The Vikings fell to .500, 6-6, on the season Thursday night after losing 17-15 to the Dallas Cowboys. Players and fans are having a tough time digesting the way the game ended and the frustrated fans are becoming more and more unhinged.
Reaction after the Vikings' two-point defeat and sixth loss in the last seven games ranged from optimistic to critical to disturbing.
Several Vikings players were outspoken about their disappointment with the officiating after a no-call on the late fourth quarter two-point attempt that could have tied the game. Cowboys defensive tackle Cedric Thornton hit Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford in the helmet, the kind of hit that draws that often draws a penalty, and his pass sailed high all-but sealing the win for Dallas.
Vikings offensive lineman Brandon Fusco told USA Today "Oh, my gosh! They shouldn't have missed that. I didn't realize it was that bad."
Defensive end Brian Robison acknowledged he might be fined, but "somebody has got to step up and say something."
A review of the play, though, would have shown Viking left tackle T.J, Clemmings moving before the snap and leading to a false-start penalty.
Robison used Twitter in the early morning Friday to further explain his comments to the "people who are bashing me."
Despite the loss, the Vikings might have shown the rest of the NFL how to slow down the league's best team.
Fox Sports writer Dieter Kurtenbach wrote the "Cowboys are good — really good — but they're not invincible. … The Vikings gave the rest of the NFL a blueprint to beat the Cowboys … exposed some major problems with the Cowboys."
NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha wrote "This was a game that required Dallas to do things that haven't been a big part of its season thus far: playing through mistakes, surviving without contributions from key players, dealing with costly penalties in crucial situations. It's easy to think the Cowboys merely stole a victory when an upset seemed quite possible. It's more important to realize that these are the kinds of games they'll be playing in January, so it's best to get accustomed to them in December.
"Simply put, this was a contest the Cowboys should've lost."
Bleacher Report's lead NFL writer Mike Freeman approached it as the "Resilient Cowboys prove they can win any way they have to."
Robison wasn't alone venting on social media after the game. Here is a sampling of the frustration and some optimism:
Vikings receiver Adam Thielen was among the many players that received backlash from fans on social media Thursday night and his wife Caitlin spoke out against the negative comments: