It’s 10 years later. That’s a long time, even if it might not seem like it. As the Vikings prepare for a season that has generated expectation levels of playoffs and, possibly, the Super Bowl, it is time to close the book on 1998. Fittingly, with Daunte Culpepper announcing his retirement yesterday (in much the same fashion we might retire from the NFL, by the way, since neither of us had a job to walk away from), it is time to close the book on that entire era. (Yes, we know Daunte didn’t get to Minnesota until 1999). So, with the 2008 NFL season officially started and the Showdown in Lambeau looming Monday, we’ve decided to look at 1998 objectively and in statistical detail, pulling out some facts that we had frankly forgotten about or perhaps never knew.

*The Vikings were 3-0 when they found themselves down 21-10 at halftime at Soldier Field. They rallied to defeat the Bears 31-28 behind three second-half TD passes by Randall Cunningham.

*In the game Minnesota lost 27-24 to Tampa Bay — the only regular-season loss of the season — Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott each ran for more than 100 yards.

*The Vikings failed to gain 300 yards of total offense in two of their first three games and were tied 6-6 at halftime at home against Detroit before winning 29-6.

*In the famous Monday Night Game at Lambeau, Randall Cunningham was 20-for-32 for 442 yards and 4 TDs; Brett Favre was 13-for-23 for 114 yards and three interceptions.

*The 1998 Vikings were +14 in turnover differential, while the 1999 Vikings were -10. The Vikings were No. 2 in the league in 1998 in that category; Atlanta was No. 1 (+20). The Vikings only lost four fumbles all year in the regular season.

*Robert Smith’s 1,500-yard season actually came in 2000. In 1998, he gained 1,187 yards rushing.

*OK, that’s enough.

One more thing about Daunte Culpeper, who has proven in the last day (once again) to be one of the most polarizing athletes this market has ever seen: yes, the man could make some bad plays and mistakes at critical times. But anyone who says he was not a “winner” gets it plain wrong and forgets just how truly awful the Vikings’ defense was during the vast majority of his tenure. And no, not “all of that” can be attributed to Culpepper mistakes that gave opponents good field position. For the record, the Vikings’ defensive rankings in Daunte’s five years as the starter here:

2000: 28th in yards, 24th in points
2001: 27th in yards, 26th in points
2002: 26th in yards, 30th in points
2003: 23rd in yards, 23rd in points
2004: 28th in yards, 26th in points

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