Vikings look worthy of palatial new stadium, which also looks strong in debut

MINNEAPOLIS — It was just before halftime Sunday when a guy in a faded Brett Favre jersey began hurling four-letter words and imploring everyone in a section below the U.S. Bank Stadium press box to stand up and get into the bleeping game.

This was a preseason contest mind you, the first at the Minnesota Vikings’ sparkling new home, and play was stopped because of a San Diego Chargers injury. But on Fake Favre went, suggesting in no uncertain terms that if fans really wanted this $1.1 billion football palace, they shouldn’t waste two quarters of exhibition ball sitting idly in those un-sat-upon purple seats.

More than 50 years of memorable failures — four Super Bowl losses, Gary Anderson’s missed field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship Game, Favre’s killer interception in the 2009 NFC Championship Game, Blair Walsh’s missed field goal in last season's playoffs, the roof of the old stadium caving in under a huge snowfall along the way — and a couple early afternoon beers can leave things a little edgy.

But as the Vikings head into coach Mike Zimmer’s third season, starting with the Sept. 11 opener on the road against the Tennessee Titans and the nationally televised home debut a week later against the Green Bay Packers, there’s little doubt they’re set up better for success than they’ve been in a long time.

And not just because they traded the Metrodome dump for a penthouse.

They’re coming off a surprising NFC North title run. They’re loaded with ascending playmakers on defense, including safety Harrison Smith, end Everson Griffen, nose tackle Linval Joseph and linebacker Anthony Barr. Their offense revolves around an elite tailback, Adrian Peterson.

They believe (even if many others don’t) in third-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who showed his arm fatigue to be a non-issue in carving up the Chargers defense during a two-minute march Sunday, bringing enough noise from the 66,143 on hand to goof up the ensuing conversion try.

“You’re like, ‘No. Nooooo,’ veteran guard Alex Boone told USA TODAY Sports. “That’s the thing, is (fans) get so excited, and it’s funny, because we’re in the huddle, and everyone’s like, ‘Somebody calm them down, please.’ Because Teddy’s so soft-spoken, sometimes, you’re like, ‘What’d he say?’ There was a couple times where I couldn’t even hear the count.”

This building is a futuristic marvel. A sloped, 60% transparent roof lets in the sun while providing protection from Minnesota winters. Swinging doors 55 feet wide open one entrance. It’s a big stadium — nearly double the footprint of the dome that used to sit on this site — but feels intimate, with the front row 41 feet from the field and some suites within 25 feet.

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Early evidence suggests U.S. Bank Stadium can pump up the volume, too, resuming what was a major advantage before the Vikings played the past two seasons outdoors at a college stadium named after a different bank while this place was under construction. The team measured a high of 114 decibels Sunday.

“It was pretty loud — for a preseason game especially,” said Smith, who caught a tipped ball for one of three Vikings interceptions Sunday. “I think it’ll be plenty loud once the real stuff comes around for sure.”

Still, as Griffen put it: “If you don’t win, there’s no home-field advantage.”

There’s a chicken-egg thing going on there, but think of it this way: No Vikings fan wants to watch Bridgewater getting sacked on the massive video boards behind each end zone. No Vikings fan want to be close to the action of an opponent beating an ill-fated blitz for a long TD, as Chargers back Melvin Gordon did for a 39-yard score Sunday.

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No Vikings fan wants Fake Favre giving another profanity-laced pep talk to every man, woman and child within earshot on Sept. 18 if things have gone south against the Packers — even if some fancy cuisine and a craft beer and wide concourses to go grab another might ease the pain.

“You’ve got to go out and execute, put up points," said Boone. "You’ve got to have the fans in the game.”

Getting people in those giant doors won’t be a problem anytime soon. But after decades of near-misses, the Vikings’ ability to play up to their high potential certainly will make a difference in how people feel about this place when they walk back out.

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Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero

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