Vikings Kicker Blair Walsh: “It’s My Fault”

Marshawn Lynch isn’t exactly a reservoir of information, so it was left to Pete Carroll to explain the curious situation around his star running back. The Vikings did enough to nearly win the game, but they would ultimately fall short.

Seattle was also a three-point underdog in a divisional playoff game at Atlanta, a contest won by the Falcons 30-28.

But the Seahawks infamously couldn’t finish the deal in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. Boy, did that ever hold true yesterday, as the Seattle Seahawks eaked out an NFC Wild card win in Minnesota.

Two plays after the completion, Wilson threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin, cutting the Vikings’ lead to 9-7.

“The Panthers are a great team and that will be a special game”, said Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett.

That was certainly the case in Minnesota on Sunday, as the Seahawks beat the Vikings, 10-9, after kicker Blair Walsh missed a go-ahead 27-yard field goal in sub-zero temperatures. The result was a second 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct – and a suddenly easy 35-yard field goal attempt, which Steelers kicker Chris Boswell nailed for a 18-16 Steelers victory.

The Vikings took the ball for the deciding drive with 1:42 left at their 39, and, aided by a pass interference penalty on Kam Chancellor, drove deep into Seattle’s territory. The two teams have become unexpected rivals; this will be their sixth meeting since 2012, with Seattle winning four of the first five.

The Vikings were never supposed to be in the game, if you follow the experts, but the Vikings were right there at the end and should have won. “And I got toe warmers and hand warmers, so it’s not too bad”, he said.

“It was so quick, I have no idea what happened”, Walsh said. “I just didn’t put a swing on it that would be acceptable by anybody’s standards”. He can’t be trusted with the ball, they said.

Peterson fumbled twice in their 2009 NFC Championship game loss, but the Vikings recovered both of those.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was in no mood to sugarcoat the miss for Walsh.

Carroll said Lynch didn’t experience any complications during or after practice last week following abdominal surgery November 29 and missing the final seven games of the regular season. Peterson rushed for just 45 yards on 23 carries (2.0 yards per carry), failing to top 50 yards in either game versus Seattle this season.

The kick that will forever overshadow the three others he converted earlier in the subzero cold, the only points Walsh’s team scored against the Seahawks.

The Seattle Seahawks were lucky to escape the frigid Wild Card game with a victory that will henceforth be known in Seattle as the Minnesota Miracle.

He had to make it.

For all their skills, experience and swagger, though, the combination of these conditions and a well-prepared, embarrassed-by-the-previous-performance Vikings team proved to be quite the challenge. The team is set to move into the new, covered $1.1 billion U.S. Bank Stadium by the summer.

Not only did they maintain consistency in this parity-painted, unpredictable league, the Vikings overtook the rival Packers for the NFC North title and finished 11-5. Punter Jon Ryan won’t miss any time despite breaking his nose on an ill-advised leap in Sunday’s first quarter after he made the decision to take off and run following a low snap… Laces in, left hash, cold ball, stiff wind. That cost the Bengals 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.