The Minnesota Vikings had some high points and some low points in their 2011 pre-season opener against the Tennessee Titans. When the dust settled at the end of the evening, however, the scoreboard. . .which we all know is completely inconsequential in games played during the month of August. . .showed the Titans with a 14-3 victory over the Vikings on Saturday night in Nashville.
Both of Tennessee's touchdowns came off of Minnesota turnovers in the second quarter of play. The first Minnesota turnover was a fumble by Lorenzo Booker, which the Titans capitalized on immediately with a 45-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Jake Locker to Yamon Figurs, a one-play drive that took just eight seconds. The second turnover came when Titans' safety Jordan Babineaux intercepted a pretty awful pass from the Vikings' Joe Webb, and drove downfield. That drive ended with a two-yard touchdown run for rookie running back Jamie Harper, and the Titans took a 14-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Webb led the Vikings on a scoring drive on their first possession of the second half, as he moved the team into field goal range for Ryan Longwell's first successful conversion of the pre-season, a 38-yard try that cut the lead to 14-3.
And, as you can tell by looking at this story's headline, that's how this one ended.
There hasn't been any word of any Vikings suffering any serious injuries at this point in time. In addition, the Vikings went into this one sitting four defensive starters. . .defensive end Jared Allen, tackle Kevin Williams, and cornerbacks Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin.
No need to panic yet, ladies and gentlemen. The first pre-season game is in the books, and there are things that every team needs to work on. The Vikings will take the field next Saturday night in Seattle when they head to Qwest Field to take on the Seahawks, led by their old friends Tarvaris Jackson and Sidney Rice.