Sports
Want an NFL record? Play the Vikings

-- Maurice Draine

Throughout history, the Minnesota Vikings have taken great pride in letting opposing players have career days on their defenses. What other reason would explain why this phenomenon happened so frequently and only to one team? Everyone knows that lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same spot. But for the Vikings it struck nine times in the same spot.

In 1977, Chicago Bears running back, Walter Payton had the best rushing day of his career, racking up 275 yards in one game against those pesky Vikes. That turned out to be a record that would stand nearly 25 years. Corey Dillon, former Bengals running back broke it against Denver with 278.

In 1983, former Dallas Cowboy running back, Tony Dorsett, ran for the NFL’s longest touchdown run ever. With Vikings players falling to his feet as if he were a king, Dorsett blew right past them all for a 99-yard supersonic-fast touchdown run. This record stood for 23 years, has never been broken and never will be broken.

In 1988, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Steve Young, had his longest touchdown run of his storied career against the Vikings. The run was a 49-yard, pathetic tackling showcase, scamper up the middle of the field touchdown run. The Vikings were never the same after that demoralizing play and went on to get rolled up by the 49ers that day.

In 1999, former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim Miller, whom I should mention is a "bum", had a 422-yard passing game and two-touchdown performance against the Vikings. The Bears would go on to win the game that day.

In 2002, Shaun Alexander or whom some Vikings’ fans now call "Alexander the Great" of the Seattle Seahawks, had a breakout performance. This Seahawk running-back ran over, around, under and right through Vikings defenders for five—you heard right—five rushing touchdowns and 189 yards of total offense by himself. Three of the five touchdowns were done within a span of one minute, five seconds. Still not impressed? Did I mention that this all was done in the first half of the game? The final score ended up 48-23 in favor of Seattle. Another record in the books thanks to those good ole Vikings.

Also in 2002, former Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver, Peerless Price, or "the first-round bust,” had the best game of his disappointing career against those pesky Vikes. Price manhandled the Vikings’ defense, catching 13 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-winning 48-yarder in overtime. Price has never had another game remotely similar since that day. This performance would be his best day as a pro.

In 2002, Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback, Michael Vick, or the "human high reel,” or "Superman,” had the most impressive day by a quarterback to date. A quarterback’s job is very similar to that of an NBA point guard. Get everyone else involved first, and then get yourself into the game. Vick’s mentality is a little different than that; he always thinks get himself involved first and then get everyone else involved.

After running all over the Vikings all day, the game still went into overtime. On the first play from scrimmage, Vick runs the ball right up the middle of the field with Vikings’ defenders bouncing off him like bowling pins as he won the game with a 46-yard touchdown run. He finished the game with the most rushing yards by a quarterback ever, and his own career high with 173 rushing yards.

Former Chicago Bears’ quarterback Chad Hutchinson, or "the bum,” or "the scrub,” had the best game of his life. This guy is so bad he is only 28 years old now and can’t make any NFL rosters anywhere. Only two short years ago in 2004, he managed to embarrass the Vikings’ defense and crushed the fans when he had a 225-yard-passing performance and three-touchdown day. As you might have guessed, this also resulted in a Bears win.

On Sunday, October 30, 2005, in North Carolina, a massacre took place that the sporting world would soon never forget. Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith ripped the Vikings’ defense for 14 catches for 201 yards and three touchdowns. The final score was 38-13 and it wasn’t even that close. This pathetic performance by the Vikings’ defense was easily one of their most embarrassing losses to date. I could list a lot more but then that would just be taunting.

All these players, some good and some horrendous, had career days throughout the NFL, but some had career days courtesy of the Vikings. This can only mean one of three things. The Vikings are a very, very unlucky franchise. Or they’re really nice guys, and just like to give back. Or they’re really, really bad at playing defense. You be the judge.