11. 2017 MINNESOTA VIKINGS at 6. 2006 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
6. 2006 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Record: 12-4
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 7th
Def: 2nd
1st AFC East
d. Jets WC 37-16
d. Chargers Div Rnd 24-21
Lost Colts AFC Title 38-34
HC: Bill Belichick OC: Josh McDaniels, DC: Dean Pees
Gillette Stadium, Avg Temp 55 degrees
Announcers: Gil Santos/Gino Cappelletti
Offense
QB Tom Brady (29 Michigan)
RB Corey Dillon (32 Wash)
WR Troy Brown (35 Marshall)
WR Reche Caldwell (27 Florida)
TE Daniel Graham (28 Colorado)
TE Ben Watson (26 UGA)
LT Matt Light (28 Purdue)
LG Logan Mankins (24 Fres St)
C Dan Koppen (27 B College)
RG Steve Neal (30 C St Bakersfield)
RT Nick Kaczur (27 Toledo)
Defense
LDE Ty Warren (25 Tex A&M)
NT Vince Wilfork (25 Miami)
RDE Richard Seymour (27 UGA)
LOLB Rosevelt Colvin (29 Purdue)
LILB Junior Seau (37 USC)
RILB Tedy Bruschi (33 Arizona)
ROLB Mike Vrabel (31 Ohio St)
LCB Asante Samuel (25 Cen Florida)
RCB Ellis Hobbes (23 Iowa St)
SS Rodney Harrison (34 W Illinois)
FS Artrell Hawkins (30 Cincinnati)
K Stephen Gostkowski (22 Memphis)
P Ken Walter (34 Kent)
KR Laurence Maroney (21 Minnesota)
PR Kevin Faulk (31 LSU)
The '07 Patriots are the top overall seed and safely into Round 2 - this team is the season prior; they lost the AFC Title game to the Colts and are the 6th seed in the region on the backs of the 2nd bes defense from 2006. Not a single All Pro on the roster. Ty Warren's 25, Rosevelt Colvin 29 they combined for 16 sacks. Asante Samuel is 25, he picked off 10 balls. Brady's 29, threw for 29 scores and a dozen picks. 13 scores for 32 year old Corey Dillon.
11. 2017 MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 10th
Def: 1st
1st NFC North
d. Saints Div Rnd 29-24
Lost Eagles NFC Title 38-7
HC: Mike Zimmer OC Pat Shurmur DC George Edwards
Offense
QB Case Keenum (29)
RB LaTavius Murray (27)
WR Stefon Diggs (24)
WR Adam Thielen (27)
WR Laquon Treadwell (22)
TE Kyle Rudolph (28)
LT Riley Reiff (29)
LG Nick Easton (25)
C Pat Elflein (23-R)
RG Joe Berger (35)
RT Mike Remmers (28)
Defense
LDE Danielle Hunter (23)
LDT Tom Johnson (33)
RDT Linval Joseph (29)
RDE Everson Griffen (30)
MLB Eric Kendricks (25)
RLB Anthony Barr (25)
LCB Trae Waynes (25)
RCB Xavier Rhodes (27) All Pro
SS Andrew Sendejo (30)
FS Harrison Smith (28) All Pro
DB Terence Newman (39)
K Kai Forbath (30)
P Ryan Quigley (27)
KR Jerick McKinnon (25)
PR Marcus Shereles (30)
Case Keenum is an unlikely starting QB for an 11th seed in this tournament. The '17 Vikings, like the Pats, lost in the conference title game; they're also here on the strength of their defense. Minnesota had the top defense in 2017 with 2 All Pros in the secondary, 27 year old Xavier Rhodes and 28 year old Harrison Smith. Everson Griffen's 30, he and 23 year old Danielle Hunter combined for 20 sacks. Keenum's 29, 22 scores/7 picks. 24 year old Diggs/27 year old Thielen combined for 150+ balls and a dozen scores.
Two top ranked defenses; you'd anticipate a low scoring game in this 6/11 -- winner will head to Denver in round two to face the '97 Super Bowl Champs. Let's head to Gillette.
