In sports, there is an unwritten law or code, or whatever you want to call it--but there is sense of respect that if you are about to win a game, you don't score anymore than is a sufficient lead.
Today, the Vikings did not obey that code. In the fourth quarter with 2 minutes left, they were ahead 27-3 and were placed in a fourth down situation. Farve made a play-action pass to Shiancoe. The Vikings then went up 34-3, within the two minute mark--and let's not forget to mention that the Cowboys did not have any time-outs either.
It was impossible for the Cowboys to win and with such a short amount of time in the fourth quarter--what was Minnesota doing? It was completely unnecessary to get yet another score and demoralize the Dallas defense more than they already were.
When teams are down, you simply do not spit on their faces, put salt on their wounds, or celebrate after a fourth touchdown pass that was not going to change the game at all. Losses hurt in the NFL as they do in any other sport. But in the NFL, you don't play a 5 or 7 game series, you play one game and if you win--you go on to the next round. Thus, the two teams would not face again to determine who the real winner is (my point in saying this is to contrast how the NFL playoff system is different from the MLB or NBA, therefore I can understand demoralizing another team in the MLB or NBA playoffs in order to show dominance but it is simply wrong to in the NFL).
Some of the analysts right after the game felt that it was not a wrong thing to do. But to a player, if you finally enter the playoffs and you are at the point where you know the game is over--you don't want to be embarrassed anymore than you are. It's inhumane. And of course Dallas did not expect the play action because they respected the Vikings as a conscious opponent, but I guess they were wrong.
It's like taking another shot at the end of a basketball game when you're up by twenty. It's like stealing third when you're up by ten runs in the ninth; why do something that will just mentally destroy a team that you will not play for another year?
I am not a Cowboys fan; I actually have nothing but utter hatred towards their franchise because I am a Giants fan--but no NFL team deserves such an embarrassing moment.
Well good luck to the Vikings, because I have a feeling they might just have a taste of their own medicine because Drew and his Saints are quite the pharmacy.
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