MN 0 GB 34

A Viking fan vents.

Allow me to explain the basics of football. While on offense, you get 4 chances , or downs, to get 10 yards. If successful, you get another 4 downs to get 10 yards. If unsuccessful after 4 downs, the other team gets the ball where it lies. You can, if you want to change "field position", punt the ball on 4th down if you don't want to risk the other team getting the ball where it lies if you are unsuccessful "going for it" on 4th down. 95% of the time, you will punt on 4th down.

If you are behind by let's say . . . 34 . . . you are more apt to "go for it". Cool.

You can run with a shorter yardage needed, pass with a longer yardage. An average run is 3 or 4 yards.

With the wonders of television and technology, there is a yellow line showing how far an offensive player needs to go to get a 1st down. Cross the line = good thing. Now, players can't see this line, obviously . . . they do see orange markers on the sideline, however.

On a pass play, receivers (offensive players) run down the field so the quarterback (thrower) can attempt to complete a pass. Defenders shadow these receivers very closely so they can make a tackle if the ball is caught and cause minimal gain.

So a quarterback has two options on a pass play on 4th down. Pass to a receiver short of the 1st down orange marker or throw to a receiver past the 1st down marker. If a pass is completed to receiver past the marker, it is a 1st down. If a pass is completed short of the marker, well, the receiver has to do extra work to avoid the shadowing defender and get to that marker.

As I type this, I watched something named Fletcher catch a pass from Peyton Manning PAST the orange marker/yellow line. Boom. Done. 1st down all in a moment.

I watched my Vikes today, twice, TWICE, throw the ball short of the marker on 4th down and not get a 1st down. It only takes an extra split second for a football to travel a extra few yards PAST the marker. That's it. Maybe it was the receivers cutting their pattern short or a stupid play call. I don't know, but god was it embarrassing to watch.

Big MRI Monday.