National Football League

Vikes' rally helps save Childress' job

Published Nov. 7, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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Alex Marvez

Brad Childress said some fans came to Sunday’s Minnesota-Arizona game “expecting to see an execution.”

Instead, the Vikings head coach earned a stay for at least another week.

Thanks to a late rally, the Vikings pulled their season — and Childress’ job security — from the proverbial electric chair with a 27-24, overtime victory.

A loss, combined with the most tumultuous week of his four-plus seasons in Minnesota, could very well have led to Childress’ immediate firing. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf refused to offer a show of support before the game, when he declined to comment on Childress’ future. The Metrodome rocked with chants of “Fire Childress” from pre-game warm-ups well into the fourth quarter, when Minnesota was trailing by two touchdowns.

The on-field flaws that helped put Childress on the hot seat — shoddy defense, turnovers and problems converting in short-yardage and red-zone situations — were on full display. Special teams even became a new headache, with Arizona (3-5) scoring on kickoff and fumble returns.

The situation was never direr than when Vikings quarterback Brett Favre couldn’t connect with tight end Jeff Dugan on a fourth-and-goal from the Arizona 1-yard line with 6:18 remaining in the fourth quarter. Right guard Anthony Herrera said: “For a quick second, you felt like the game was over.” Favre, too, acknowledged, “I counted us out.”

“I’m sort of joking there,” he continued. “But by that time, what had we done to prove otherwise? Nothing.”

Yet if this team had truly quit on Childress, the Vikings (3-5) wouldn’t have rebounded in such a stunning fashion. Minnesota’s defense had two stands without allowing a first down, and the Vikings scored touchdowns on their subsequent possessions. A 25-yard scoring lob from Favre to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe that landed just past safety Adrian Wilson’s flailing arm tied the score with 27 seconds left and sent the game into overtime.

By that point, Minnesota’s pass rush had finally come to life. A unit that entered with only six sacks all season got to Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson twice on the first series of overtime to force a punt.

Favre and running back Adrian Peterson both rode the momentum to victory. Peterson gained 39 yards on four carries, and Favre connected with wide receiver Bernard Berrian for a 22-yard gain. That set up Ryan Longwell’s game-winning, 35-yard field goal.

“We would not have won this game without effort,” said Favre, who threw for a career-high 446 yards on 36-of-47 passing. “We almost lost it because of miscues. We’re all at fault there.”

An exuberant Wilf met every Vikings player as he entered the locker room, screaming “Great heart!” in his thick New Jersey accent. Wilf was present for Childress’ post-game address to the team, but left before the locker room open to the media.

Childress said he was given no assurances about his employment future from Wilf, but he didn’t seem particularly worried. Childress joked: “I’m not going to stand here like Brett Favre and tell you compassionately, ‘I need a hug.’ I’m all right.”

It wasn’t that way earlier this week. Childress was almost fired on Monday when not following proper protocol before releasing star wide receiver Randy Moss. Childress told the players before Wilf and others in Minnesota’s hierarchy that Moss was a goner just one month after he was acquired for a valued 2011 third-round draft pick.

That was the latest in a series of controversial decisions that had the coach on the hot seat.

What saved Childress from immediate termination was that Moss had been so insubordinate and obnoxious off the field. Moss reportedly told Wilf that Childress should be fired and publicly knocked him after last Sunday’s 28-18 loss to New England. Moss also had disrespected team caterers by loudly proclaiming he wouldn’t feed their grub to his dog.

Vikings management ultimately decided if Childress were canned and Moss returned, it would be equivalent to letting the most disruptive inmate run the asylum. Team brass didn’t want to embolden Moss or any other player into thinking talent trumped all and mutinous behavior would be tolerated.

This still doesn’t mean Childress is in the clear. Wilf met with some of Minnesota’s top players this past week and attended two practices, seemingly to gauge team opinion of Childress.

Childress’ base of support has eroded. He has estranged Vikings players with heavy-handed coaching tactics and public criticism. Childress criticized Favre after the quarterback valiantly played through an ankle injury during last month’s 28-24 loss to Green Bay. Had he tempered his unhappiness with the three interceptions Favre threw, Childress wouldn’t have reopened a rift that had become public knowledge as far back as last season.

Childress also has alienated the local media, which doesn’t buy him any good will. He misled reporters about Moss’ status last Monday before cutting him and had two coordinators blatantly lie in August when three players had “secretly” traveled to Mississippi to court Favre’s return. A large percentage of Vikings fans have grown tired of Childress’ act, too.

Mind you, much of the drama doesn’t matter if you’re winning. But the Vikings were 2-5 and on the verge of an all-out freefall entering the Cardinals game.

There wasn’t a win-one-for-“Chilly” vibe in the post-game locker room. Vikings players didn’t douse him with Gatorade or carry him off the field. Asked whether he felt like he was playing for Childress’ job, Favre said: “I felt like I was playing for mine. I’m just being honest.

“Do I always get along with my coach, quarterback coach, offensive coordinator? No. Do I always agree with the plays that are called? No. But why should that factor into me wanting to be the best player I can possibly be? Whether Brad is the head coach or not, that should never change the way you approach it.”

The sentiment of self-accountability is spreading in Minnesota’s locker room. So is a fresh attitude. This past week may have served to unify players and created a sense that “we’re all in this together.” That includes Childress.

“I can definitely disagree with some of his decisions. I’m sure he disagrees with some of the things I do,” said Peterson, who was admittedly displeased with Moss’ release. “But you’ve got to be able to overlook that and consider this is a business. Ultimately at the end, guys still have the same goal in mind.”

A goal that seems a lot more realistic now than when Childress was facing a different type of firing squad.
 

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