OMG What A Game!

We're still marching toward Super Bowl Sunday, which actually will be held in Minneapolis this year in US Bank stadium. Our home town team, the Minnesota Vikings, have played in the Super Bowl before, but have never won. Since the last time, the league has expanded (a lot) and the competition has also expanded (a lot). But we have a really good team this year with an unknown quarterback who stepped into the job and took off running. It's been a bizarre year for us, and yesterday's game was just one more example of how bizarre it really could get. 

I love this shirt. Don't own it, but almost wish I did. Of
course, both Green Bay and Chicago are already done
with their seasons, and we're still playing! Go
Purple - Go Vikings! 

As a Vikings fan, you wear your purple and gold, you know how to do the "Skol" cheer, and you enter every game hopeful, but knowing it's the Vikings and we'll lose. Especially as we climb the ladder toward the Big Game. we'll lose. It doesn't stop us from cheering ourselves hoarse, it doesn't stop us from dreaming, but we've been there before. We've done the higher ranks - the Divisional Playoffs, the Divisional Championships, and the Big Game itself. We've done this dance before, and always had our feet stepped on. 

New Orleans didn't play well until the second half, but then they
really pulled it out and made it a game. The final three minutes
of the game will be watched for years to come. 

Yesterday we played the New Orleans Saints for a chance to get to the Divisional Championship. In the other games around the league, two winners were upsets - the Jacksonville Jaguars over the Pittsburgh Steelers 45 to 42. A very tight game, but I was pretty happy - I'm quite fond of cats. The Philadelphia Eagles over the Atlanta Falcons 15 to 10, which was a surprise and a very well-played game, and finally, the New England Patriots over the Tennessee Titans 35 to 14. The Patriots are going to their seventh consecutive Divisional Playoff Game. For some great highlights and a nice synopsis of each of the four games, check out this link. 

On the last play of the game, Case Keenum threw to his favorite receiver,
Stefon Diggs, hoping to get enough yardage to allow a field goal to
win the game. But Diggs ran with it, and made it to the end zone.
Touchdown! Victory! We're going to the Championship round! 

If you missed our final three minutes of play, you missed football at its best. The Vikings had the lead, then the Saints did, and on the final play of the game, with no time-outs or other options left to use, Case Keenum threw to Stefon Diggs who ran it into the end zone for a touchdown! We won the game! With zero seconds remaining on the clock! It was a miracle play, it'll be in highlight reels for years to come, and we actually did it! We're going one step farther along, to the Divisional Championship game next weekend where we'll meet the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia for a chance to play in the Super Bowl in three weeks. 

I don't dare look too far ahead, but damn! Damn! We're going to the Divisional Championship game! Damn! I'm SO doing the happy dance. Enjoy your Monday, I'll be smiling all day.