Ponder has all day but can't find a receiver, throws inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Peterson TFL'ed by Watt -3. 3rd and 13 coming up.

Pass to Simpson is caught for a 1st down at the Viking 49.

Peterson goes right side for 10.

Peterson for 1.

Pass to Wright is broken up by KJ. 3rd and 9 coming up.

Ponder nearly sacked by Watt but gets the pass off, inc. - nearly INT'ed. Vikings have to punt.

Vikings down the punt at the Texan 1 yard line. Texans ball.

12:18 left in the game.

Pass to OD gets 7.

Oy, pass just off the fingertips of OD, inc.

On 3rd and 3, pass to Graham looks to be just short of the 1st down. Texans to punt.

Vikes bring the punt back to their 36 yard line.

10:45 left in the game.

Pass to Bacaruto is good for 9.

Peterson TFL'ed for loss of 1. 3rd and 2 coming up.

Ponder scrambles all the way to the Texan 27 but offsides Keo is declined. 1st down Vikes at the Texan 27.

Peterson TFL'ed for loss of 1. About 8:20 left in the game.

Gerhart sweeps right side for 6. 3rd and 4 coming up.

Gerhart gets 4 and the 1st down.

Peterson for 2.

Gerhart for 2. 3rd and 6 coming up at the Texan 13 with under 5 1/2 minutes left in the game.

Dumpoff pass to Wright is good for the 1st down plus facemask on Manning places the ball at the Texan 4. 1st and goal.

Gerhart rushes it in for the TD.

Vikings 23, Texans 6

4:44 left in the game.

Pathetic effort. I don't know if the defense or offense concerns me more.

The ensuing kickoff goes out of the endzone, touchback. Texans ball at their 20.

--------------------------

Forsett gets 3.

Schaub's pass is batted down at the LOS, inc. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Posey is inc but roughing the passer gives the Texans a 1st down at the 38.

Pass to Posey goes for 6.

Flags presnap. False start Brown.. 2nd and 9 coming up.

Pass to Posey is complete but he is pushed out of bounds, inc.

On 3rd and 9, Yates rolls out and fumbles. Vikings recover at the Texan 36.

Gerhart for 4. Texans use their 1st timeout. 3:06 left in the game.

Gerhart for 2. Texans use timeout #2. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Gerhart for about 5 and the 1st down.

Gerhart for 2.

2 minute warning.

Vikings rush for 2. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Vikes kneel it. Tick, tick, tick...

On 4th and 7, Vikings kneel it again. Texans take over on downs with 21 seconds left and they kneel it.

Final Score:

Vikings 23, Texans 6

Man, I've been kinda neutral on Schaub over the years but he just hasn't looked real good lately and the offense centers around him....

I think they will be ready to go at Indy - they should be.... It's not a "breather" game anymore...

The defense has some issues, but nothing like the offense. Even with Schuab's mediocre arm, if he just had some mobility it would make a big difference in some
situations. But that line, they are gonna have to make it top priority in next years Draft, we've got to upgrade our offensive line at multiple positions.

But Schaub's arm and legs (or lack of), and the OL have all been a part of a highly successful offense in the very recent past. We entered the NE game as the #2 scoring offense in the NFL, now we've managed a total offensive flop in NE (with some garbage time stats), and 1 offensive TD and 7 FGs in the last two games against mediocre teams.

We are rarely attempting to throw the ball deep, we have almost stopped running the bootleg, and have completely stopped the bootleg throwback. Kubiak has gone into ultimate "no chances/play not to lose/conservative mode" and the execution has not been there to convert the 3rd downs (or make the early downs work).

What happened to the offense that went to Denver and hit long TD passes off of Play action and allowed the run game to get going. That offense was a safety's nightmare.

That was a ridiculously bad showing as a team. They did manage to hold AP to under 100 yards, but that didn't help. Sounds like Fosters irregular heartbeat is gonna be ok.

I'm completely puzzled by this. It's like Kubiak feels like since he's got the division wrapped up he doesn't want to show future opponents anything. I have to hold out for the idea (stupid though it may be) that he's gone back to pre-season mode on offense so that they can 'surprise' people in the playoffs. Otherwise we're all going to have to conclude that he's lost his mind.

I had this same thought, but that makes no sense, does it?

It made sense against Indy and New England because we were apt to see them again. It makes no sense against Minnesota because it wouldn't matter what they saw against us. There is the thought of keeping something off future game films but, otherwise, why would they ever run some of the plays? It's usually only trick plays that you keep off of film.

There is nothing left to hide with this offense. Everyone in the NFL is familiar with the principals since it has been continuously used since the mid 80s. None of our players are a suprise either. I can't come up with any other reason why we're calling plays like this, but it still blows my mind that we all of a sudden stopped doing all of the things that worked so well. Especially since we built the whole offense around the bootleg and none of the pieces are really equipped to excel in a drop back offense or in a power running scheme. We have to create run/pass confusion or we are not very good.

It's as if Kubiak doesn't understand his own offense, doesn't understand the strengths and weaknesses of his own team.

The reason the Texans offense is struggling is because Kubliak is a conservative idiot and the players are slow and plodding. This offense plays at a slower pace and speed than any of the top-to-average offenses in the league. It's amazing to me how slow this team looks. Add slow skill players, spotty OL play and a QB that can't carry the team, you get an offense that can't match up against a physical, fast defense.

And it's so weird what we're seeing now compared with earlier in the year. Remember when the team played far more up-tempo? The first six or eight games the team would occasionally or even often employ what they called a sugar huddle. Our complaint back then was that the team would come out red hot and score two or three times before the opponent had had a chance to figure out what the hell was going on and then Kubiak would take his foot off the pedal. Little did we know we'd end up longing for those days.