Pelissero: Atrocious defeat leaves Childress' future as only intrigue
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MINNEAPOLIS -- Anger oozed from every crease in Zygi Wilf's scowl as he fled the Minnesota Vikings' locker room on Sunday.
The All-In Season had just suffered death by decapitation, and the man who funded it looked like he wanted them All Out.
Not just Brad Childress, whose players may have nailed shut their coach's coffin with Sunday's 31-3 atrocity against the Green Bay Packers.
Pick a name. Any name. Chances are they were part of the problem in this failure of failures -- one that eviscerated any illusion about an inconceivably miserable season meeting an equally stunning revival.
"Playoffs are out of the picture," end Jared Allen said. "Obviously, we've got to win out to even have consideration, and a lot of people have to lose. Nine-and-seven is a tough way to make it in these days."
So is 3-13, which seems far more likely in the aftermath of what unfolded before 64,120 increasingly nonplussed fans at the Metrodome.
Toby Gerhart fumbled and Brett Favre threw an inception in Packers territory.
Husain Abdullah dropped an interception in the shadow of his own goal line.
Jimmy Kleinsasser hooked Jarrett Bush and wiped out a field goal.
Asher Allen and Chris Cook were so awful in coverage multiple veterans chewed them out on the sideline.
"Three points on offense? I mean, come on," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said. "And 31 points? Come on, man. That's atrocious. That's bad. That's bad football, and that's something that's embarrassing to me, it's embarrassing to the organization -- I'm pretty sure it's embarrassing to everybody. "
By the time it was over, "Fire Childress!" was the only chant louder than the roars of "Go Pack Go!" those in purple booed down less vociferously as the deficit increased.
Losing a must-win game by four touchdowns is embarrassing enough. The need to pause and consider whether teammates gave up is worse.
"I don't know," halfback Adrian Peterson said. "Just a vibe that I had -- just really didn't feel connected."
Shiancoe simply shook his head when asked whether the Vikings got the effort they needed, saying "nope, nope, nope" during an emotional session with reporters at his locker.
"I don't know what's wrong," Shiancoe said. "I mean, it's gut-check time. It's gut-check time. There ain't no more excuses now. I can't make no more excuses now about nothing."
No one can -- at least none that can pacify the man who signs their checks.
Two weeks ago, Wilf was standing in the same hallway shaking each player's hand and repeating "great heart." In his silent hurry to the elevator on Sunday, he appeared ready to grate someone's face after his $140 million-plus payroll's most lifeless performance yet.
Childress spoke with Wilf "very briefly" after the game and indicated he has no reason to believe he won't be coaching the Vikings next weekend at Washington.
Asked what his message to the team will be on Monday, Childress said, "There's a lot of soul-searching that goes on. There's looking in the mirror, and that's whether you're coaching or whether you're playing. That film's not going to lie. Whether it's a deep ball here or a missed assignment or a missed block -- those things happen. Obviously, you cover them up better when you (win), but when you lose, it's all exposed."
These Vikings were exposed long ago. The Packers -- back in a tie with Chicago atop the NFC North Division at 7-3, an insurmountable four games ahead of the Vikings (3-7) -- only did it more efficiently this time than they or five other teams had before.
Afterward, there was no more talk about winning for each other, as the Vikings supposedly had in thrilling fashion on Nov. 7 against Arizona. Now, it's every man for himself, because this team -- if it can be called that -- has abandoned contention for calamity and it's not even Thanksgiving.
A change can't save the season, not after this. But the main point of intrigue this week and beyond will be Childress' status.
In or Out?
"You can't coach having heart and having 53 guys go out there and fight," Peterson said. "That's something you can't coach -- that's something that's within the team. As an individual, each player has to come out and play. No matter what the situation might be in the game, you've got to continue to fight."
