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Turnovers help Vikings hold off Jaguars
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He's our best option, but how far can we go with Gus?
After a couple early touchdowns, the Vikings held off the Jaguars for a 30-12 win at Jacksonville Stadium.
On the first play of the game, miscommunication between the Jaguars center Brad Meester and quarterback David Garrard led to a fumble and a Napoleon Harris touchdown return. After another Jacksonville fumble on the ensuing kickoff and a Chester Taylor touchdown, the Vikings had taken a 14-0 lead with less than two minutes gone in the game.
Although the Vikings offense was lackluster, the defense was stellar again, as the Jaguars turned the ball over five times. It took a few Ryan Longwell field goals to hold off the Jags, and a late Adrian Peterson touchdown clinched the win.
Gus Frerotte turned in another bad performance with 120 passing yards, no touchdowns and an interception. He was also knocked from the game twice. Frerotte looks to be wearing down, and with no better options, the Vikings have to hope he turns it around.
Adrian Peterson did not play until the third series, which Brad Childress explained after the game was because he was late for a team meeting. Peterson had another strong game, rushing for 20 yards on his first carry and finishing with 80 yards and a touchdown on only 17 carries. Although it appears dreams of a 2,000 yard season are dead for Peterson.
The Jags took to the air, as David Garrard was able to pass for over 300 yards, although he threw two picks. For the most part, the Vikings offensive line hounded Garrard all day, sacking him four times. Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor rushed only nine times combined. Largely because the Jags were behind the whole game, and avoiding the Vikings run defense was no doubt the game plan.
A win is a win, but with the exception of the 2006 Chicago Bears, it’s hard for a defense alone to carry a team to success. A team lives and dies with their quarterback, and without a reliable and effective passing game, the Vikings will be hard pressed to do any damage in the playoffs. It was enough against the Jags, but it’s not easy to compete with teams like the Giants, Packers and Cowboys with quarterback performances like this, even with the best running back in the game.
The VIkings kept pace with the Bears today to stay atop the division and are now 6-5.
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