Although the Vikings played another game making too many mistakes and their record is a disappointing 3-4, Vikings coach Brad Childress told a post-game audience yesterday on KFAN Radio that his approach will be positive as the team heads into its bye week before taking on Houston at the Metrodome on November 2.
The Vikings are off next Sunday after playing seven straight regular season games and four pre-season games, plus training camp. “The big thing is you want to get physically healthy and you want to get mentally healthy,” Childress said. “You don’t want to get mentally ill. And so I am a big proponent of don’t beat up the players and don’t beat up the coaches. ..”
The bye week, though, should be a time for soul searching. Yesterday the Vikings had a punt blocked, an errant touch of the ball on a punt return and a Gus Frerotte interception that gift wrapped three touchdowns for the Bears in Minnesota’s 48-41 loss in Chicago. The Vikings got away with turnovers the week before to beat Detroit 12-10 at home and had survived a wild game in New Orleans two weeks ago to win even though Reggie Bush ran two punts back for touchdowns.
Down 48-31 in the fourth quarter, the Vikings seemed determined to rally and tie the game. It was the kind of grit the offense has sometimes demonstrated since Frerotte took over as the starting quarterback in game three. Frerotte has at times brought life and steadiness to the passing game, although he threw four interceptions yesterday including a poorly thrown ball that ended the team’s comeback attempt in the last minute. The throw left an observer wondering if even after just five games the 37-year-old quarterback is weary from the physical play of the NFL.
With inconsistency on offense and too many mistakes on special teams, the Vikings can only be judged as disappointing in their first seven games. This was a team that most everyone thought would play better than .500 football, maybe a lot better.
Today the Vikings can be pleased that no other team in the NFC North is excelling either. The Bears and Packers lead the division at 4-3, the Vikings are 3-4. And they can also be pleased to have a bye and opportunity to regroup.