Minnesota Vikings get shutout for first time in 18 years

NINA MOINI: We're entering the final month of NFL season, and the Minnesota Vikings have been stuck at the bottom of the NFC North for weeks now. And yesterday, another low point, or you might say no point. They lost 26 to 0 to the Seattle Seahawks. Joining me to talk about this and hopefully some more uplifting Minnesota sports news are Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson. Thanks for being here, guys.

ERIC NELSON: Yeah, Happy Monday. Nina.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Thank you

NINA MOINI: Did you like that, "no point?" Wally let's start, just what happened there?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, yeah, let's start with the bad news. And they look like The Bad News Bears right now, the Minnesota Vikings, so I'm calling them the Sorry Vikings-- sorry that the way they play, sorry that they didn't bring back Sam Darnold, sorry that they didn't bring back Daniel Jones, sorry that they didn't go out and get Aaron Rodgers, and sorry that they spent $253 million in free agency money that has not helped them win football games.

They have now lost four in a row. Yesterday was just probably the bottom of the barrel. They got shut out for the first time in 18 years. And 2007 was the last time that they were shut out, losing 26 to 0.

It was Bad Max, as Max Brosmer's first NFL start was a disaster. The former Gopher threw four interceptions, including a desperation, fourth-down, ridiculous, underhand toss that turned into a pick 6 for Seattle and a 10-0 lead. And Brosmer, who was starting in place of JJ McCarthy, he was just 19 of 30, 126 yards, as I mentioned, four interceptions.

Justin Jefferson just two catches for a career-low 4 yards. The perennial Pro Bowl candidate and All Star did not talk to the media afterwards. And that's unusual. He always does. So it was just-- ugh. It was so hard to watch.

On the flip side, I thought the Viking defense played pretty well again. They held former Viking quarterback Sam Darnold to just 128 yards, no touchdown passes. They forced two turnovers. But coaches, Nina, they always talk about playing complementary football, in other words, the offense the defense and the special teams all contributing. That isn't happening right now.

The offense is el stinko, and it's going to have to change. The season is done as far as playoff hopes are concerned. That's going to have to change in the offseason. They're going to have to make some moves.

They're going to have to bring somebody in to compete with JJ McCarthy. And we'll wait and see how this all shakes out. But yeah, it's kind of a lost season. They play Washington, by the way, at Sunday at home.

NINA MOINI: And so what's going on though, Wally, with Adam Thielen? Some breaking news there.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Yeah, Adam Thielen requested that he be released and so he could find someplace else where he could get some more playing time. Perhaps he'll go back to Carolina. I heard the Pittsburgh Steelers are a possibility. He's only had eight catches this year for 67 yards. So unfortunate that it didn't turn out in his return to Minnesota.

I think he's looking-- this is his last year in the NFL. So he's looking for an opportunity to go out with some more playing time and maybe on a team that can make a playoff run. And right now, his former team Carolina looks to be-- that might be the place to go. Go back to Carolina.

NINA MOINI: Yeah, I don't what's going on with the Vikings. Maybe they need to take a team retreat or do something and turn it around. Eric, the Gophers had a much better weekend. They won a big game. Tell us about it.

ERIC NELSON: Yeah, Nina, they were able to knock off their arch rival, Wisconsin, on Saturday, 17 to 7, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. So the Gophers win that coveted Paul Bunyan ax trophy for the fourth time in five years.

NINA MOINI: Oh, wow!

ERIC NELSON: Yeah, they get a victory in college football's longest-running rivalry that dates back to 1890. And the Gophers actually have the lead in the all-time series now, 64 wins, 63 losses. There have been 8 ties.

PJ Fleck, a guy who's got a ton of energy, celebrated his 45th birthday in jubilant style after the game. The players crowdsurfed him in the Minnesota locker room. So imagine doing that to your boss over there at MPR.

NINA MOINI: [CHUCKLING]

ERIC NELSON: The fans who came to Huntington Bank Stadium on a cold, snowy Saturday stormed the field after the game-- we call it a field rush-- celebrating the Minnesota win. There have been some people say, well, wait a minute, why are they storming the field? Wisconsin's only won four games. This wasn't a signature win.

Well, I say, let these fans have some fun, especially in the snow. The Gophers don't win a lot of huge games, so go out there and do your thing. Now, Gophers' running back Darius Taylor, he was a fourwheel drive football player, as he snowplowed his way through the Wisconsin defense, gaining 100 yards, scoring a touchdown.