First Qtr
Vikes open at the 30.
3 and out. Pats will take over at their own 40.
3 and out. Vikes to take over at the 20.
3 and out. Pats will start at the Minnesota 44.
3 and out. Vikes will start at their own 10 yard line, 1st and 15 after a false start. 7:39.
1/10 - Case Keenum hits Adam Ehielen for 23, the Vikings reach the 33.
And then net a total of 2 yards and punt. Kevin Faulk takes the punt at the New England 25 --- cuts upfield -- AND HE IS GOING TO GO!!! Faulk breaks a 75 yard punt return for a TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS - Kevin Faulk with the first kick return for a score of the tournament, 75 yards to give New England a 7-0 lead.
Vikings to start at the 23.
3 and out. Back to New England - and Faulk with another big runback - Faulk takes it back to the Minnesota 24 yard line. 3:04.
3 and out. Gostkowski hits a 33 yard FG and it's 10-0 Patriots.
Vikes to start at their own 41.
3 and out.
The punt ends the quarter.
Second Quarter
Well, expected to be a defensive battle and that's what we have - the Patriots have zero first downs and 10 points, the Vikings have 1 first down. Patriots will open at the 31.
1/10 - Hey, Tom Brady's playing - he hits the rookie from Florida, Chad Jackson, with an 11 yard pass.
1/10 - Corey Dillon goes for 4.
2/6 - Brady to Troy Brown - he goes for 21, New England reaches the 33.
The next 3 plays lose 3 yards and the Patriots decide to punt. Touchback. 11:51.
1/10 - Keenum is sacked by Ty Warren, loss of 7.
2/17 - Jerrick McKinnnon loses a yard.
3/18 - Keenum finds Adam Thielen for 23 yards and the first.
1/10 - Keenum to McKinnon, he scoots for 11, the Vikes near midfield.
1/10 - Latavius Murray for 1.
2/9 - McKinnon for 4.
3/5 - Murray gets 13 yards - big conversion, the Vikes have reached the NE 35 yard line.
1/10 - Dalvin Cook gains 1
2/9 - Keenum is sacked again, it's Richard Seymour for a loss of 5.
3/14 - 8 yard pass to Kyle Rudolph - 4th down Kai Forbath FG is good - Vikes take 7 minutes off the lock, but get on the board.
Pats start at the 43. 3 and out.
Vikes at the 32. 3:05 left. 1st and 5 after an offsides.
1/5 - Keenum has to scrable, he gets 3.
2/2 - McKinnon gets 7 and we hit the 2 minute warning.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - McKinnon to Rudolph for a dozen and the Vikes are across midfield.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Murray gets 1
3/9 - Keenum finds Stefon Diggs -- 18 yards and a first down at the Patriot 27 yard line with 1:29 left in the half and a timeout. A holding call backs them 10.
1/20 - Incomplete
2.20 - Keenum hits Laquon Treadwell for 15.
3/5 - Keenum finds Diggs -- 18 yards all the way to the New England 4 yard line, 1st and goal with 50 seconds left in the half.
1/goal - Murray gets 2. Vikes timeout
2/goal - Murray gets the goal line - Vikes call their last timeout - 40 seconds left.
3/goal - Keenum rolls out - back of the end zone -- Adam Thielen - TOUCHDOWN VIKINGS Case Keenum to Adam Thielen ties the score -- New England will pick up a first down but the half ends with them around midfield.
Third Quarter
No offense at all for the Patriots, just none, but two big returns from Kevin Faulk get them 10 points. Minnesota has two sustained drives in the second quarter and tie the score. Onto the third.
Pats at the 20. 3 and out.
Vikes start at the 39. 3 and out.
Pats at midfield after another nice Faulk return. 3 and out.
Vikes at the 16. 8:28.
1/10 - McKinnon gets 5.
2/5 - Murray gets 6 and it's the first first down of the quarter.
And of coure, that's as far as it goes. Pats will take over at the 41.
1/10 Dillon is stopped at the line.
2/10 - Laurence Maroney gets 5.
