Vikings Home Opener

As we are days away from one of the most anticipated games of the year, I need to share the details of last Sunday's Vikings home opener. Week 3 in the season yet only our first home game. Unless you live in a cave, you are already aware of the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G end to the game. Here's a play-by-play of our day:

Tailgating:

8 am--Arrive in our new favorite tailgating spot, only just across the street from the dome. It was a little chilly and windy in the morning but once the sun started to come out, it was warm. We mixed with the other tailgaters well. We played games, ate, drank (just vitamin water for me) and took in the tailgating atmosphere. I bought a Favre jersey the day he signed with the Vikings and it felt very odd to do. I debuted my jersey at this game.

Guess which burger is Michael's? (Yes, the grill is dirty)

You can barely see the top of the dome with the sky

In the Dome:

Minutes before kickoff and the Vikes coming out of the tunnel

Vikings lead 13-6 just getting ready to go in the half with only six seconds to go when our attempted field goal is blocked and ran back 59 yards for a 49er's touchdown and the Vikings all of a sudden trail 14-13 at halftime.

At the start of the third quarter, the momentum has been taken away and the crowd isn't that into the game until about 5 minutes left of the third when Percy Harvin returns a punt for a 101 yard touchdown one of the longest in Vikings history. This was a defining moment of the game and the crowd was back into it. Score: 20-13, Vikings. Fast forward to less than two minutes left in the game and the Vikes are down by a field goal and are trailing 23-20. Throw in six incomplete passes and with 12 seconds left, Brett Favre throws a 32 yard pass to Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone for a (wait, a challenge in the booth...OK...) TOUCHDOWN! A great pass, some fancy feet and with two seconds left, the 49er's cannot do anything and a Vikings win! The first win at home for the team, for Favre as a Viking at home, for Lewis as a Viking, as well as his first play, catch and touchdown!!! As you can imagine, the crowd erupted and I almost fainted...literally. I know as a Vikings fan that people have left the games early as they did with this game. We stayed until the end and I bet the estimated 20,000 people that left early were kicking themselves. I hope this is a different era.

Today is Saturday and it is a MN sport(wo)men's dream this weekend. The Twins are fighting to be division leaders with only 2 games left to be played, today and tomorrow and it's the last game in the dome for the Twins...EVER. The Gophers vs. the Badgers, the MN Wild's first game tonight and the Vikings vs. the Packers on Monday night. Go MN!!