We all know that art is not the truth, art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.--Picasso
Good luck from Steeler Nation
With two Superbowl wins in the last five years, I’m gonna send some black and gold mojo your way.
Thanks Dr Del
We’ll take all the mojo you guys can muster today to help take the 12th man out of play. Dat Crescent City crowd is going to be wild.
"Skol Vikings! Let's win this game Skol Vikings!
Thanks
But we wouldn’t want to TRIP over it. (lol)
by Jepp The Viking on Jan 24, 2010 1:12 PM CST up reply actions
I wonder if General Larry Platt knows
all that he’s accomplished in two weeks since he appeared on AI? I happened to be watching that night and the judges knew right away that he’d be a sensation in some way. Little did we all know then that Brett would bring it to life inside the locker room last weekend.
"Skol Vikings! Let's win this game Skol Vikings!
He's at the game today
The Vikes flew him in.
The Colorado Rockies aren't a team, they're an armada.
I know this much
If we win, he’s coming to the Super Bowl
The Colorado Rockies aren't a team, they're an armada.
Saints on the ground, Saints on the ground....SKOL!
"Skol Vikings! Let's win this game Skol Vikings!
Well, The Big Game's Today!
I’ve been enjoying reading your posts and posting occasionally myself.
As you may remember, I’m both a Brett Favre/Vikings fan and a Saints fan, and I still don’t know who I’ll be rooting for – I wish they both could win!
Regardless, both teams have had great seasons and entertained us all, so there really won’t be a loser. And whoever goes to Miami will be the team I’ll DEFINITELY be rooting for!
I love “Pants on the Ground” – the Saints fans are singing ‘Favre on the Ground’ and the Vikings fans are singing ‘Brees on the Ground’! LOL!
Getting more love
I see we are getting a little more love from people picking the game. We look to have about a 60-40 against us compared to about 80-20 last week. It’s funny, last year all the experts said all we needed was a QB to be a true Superbowl contender. So Favre’s having a career year & we have the offensive rookie of the year & now the majority of them still pick against us. Yeah go figure, & we thought women were hard to figure out.
It's OK if they're picking against us
I actually prefer to be in the underdog role….seems like historically, and I don’t have the stats to support it other than my memory, that we’re actually better off in that position. Let’s face it, when all of us said we’re only a QB away from the promised land, we didn’t expect to be facing a team, who is playing with all this emotional support in N.O. They’re a great team and will be a formidable challenge today. Nothing we can’t overcome if we simply execute and play mistake free football for 60.
"Skol Vikings! Let's win this game Skol Vikings!
Holy Role Reversal, Batman!
I thought it was Indy that had the wide open pass offense
"We're used to Favre-a-palooza now. We're engulfed in Favre-a-palooza. It's not even Favre-a-palooza anymore. He's family now."
--Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe, on Brett Favre
Classless Saints fans
I cant believe saints fans are cheering like crazy when Favre went down hurt. I thought your fans had class!!
by Vikingsst8ofmind on Jan 24, 2010 8:02 PM CST reply actions
Another controversial call...
…as it has been all year. The ball was never caught at the 22 yard line.
another? you mean three!
Am I alone on this one, or were the calls both on the field AND from the replay review team upstairs 100% for the saints? It wouldn’t have bothered me as much had the vikings lost to the saints, but to lose to the officials is frustrating. 1st, the vikings D stopped them on 4th an inches. The ball was loose, and the spot should have been about ½ a foot behind the 1st down mark. 2nd, a 30 yard pass interference call which was beyond question nothing more than their feet tangling. And even IF it was intentional, the ball was clearly un-catchable. So either way, it should have not been called. and 3rd, the ball that was trapped on the 22, and not caught. In the replay of the saints going for it on 4th down, it showed the loose ball, and wear the ball was when he landed, on the replay of the “catch” on the 22, it clearly showed the ball on the ground, and the replay of the pass interference, the only thing they would show was the feet tangling, there was no proof of the defender grabbing his arm, or holding his jersey etc.
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