3/5 - Brady finds Caldwell for 7 and the first down.
1/10 - Maroney stopped at the line.
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Brady to Faulk for 11 and another first, Pats at the Minnesota 36, 1:12.
1/10 - Dillon for 5.
2/5 - Faulk loses 3.
3/8 - Incomplete - that's the last play of the quarter.
4th Quarter
Scoreless third quarter, very little offense, Patriots have 4th and 8 at the Viking 34 -- and instead of kicking a certainly makeable 51 yard FG - Belichick decides to go for it. That's a wild call - 10-10 in the 4th qtr, Patriots have had zero offense all day, Kevin Faulk has been their entire production as a returner, but NE is going for it.
4/8 - Brady picks it up - goes to Troy Brown for 11 and the Patriots are at the 23.
1/10 - Brady to Chad Jackson for 7.
2/3 - Maroney loses a yard.
3/4 - Incomplete.
4/4 - Chip shot for Gostkowski - it's good - Vikes will get the ball back at their own 18, 12:31 left, down 13-10
3 and out. Patriots will take over at their own 48.
3 and out. Vikes start at the 21. 9:26 left in the game. Vikes down 3 -- Can Case Keenum put a drive together to go down and win this game?
1/10 - Murray for 2.
2/8 - Cook for 1.
3/7 - Keenum finds Murray for 11 - Vikes out to the 35 with 7:24 left.
1/10 - 3 for Cook
2/7 - 2 for Keenum
3/5 - Big play - a Tedy Bruschi sack - Bruschi blitz sacks Keenum, loss of 5 and there's a punt. New England gets the ball back at the 33. 5:08 to play.
1/10 - Faulk for 4.
2/6 - Faulk for 17 - big gainer for Kevin Faulk, Patriots are across midfield.
1/10 - Brady to Caldwell for 9.
2/1 - Incomplete
3/1- Maroney is stopped dead at the line -- that's a huge stop - Pats with 4th and 1 at the Viking 37 under 3 minutes to go. Belichick again with the decision. Go for it? Kick the FG?
Punt. New England punts it back to Minnesota.
Vikes have another shot. Way back at their own 13. Down 3. 2:44 left.
1/10 - Keenum under heat - is able to pick up 2 yards at the 2 min warning.
2/8 - Keenum hits Thielen for 13 yards - Vikes are at the 28, 1:54 left.
1/10 - Keenum looking again for Thielen - INTERCEPTED BY ASANTE SAMUEL - Samuel with the only pick of the day - Samuel is down at the Viking 34 with just 1:48 left and the New England faithful can exhale for the first time all day as the 6th seeded Pats have the ball and the lead.
1/10 - Laurence Maroney takes a pitch left -- and HES GONE - Laurence Maroney busts home a 34 yard TD and that should salt this one away. TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS.
Vikes to start at the 16, 1:35. 20-10 Pats.
1/10 - Keenum hits Thielen for 11. Timeout.
1/10 - Keenum to Thielen for 12, he's out of bounds, Vikes at the 39. 1:21.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Keenum to McKinnon over the middle - he breaks free for 22 and is out of bounds at the New England 39, 1:10.
1/10 - Keenum to Rudolph for 18 - Vikes down to the Patriot 21 and a timeout, :56 to go.
1/10 - Richard Seymour with his second sack of the day - Vikes have to spend their final timeout at the NE 26, 48 seconds left.
2/15 - Incomplete
3/15 - Incomplete
4/15 - Incomplete.
That's it. One Brady kneel down ends it.
Defense and special teams carry the day and New England reaches Round 2.
Final: Patriots 20 Vikings 10
Just 8 first downs all day for New England and they still win the game by 10 points.
Brady: 11 for 22, 104 yards
Keenum: 17 for 30, 207 yds 1 TD/1 INT
Maroney: 11 carries, 41 yds, 1 TD
McKinney: 11 carries, 49 yds
Brown: 3 catches, 43 yds
Thielen 7 catches, 91 yds 1 TD
Seymour: 2 sacks
Faulk - PR TD
Player of the Game - KEVIN FAULK
