The Vikings couldn’t have asked for a better start to Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
The rest of it? Ugh.
After taking a 7-0 lead on the game’s first series, the Patriots took over, rolling to a 30-7 win in Minneapolis on Sunday.
In defeat, Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel was intercepted four times — twice in both halves. On the third pick, CBS announcer Ian Eagle observed that fans were chanting “Teddy” — a call for Vikings rookie Teddy Bridgewater.
The Vikings’ problems didn’t stop there. Trailing 17-7 late in the second quarter, the Vikings set out to attempt a field goal, but the kick was blocked and returned for a touchdown by defensive end Chandler Jones.
Now, a potential 17-10 game had become a 24-7 hole. When the Vikings ended the half by kneeling out the clock, the fans booed their displeasure. And Minnesota, alas, was never a threat thereafter.
The Vikings moved the ball with ease to begin the contest, and their first drive ended in a 25-yard TD catch by tailback Matt Asiata, who filled in for the deactivated Adrian Peterson.
However, the Patriots’ defense quickly regrouped. The Vikings’ ground game never got going, with Asiata gaining just 36 yards on 13 attempts. The Patriots also held Vikings star wideout Cordarrelle Patterson to just four catches and 56 yards.
On offense, the Patriots got an efficient performance from quarterback Tom Brady (15-of-22 passing, 149 yards, one TD). And tailback Stevan Ridley had a key role in the win, too, rushing for 101 yards on 25 carries.
The victory evens New England’s record at 1-1 and drops Minnesota to the same record. But on this day, one team looked like an established contender, while the other looked unsteady.