Like
1
EAGAN, Minn. -- Ty Chandler grew into a cult hero of Minnesota Vikings fans this season, long before he got a chance to be the team's lead running back. Like a backup quarterback behind a struggling starter, Chandler always seemed to profile as someone who might perform better.
The Vikings' brain trust, however, didn't agree. Despite some of the NFL's most anemic rushing numbers, and having seen for themselves his potential for explosiveness, coaches held Chandler in a supplemental role until they had no other realistic choice. His 132-yard performance in Saturday's 27-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Vikings' first 100-yard rushing game in more than a calendar year, was a reminder that sometimes decisions aren't hard as NFL teams make them.