The Week13 contest between the winless Bills and the underwhelming Vikings provided for an entertaining, if not, full on clinic of how not to try and win games. Buffalo's first drive culminated in a missed FG, but the Vikings had some tricks up their sleeve, as kicker Rick Danmeier went on to miss back to back extra points. We are talking about arrow up the middle, full on shanking the kicks to the right. This apparently was a game of one team attempting to upstage the other. As the Bills were driving at will yet again, LB Matt Blair forced RB Terry Miller to fumble. But no matter, only a few plays later Rickey Young laid the ball on the carpet, giving the ball right back to Buffalo in Minnesota territory. Buffalo would later fumble again, winning that mini-game.

 

 

Outside of the many gaffes by each team the game may be summed up by stating that neither defense played all that well. Each offense seemed to zip up and down the field. The Vikings managed their best passing output of the season (238 yds), but even so Fran Tarkenton was still off target. Many of his passes landed behind the receiver, causing the receivers to cut off routes, and turn back for the ball. Luckily for Tark his wide receivers, especially Ahmad Rashad (2 rec 61 yds), were able to win the one-on-one coverage battles in the midst of the poorly thrown passes. The Viking starting WRs (69 and 63 RE respectively), both have less than 500 yards receiving on the season, definitely a sign of what this offense has typically been about. Rickey Young had a decent game, getting involved in the pass game (3 rec 124 yds), while completing a few nice runs (6 att 68 yds).

Buffalo RB Terry Miller peeled off some spectacular runs himself when he moved into GOOD or EXC condition. He was a master of changing direction, and the Bills largely were winning the battle at the line of scrimmage. In all, Miller managed 93 yards on the ground with 1 TD and a long of 54. Like his aforementioned counterpart, Joe Ferguson is another QB that just cannot get his timing and control settled. The much maligned QB did gain 2 TDs on the day, though, despite being unable to complete many of his deep balls.

Coach Slim felt it in the air that his winless team would come away victorious at the end of the day. Instead, the Bills lost yet another, as late in the game Rick Danmeier redeemed himself by booting a 55-yard FG, giving the Vikings the lead for good. Despite a lackluster season Minnesota is now (8-5), and in decent position to make the playoffs.

 

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