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When the disappointment of their improbable season-ending collapse subsides, the Minnesota Vikings might have to be reminded about their three-game improvement in the standings.
It sure is hard for them to think about it right now.
``We didn't finish how we should finish,'' quarterback Daunte Culpepper said. ``To be a championship contender, you have to know how to finish.''
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Winners of their first six games, the Vikings (9-7) led the NFC North for all
but the final few agonizing seconds of this crazy season after going 6-10 in
2002. They needed only to hold on to an 11-point lead for the last two minutes
against lowly Arizona to make the playoffs for the first time since 2000.
It didn't happen.
``You can't really put it into words,'' said Pro Bowl-bound strong safety Corey Chavous, one of several bright spots of 2003 blackened by the fourth-quarter failure in Sunday's 18-17 loss to the Cardinals.
The dark shadows are sure to hang around for a while, perhaps until training camp starts next summer. Fans of this seemingly cursed franchise, well-acquainted with these heartaching defeats, moped around Monday -- feeling just about as bad as they did in January 1999.
That's when a Vikings team that rolled through the 1998 regular season with a 15-1 record blew a late lead against Atlanta in the NFC title game and lost in overtime.
``That one's kind of as hard to swallow as it was in '98 -- seriously,'' said running back Moe Williams, one of six players on the current team who also endured the disappointment of that game against the Falcons five years ago.
The Vikings realized, though rather cruelly, that they made their own mess.
``It's surprising,'' center Matt Birk said, ``but then again, it's not.''
One more win in their final 10 games (they lost seven), and the division championship was theirs. Minnesota, in fact, went 0-4 against the four NFL teams that finished 4-12 this year.
``We didn't get the job done,'' Chavous said, ``and that hurts.''
It could cost the Vikings a coach, too, even though Mike Tice guided them to their first winning record since 2000. Owner Red McCombs was conspicuously mum on that subject Monday, despite previous comments suggesting Tice's job was secure. Tice has one year left on his deal, and McCombs is now done paying Dennis Green after buying out his contract in January 2002.
Players offered unwavering support for Tice, placing the blame for the frustrating finish on themselves.
``There's a lot of teams out there that haven't made the playoffs in many years and haven't been close,'' Williams said. ``He can't get out there and play. It's up to us.''
Tice oversaw improvements in several areas, including a defense that forced 35 turnovers and gave up an average of 14.5 points over the final four games. The offense again ranked first in the league in total yardage, and Culpepper cut down on the turnovers that plagued him in 2002.
``The program is in better shape than it was when I took it over two years ago,'' Tice said, admitting surprise there was speculation about his future. ``Is it part of the deal? Yeah, it's part of the deal. The expectation level of our football team was raised when we went 6-0.''
The Vikings were hurt by inconsistency and inexperience in the kicking game, and all special teams units had their share of struggles. The pass rush was strong down the stretch -- rookie Kevin Williams had three of his team-high 10 1/2 sacks Sunday -- but lacking at times earlier in the year.
The run defense was atrocious in November, and despite obvious improvement in the secondary, Minnesota ranked 26th in the league against the pass.
Randy Moss could use another wide receiver to consistently produce alongside him, and Culpepper had his share of costly mistakes -- though far less than a year ago.
All that said, the Vikings have plenty of room under the salary cap for pursuit of free agents, and their restructured personnel department is eager to follow up an excellent 2003 draft.
``If we take what we had
to go through this year for next year, we'll be a much better football team,''
cornerback Ken Irvin said. ``It hurts to go through that sometimes, but that's
life.''