Defensively, Minnesota much better than in previous weeks. John Nester had two interceptions for the Gophers. And how about this. Minnesota finishes the regular season 7 and 5, 5 and 4 in the Big Ten. And the Gophers were perfect at Huntington Bank Stadium, 7 and 0. That's the first time Minnesota's gone undefeated at home since 1967, when they tied for first in the 10-team Big Ten with Indiana and Purdue.

Next up for Minnesota is a bowl game. Early speculation has the Gophers possibly playing in the Rate Bowl in Phoenix on December 26 or the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27. My vote, based on this weather forecast I've been seeing, let's go to the Rate Bowl in Phoenix. I think that--

NINA MOINI: Totally.

ERIC NELSON: [? --would be different, ?] Gopher nation.

[LAUGHTER]

NINA MOINI: And the Timberwolves also won this weekend. What went right for them against Boston and San Antonio?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, I can tell you what went right for them on Saturday. I covered the game Saturday night against the Celtics. First of all, it was indoors. So I wasn't outdoors at the Gopher football game, getting frozen. But I'll tell you what went right. Honestly, they played well down the stretch against the Celtics.

It looked like they were going to blow that game. That's how they had lost the previous three, really not playing well in the final two minutes. But they played well in the final two minutes. They blew a 10-point lead, but then they came back and ended up winning it.

Anthony Edwards had a big game, 39 points, on Saturday against the Celtics. And then yesterday, Anthony Edwards had 32 again. They went back and forth, but they were able to play well down the stretch. They ended up winning, going away 125 to 112.

They play tomorrow. They play the Pelicans in New Orleans tomorrow night. So the Timberwolves, it appears, are on the right track. They break the three-game losing streak. They win a couple at home against teams that were over 500. That's the first time that that's happened this year.

NINA MOINI: OK. Eric, how about a little hockey update. How are the Wild and the Frost doing?

ERIC NELSON: Yeah, the Wild are playing very well, Nina. Minnesota will be in Edmonton tomorrow night to play the Oilers, who've been to the Stanley Cup Finals two straight seasons.

NINA MOINI: Wow.

ERIC NELSON: Wild have 33 points, Oilers 27. But Minnesota clearly one of the hottest teams in the NHL. I think the Wild are really sorry to see November end. They were 11, 1, and 2 in November. Every day was a Thanksgiving feast for the Wild.

Now, they did have a seven-game winning streak snapped Saturday night in St. Paul by Buffalo. But Minnesota has clearly made some headway in the NHL Central Division. Kirill Kaprizov has 17 goals, third most in the NHL. And this young goalie, Jesper Wallstedt, has a 1.93 goals against average. That's the second best in the National Hockey League.

And the opponent, as I said, Edmonton tomorrow night, the Oilers, are literally leaking oil. They've gotten off to a sluggish start in the Pacific division, but that's what usually happens with Edmonton. That's the team's trademark. They get hot as the season progresses, and they go deep into the playoffs. If you're going to watch the game tomorrow night, Edmonton has two of the NHL's top stars in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

And you asked about the Minnesota Frost. Well, it's very early. They have one win, one loss. They play tomorrow night in Canada as well, just like the Wild, but on the other side, in Ottawa. So we'll see if the Frost can get their record to 2 and 1, with a victory against Ottawa.

NINA MOINI: OK, great. Wally, we have just about a minute left. We want to talk about the NCAA volleyball tournament that starts this week. We could see two Twin Cities teams face off. What's going on there?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Yeah, both St. Thomas and the Gophers will play in a regional this coming weekend. That's Friday and Saturday that'll be at the Maturi Pavilion on campus at the University of Minnesota. The Gophers, who are ranked number 18 in the country, earned a number-four seed. They got an at-large bid to the tournament. They have been very good for a long time, and this is an opportunity to move out of the regional and move on from there.

And as you mentioned, two Twin Cities teams, that could only mean that St. Thomas is there. And this is their first year in the NCAA tournament as a Division I team. So they will also be in the regional. They too could meet the Gophers. If they both win on Friday, they will meet on Saturday. And again, that is part of the regional.

The Gophers will play Fairfield on Friday. St. Thomas will play Iowa State. So it could happen. Could have the two Twin Cities teams playing against each other on Saturday night. Very possible.

NINA MOINI: All right, you guys. Thanks so much as always.

ERIC NELSON: All right. Thanks, Nina.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Thank you, Nina.

[MUSIC PLAYING]