I know that the cliche is that a win is a win, but does that apply if you're playing the Lions?
For the second straight week the Vikings somehow picked up a win. But while pulling a magic trick to beat the Saints is a good thing, having to take advantage of a bogus pass interference call to beat the Lions is just flat-out embarrassing. When it's all said and done, Minnesota ended up winning because Lions quarterback Dan Orlvosky forgot that there is an end to the end zone.
That fits the story of the Lions season, but it doesn't make the win look any better for Minnesota. Consider that the Lions had lost their first four games by an average of 20 points per game. Their closest loss was a 13-point drubbing at the hands of the Falcons in the season opener. They are 1-12 in their last 13 games and are clearly the NFL's worst team, now that the Rams have gone and won a game.
But for 59 minutes on Sunday, they were able to give Vikings coach Brad Childress a reason to start updating the resume. It's fair to wonder if Childress would have been a week away from being canned if he lost to the Lions. For Vikings fans, it's also fair to wonder if that's the downside of this win--now it's going to be likely a lot longer before Childress is fired.
Detroit didn't dominate the game by any stretch of the imagination--Gus Frerotte threw for almost 300 yards, Adrian Peterson rushed for 111 and Kevin Williams had four sacks. But thanks to a pair of poorly timed Peterson fumbles, a blocked field goal and a Frerotte interception, it took an 86-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian and a pass interference call on Leigh Bodden in the final minutes. On the pass interference, it's hard to say that Bodden did anything more than think bad thoughts about Aundrae Allison, but it was enough to give the Vikings 42 yards and new life. Ryan Longwell finished off the Lions six plays later with the game-winning field goal.
The Vikings fans can celebrate the fact that Minnesota is tied for the NFC North lead at 3-3. It may be an ugly 3-3, but it is 3-3.
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Lions fans can rest assured that the team is doing everything in its power to get the first pick in the 2009 draft. Considering how bad that team is, that may be the only thing the win all year.
