Vikings Territory Breakdown: Kings of the North—and of Comebacks

This week on Vikings Territory Breakdown

In a season of unexplainable plays, games and wins for the Minnesota Vikings, they put another on the board on Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings were down 33-0 at halftime, and more than just the game appeared over. It looked like the Vikings were indeed the pretenders they have been accused of being at 10-3 and the rest of the season would be simply a formality. Instead, the Vikings came back to win the game 39-36 in overtime (setting an NFL record for the biggest comeback in league history) and compelling fans to hang around for the remainder of the season and believe something special (or crazier) might just happen next.

Vikings Territory Breakdown:

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The Vikings could do nothing right in the first half: terrible special teams (poor coverage, a blocked punt for a Colts touchdown), horrendous offense (a Kirk Cousin’s pick six for a Colts touchdown) and a new scheme on defense that took a bit to get used to (until the second half). The defense deserves some credit for only giving up one offensive touchdown (plus five field goals) in the game, so there may be something to look forward to with that woebegone unit.

But then the half ended and something happened in the lockerroom and things started to turn in the opposite direction (after a three-and-out to start the second half, of course). The defense held the Colts to just one field goal in the second 30 minutes, the special teams started playing the way they are supposed to do and the offense exploded for 39 points in the second half and overtime and secured the NFC North title and a share of the second-best record in the league. It was crazy. It was nuts. But by now that should be expected with this squad.

There is no explanation for this madness, although we will attempt to give one on the Vikings Territory Breakdown podcast. Mark Craig from the Star Tribune joins Joe Oberle from Vikingsterritory and PurplePTSD, who will put forth their best good faith effort to understand and then explain this and the whole season, for that matter. The bottom line is that the Purple is 11-4, 2022 NFC Division champs (King of the North!) and headed back to the playoffs. They have three games remaining to ensure a couple of those games could take place at U.S. Bank Stadium. Expect even more bananas action to ensue.

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