Categories: Poll Of The Week
| On 8 years ago

Week Thirteen Player Of The Game: Was There One?

By Adam Warwas

Image courtesy of Vikings.com

I love this in-season weekly segment. It provides the readers of Vikings Territory a chance to weigh in on a weekly basis and cast a vote for their favorite individual performance for each game. Even after a loss, even a lopsided loss, it can provide an opportunity to focus on something positive if even for just a quick minute.

This heralded (by me) award is a fun way to review the season as it progresses, and even long after it has concluded, to remember which players brought their A-Game on a consistent basis. In fact, here is where we stand as of today with Anthony Barr topping the charts last week:

WEEK ONE: Anthony Barr

WEEK TWO: Adrian Peterson

WEEK THREE: Harrison Smith

WEEK FOUR: Linval Joseph

WEEK SIX: Stefon Diggs

WEEK SEVEN: Stefon Diggs

WEEK EIGHT: Stefon Diggs

WEEK NINE: Linval Joseph

WEEK TEN: Terence Newman

WEEK ELEVEN: Teddy Bridgewater

WEEK TWELVE: Anthony Barr

I’m going to be honest… for the first time ever, I considered not doing this post at all because there were is so little material to work with following the 38-7 home loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. But, no, I won’t have it. I’ve come up with a first (and hopefully last) solution to the conundrum, however, and you’ll see what that is by viewing the nominations.

BRIAN ROBISON

The wily veteran quietly had a productive game amidst all of the misery unfolding around him. Robison had three tackles, one for a loss, and two sacks on the day. The Vikings defense struggled to contain quarterback Russell Wilson (nine rushes for 51 yards) throughout the game, but these eyes never noticed that being a particular fault of Robison’s this time around.

SHARRIF FLOYD

Floyd was playing out of position for much of the afternoon, with Linval Joseph sidelined with injury, but he did an admirable job. Running back Thomas Rawls had a nice day (101 yards), but Floyd was a consistent force in the middle stopping the run. He was second on the team with seven tackles.

CORDARRELLE PATTERSON

Patterson had five kick return chances mainly because the Seahawks were able to score at will against the wounded Vikings defense. He was also able to convert one of those chances into his team’s lone scoring action of the day following a 101 yard return late in the third quarter in which he showed some nice moves and some of that signature speed. Patterson’s decision to high-step into the endzone, despite the four touchdown deficit his team faced, was met with mixed reviews, however. All said and done, Patterson turned those five returns into 198 yards (39.6 yard average).

OTHER

I don’t know who else you’d pick. Maybe you liked how Mike Wallace or Stefon Diggs or Jarius Wright hauled in their two passes each? Antone Exum Jr. created the defense’s lone turnover of the day. Robert Blanton led the team with nine tackles. Marcus Sherels did a decent job on his two punt returns. As always, feel free to click “OTHER” and cast your write-in vote via the comments section below.

NOBODY

I’ve never once offered this as an option, at least as far as I can recall, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If you can’t stomach voting for any Vikings players this week, trust me, I get it. I have a sad feeling that “None” might just end up winning this thing in a landslide.

 

Adam Warwas

Adam Warwas (Founder) has been writing about the Vikings for a total of eight years. Five of those years have been here at Vikings Territory where he continues to surround himself with enough talented individuals that people keep coming back. As proud as he is of what Vikings Territory has become, his real treasures are in his home... a beautiful wife and three amazing children (and a dog named Percy).

Tags: Anthony Barr brian robison cordarrelle patterson

View Comments

  • When we lose, we LOSE. If you're looking for some silver lining, at least we aren't losing heart breakers like we're known for. Skol!

  • Gotta go with Zach Line here. This was an ugly lose, so let's pick the ugliest Viking. Let's face the facts here. JeffMetaUniversalPeaceDugan was a once in a lifetime talent, natural good looks and a snappy dresser to boot. (You should see his shoe collection). Zack Line ..... he ain't pretty, in fact, he placed a distant second in the 2012 Miss Wisconsin Beauty contest. The winning contestant shaved a bit closer than Zack that day.

    There's lots of blame to go around, so let's be careful. I'm gonna blame that Rat Bastard 2MT for this loss

  • Before this game I thought geez I wish Patterson or Wallace would do something geez is right.

    • Went with B Rob....Reason? As Adam noted, didn't see any fault on his part. 2 sacks, a tackle for loss. Got cheated on the play...you know the one. BS, what's he supposed to do....let him go? One of my buddies said should've been unsportsmanlike conduct on Wilson. He ain't even a Vike fan.

        • Robison said the right thing about injuries, cart, but did any of us really expect the defense to succeed once we knew Barr, Harris and Joseph were all out. Those are quite possibly our top three defenders and there is no way this defense looks even remotely the same without them. Yes, the "next man up" needs to be ready, but the fact is he won't be nearly as good.

          • Did guys get hurt back in the day? Seems like none of our players were ever out in the 70's. Ever. Why is that? I guess its just the guys now day are bigger and faster? Makes sense I suppose.

          • I think it's because sports medicine is so advanced now,and the medical people are more cautious with injuries.
            Back in the day if you got whacked in the head,it was just have a whiff of smelling salts and go back in.Now the players have to pass all kinds of protocols.

  • Please don't let it be Corwhatever Patterson. That strut/celebration made me sick. I remember Sammy White getting Bud's glare when he held the ball over his head at the five yard line (got tackled and lost it). Sorry, but that kinda stuff really honks my horn. One other candidate to consider might be Blair Walsh. He was perfect.

    • That's funny Coach. I remember the play, 1976, Sammy's rookie season. Without looking it up...it was vs the Lions. A long TD, it could've been...maybe 50 or so. Held the ball up and slowed down, a Lion hit him at the two...and a fumble! It was a halftime highlight, I was a wee lad then, but remember it vividly.
      I didn't really care for CP's celebration. But was happy we finally did something! As for Sammy and his....Vikes won that day. So yeah, I was happy!

      • Good memory, Fran. Heard that Fran mocked Sammy in the locker room after the game, holding a ball over his head and then falling over a chair with the ball rolling away. Stuff you can do after a win, not so much after a loss. Another memory of Sammy is almost getting his head taken off in the Super Bowl against the Raiders. Man that was a horrible hit. I was so glad to see him get up, cuz I wasn't sure he was gonna.

  • i was gonna vote other - blair walsh, cuz he's the only one who scored for the vikes and didn't embarrass himself in the process, but the chance to vote for nobody is too tempting and might hopefully never be offered again, so it's 'nobody'

  • I thought Hunter had a good game. Seems like he was always in the backfield chasing the QB. Only caught him once though..

  • Danielle Hunter had a nice game for such a young guy. He sacked Russ once and chased him many times.

  • Gotta give it to Patterson or should I say the Kick off return team. As embarrassing as the game was, being shut out with a 0 on the board would have been even worse.

    • I'm just mad at the way he celebrated. You don't act like that when you're down by that much