What Coulda Been

What if Darrin Nelson had not dropped that pass at the goal line.

I was really young then. Don't remember the details. But I always thought the criticism was not being aggressive before half? Now I'm confused.

After Atlanta scored the TD (next play after the fumble), the Vikes got the ball back with under a minute to go. They dinked and dunked to midfield, but that’s it.

The complaints are more at the end of the game. After Atlanta tied it, we got the ball back again with under a minute to go. With a 3rd and 3 from our own 27 and 30 seconds left, we kneeled it out to send it to OT, rather than risk anything bad happening.

What I hadn’t recalled from that game was that Cunningham fumbled at least three times, including in the 4th Q on a sack also. Turnovers biting us in the ass is a theme.

It is not the only logical conclusion, it's a guess. the only facts we know is the Vikings tried to trade up with multiple teams. The only other facts we know is the Vikings had an incredibly weak trade offer (i dont remember the specifics off the top of my head). Other than that it is pure guesswork. There hasn't even been one "anonymous source" with an account that the Vikings brass discussed trading for Fields on that day. Nothing. all these articles of "multiple reports" are just the re-hashing the same initial rumor. If there is a better account with a more definitive evidence that Vikings even discussed trading for Fields i'm all ears. otherwise its complete guesswork. the Cowboys turned down the trade offer and its pure speculation to guess their motives. 

And if you want the only logical conclusion, the only logical conclusion is Rashawn Slater for this reason: would you give up an extra 1st round pick for Rashawn Slater, when you can get Christian Darrisaw 2 spots down? of course you wouldn't. would you give up an extra 1st round pick for Fields?  Yes, as a dozen NFL teams have done in the past five seasons alone. And since the Vikings didn't budge from their weak-ass trade offer, one can deduce they didn't want that person that badly. And considering how Mac Jones was there, is more evidence they were not looking for a QB in the 1st round.

My point is, i'm not knocking the speculation if the Vikings wanted Justin Fields. particularly for media its fun to guess and create soap opera storylines. But the national media moves on. For a Vikings outlet to list that "guess" purely speculative draft moment as a Top 5 greatest What If of all time, is silly. If we're going to do that then we might as well add "What if the Vikings drafted Tom Brady?". actually that one was more of a possibility than Fields since he was available 5 times!

The unlikeliest of outcomes but we should’ve canned Chilly after his first season and promoted Tomlin

Yes, I'm really glad to see both of you remind people of the true Culpepper - or Fumblepepper, as he was often called. I believe his 23 fumbles in 2002 still stands as an NFL record, and he led the league in INTs the same season. He had a couple of statistically-impressive seasons, but he was far closer to Jameis Winston than Dan Marino.

My "coulda been" regarding Culpepper: what if the Vikings had picked Jevon Kearse instead of Culpepper in 1999? Add a fearsome pass rusher to the 1998 team and we might have won in 1999 or 2000. But drafting Culpepper was Denny trying to build a dynasty - before he even had a championship. His ego was taking over by then.

You were too young and that was the game I became too old. I realized I'm too old to let any one game effect me for so long. Numb, dazed, total depression. Decided right after, well several days after. Never again will I let this team put me under the covers in the fetal position...and it never has since. Not 2000 not 2009 not 2017. That was the day I grew too old to care too much.