NFL

Vikes find no solace in rebound after loss

BALTIMORE - They had overcome a 2-5 start and the loss of starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper to put themselves in position to reach the postseason entering their final two games.

The Minnesota Vikings accomplished plenty, yet none of it mattered Sunday night after their flickering playoff hopes were snuffed by Kyle Boller and the Ravens.

Boller went 24-for-34 for 289 yards and three touchdowns, and the Ravens used a 20-point rally in the second half for a 30-23 victory.

"It's horrible, man," said receiver Travis Taylor, who scored against his former team. "We've been working out since April 3. Now it's Dec.25. For it to come down to Week 16 and be out of the playoffs, it's hard."

Needing a win to stay alive, the Vikings came up with their worst defensive performance in two months. Minnesota, which hadn't given up more than 23 points since Oct.30, allowed the Ravens to convert 10 of 15 third downs.

"We didn't play well at all. Our offense gave us enough points to come out with a win," cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "What hurt was third down. They kept drives going. We can't do that."

The outcome gave the Giants a playoff berth.

"We obviously dug ourselves too big a hole early in the season to think that anything but winning out was going to be a clear path to the playoffs," Minnesota coach Mike Tice said. "It doesn't take a guy from the University of Virginia to figure out we didn't win out."

Tice, who played at Maryland, at least attempted to muster a joke in the wake of the bitter loss. Some of his players, however, couldn't follow suit.

"I can't even say anything now," safety Corey Chavous said. "I'm totally empty, along with my teammates."

In an effort to stop the Ravens' suddenly potent offense - Baltimore scored 48 Dec.19 against Green Bay - the Vikings tried almost everything.

Little worked.

"We played man, zone, three deep, short deep," Tice said. "We just didn't make the plays on third down."

Baltimore trailed 20-17 before Boller threw a 39-yard touchdown to Derrick Mason with 14:47 left. After Minnesota punted from the Ravens 38, Boller directed a 68-yard drive capped by Matt Stover's 38-yard field goal with 1:55 left.

The Vikings' last chance to win their fourth straight road game vanished when Brad Johnson fumbled on Adalius Thomas' sack. Baltimore turned it into a field goal with 1:03 left, and the Ravens followed Paul Edinger's 46-yard field goal by recovering the onside kick.

"We're sick to our stomachs for not getting this win," tight end Jim Kleinsasser said.

Boller had a solid encore to his three-touchdown effort against Green Bay. "I haven't made bad decisions the past two games. That's given us a chance to win," the third-year quarterback said.

[Last modified December 27, 2005, 02:30:20]