Somehow, Vikings Have Kiss of Death for Opponents

Eric Kendricks
Eric Kendricks

Five consecutive times it has happened.

The week after a team faces the Vikings — it loses the next game. And some of the losses for Vikings opponents are awful thuds.

The tendency started after the Week 4 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Minnesota scored on the first possession against the Browns, falling asleep afterward and losing at home by a score of 14-7. The affair was particularly frustrating for the Vikings and fans because Kevin Stefanski, the Browns head coach, previously offensively coordinated in Minnesota. But on that October day, the mentee defeated the mentor, outdueling the Vikings in a defense fest. Wonder where he learned that?

The next game for Cleveland was a shootout with the Los Angeles Chargers. A mighty Browns defense that held Minnesota to a mere seven points surrendered 47 to the Chargers. Aye caramba. Cleveland lost.

The Vikings took on the Detroit Lions the following Sunday, winning a sloppy contest that probably should’ve been won by the NFC North rival. Down the stretch, the Vikings collapsed but were bailed about Kirk Cousins and Greg Joseph, who engineered an emergency — panicky, even — game-winning drive. Joseph drilled a 54-yard field goal to complete the survive and advance ordeal.

The Lions — a team that has not won a game all season — lost the following week to the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-11. Two down, three to go for the Vikings active bad-vibes streak.

Minnesota then traveled to Carolina for a thriller in Carolina. Offensively, the Vikings experienced ups and down in that game, too, but wound up piling oodles of yards into the box score. Cousins delivered a walk-off touchdown pass to K.J. Osborn in overtime, bringing Minnesota a .500 record for the bye week.

Lifelessly, the Panthers lost to the New York Giants 25-3 after Minnesota finished them off the week prior. And, if anyone cares, Cam Newton is Carolina’s new QB1. Sam Darnold was the man at the helm when the Vikings won in Week 6.

Next, the Vikings embarked on a bye week — but it didn’t do any good. Dallas waltzed into U.S. Bank Stadium on Halloween night with a backup quarterback and stunned Minnesota 20-16. The loss was embarrassing for a team that just evened its record to .500 with hopes for a playoff push.

The satisfaction didn’t last long for Dallas. In Jerry World, the Denver Broncos kicked the Cowboys teeth in, destroying Dak Prescott and friends last week 30-16. And that game probably should’ve been settled 30-0, sans garbage time.

The latest scene of the crime? Baltimore. The Vikings choked away a 14-point lead — twice — to the Ravens as near-flawless kicker Justin Tucker ended the Vikings misery in Week 9. The Vikings made play after play to remain in the game against Baltimore but still found a way to lose.

Revenge was served to Baltimore, not by the Vikings, but by the Miami Dolphins in Week 10 on Thursday Night Football. A mixture of Jacoby Brissett and Tua Tagovailoa downed the Ravens in Miami by a score of 22-10.

There you have it. The strange Vikings curse has spanned six weeks (five games). Win, lose, or draw, the Los Angeles Chargers will try to exorcise the demons on November 21 during a home date with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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