Russell Wilson delivered victory for the Seahawks in a fashion befitting a true star, unlike the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson who failed when called upon to bring home the win.
It’s hard to even remember much of what happened during Sunday’s Vikings-Seahawks Wild Card playoff game, so grindingly unvaried was most of the action.
All you knew was that sooner or later someone had to deliver a big play to tip the game one way or the other. You just hoped it would be a Viking player doing the tipping.
You also had to have a funny feeling in your gut that sooner or later Russell Wilson was going to do something.
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The Vikings did a great job containing Wilson through the first three quarters. It seemed they had delivered the finishing blow when, with 13 minutes left in the fourth and the Vikings leading 9-0, Wilson fumbled a shotgun snap and had to go chasing after the ball.
Had the Vikings completed this play, and taken the ball down and scored on their end, that might have been all she wrote.
Instead of slamming the door on the Seahawks’ playoff run, the busted play opened the door for Russell Wilson to play the hero. Again.
With multiple Vikings chasing after him, Wilson gathered the ball up, looked down field and found Tyler Lockett running wide open.
This is why he’s been to the Super Bowl two straight years. Nothing that happened up until this point mattered to Wilson. He is cold-blooded and without fear.
The Seahawks would put the ball in the end zone two plays later, cutting the Vikings’ lead to 9-7.
With Seattle storming back into the game, the onus fell on the Vikings’ offense to do something big and turn the tide back in their favor.
Instead of getting back control of the game, the Vikings fumbled it away. Or should I say, Adrian Peterson fumbled it away.
The possession after Seattle’s TD, Peterson took a first down hand off for five yards to the Minnesota 27. Then on second and five he caught a pass from Teddy Bridgewater and turned it up the field.
But Peterson didn’t have the ball secured and Kam Chancellor was able to rip it out. The fumble was recovered by Ahtyba Rubin and Seattle took over on the Vikings’ 40.
The Seahawks worked the ball to the Minnesota 28 and kicked a field goal to go ahead 10-9. The Vikings would have one last chance to win but of course we know what happened. Blair Walsh missed a chip shot field goal at the end of regulation and the Vikings were defeated.
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The Walsh miss of course will be replayed over and over but, in truth, the above two plays basically told the story of the game. One huge heroic play by a proven playoff performer who seldom lets the situation overwhelm him; one inexcusably terrible play by a man who has never been to a Super Bowl.
But maybe next year Peterson will finally deliver.