Viking Funeral
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

MINNEAPOLIS – Something about the Giants always gives the Minnesota Vikings trouble.
Thanks to a swarming defense, some tough runs by Tiki Barber, a few big catches by Jeremy Shockey, and a turnover-free after noon by Kurt Warner, the Giants beat the Vikings 34-13 yesterday.
Barber, the league leader in yards from scrimmage, rushed 24 times for 101 yards and two short touchdowns. Shockey caught three balls for 60 yards, Warner went 15-for-21 for 144 yards, and the Giants finally solved their red zone struggles by scoring all five times they reached the Minnesota 20 – including four touchdowns. Backup Mike Cloud scored twice on short runs in the second half.
Amani Toomer, whose status was in question because of a hamstring injury, had three catches for 31 yards for the Giants.
Randy Moss was in street clothes after halftime, going without a catch for the second straight game while a strained right hamstring kept him from running at full speed.
The Vikings sure could have used him, because their prolific offense had by far the worst performance of the season. Daunte Culpepper finished 24-for-41 for 231 yards, one late touchdown and two interceptions. Culpepper led Minnesota in rushing with 32 yards.
Lance Johnstone had two of Minnesota’s five sacks, but the Vikings wore down as the scoreless possessions added up. Rookie Mewelde Moore, who had 610 total yards in the last three games, was held to 29 yards on eight carries.
Culpepper threw a swing pass on the opening possession that glanced off Moore’s hands and helmet that looked like an incompletion – but Kevin Lewis scooped up the ball and returned it 16 yards to the Minnesota 22. The ruling, backed by instant replay when Tice lost the challenge, was a fumble because the throw went behind the line of scrimmage.
A 38-yard pass interference penalty on Corey Chavous set up Barber’s first touchdown, making it 10-0 a little more than seven minutes into the game.
Culpepper was intercepted by Gibril Wilson late in the first quarter, leading to Barber’s next score. Marcus Robinson, who led the Vikings with 91 yards receiving, hauled in a 32-yard pass on the ensuing drive that reached the Giants 21 – but Morten Andersen banged a 38-yard field goal off the left upright after a low snap by Cullen Loeffler.
Warner, who fumbled three times, recovered his mishandled snap at the Minnesota 1 with 23 seconds left before halftime. After Chavous nearly intercepted Warner’s throw over the middle of the end zone two plays later, Steve Christie kicked his second field goal – a 30-yarder that made it 20-0.
The Giants eventually built a 34-0 lead over a demoralized Viking squad before Minnesota scored 13 late points to avoid their first shutout at home in over a decade.
Going back to their 41-0 loss in the NFC championship game that followed the 2000 season, the Vikings haven’t had much luck against the Giants. They won a Monday night meeting at the Metrodome in 2001, but this was their third consecutive loss to Big Blue – all at home.
In 2002, Culpepper was benched for the fourth quarter after going 9-for-20 for 91 yards against New York. Minnesota began last year with six straight victories before losing 29-17 to the Giants and dropping seven of its final 10.
Vikings coach Mike Tice – determined to ward off a letdown – even put his players through rigorous, training camp-style practices this week. It didn’t work.