In another painful 37-8 loss, the Minnesota Vikings again show how bad defeat can be.

The game wasn't even as close as it sounds. With just about three minutes left in the game, Daunte crept into the end zone and then tossed a quick two-point pass to save the shutout.

Crucial to the loss were the five interceptions thrown and the other two fumbles recovered by the Bengals.

Early in the first quarter I rhetorically suggested that the Vikings replace their obviously flustered All-Pro quarterback Culpepper with the former Viking, starting quarterback, Superbowl winning, back-up Brad Johnson. I also suggested we let our fumbling running back Bennett rest for a while. Bennett was rested, but returned to turn the ball over in the second half.

Culpepper played the whole game.

I understand that starting quarterbacks aren't pulled from bad situations. I also understand that sometimes it's just not your day. Whoever you are. When it's not your day, you put off what you can't do right until it is your day.

A strategy I think is missing from football in general is the swapping of quarterbacks. It happens in most other sports, save maybe soccer and hockey; players are swapped. In baseball it's a permanent swap--replaced players cannot return to the game, but that's not the case in football. Linemen, receivers, and backs all swap out to rest or for plays in which they're not suited. Why not quarterbacks. Put the back-up quarterback in for a bit, swap again when it makes sense.

It would add a kink to the defense as they'd have to adjust to the styles of multiple quarterbacks. It'd open up the offense, as the strengths and diversity of each would reflect in the available plays.

Whether or not quarterbacks are switched during the game, the Vikings have a terrible coaching problem. The inability to adjust, persevere, and overcome, is obviously not one of player inadequacy. They're all professional players, with a long history of training, usually from childhood. These guys can play ball. Sure, sometimes they get beat. Sometimes they get beat the whole game. But they know how to play.

The announcers kept commenting that Daunte's at a disadvantage because of the missing Moss. I maintain that his trade isn't so devastating, unless Culpepper is taking it personally. Last season Moss was injured and missed quite a few games. The Vikings, with Culpepper in the pocket, still won games, and even when they didn't they played well. Well, they played better than they have this season.

Get off the "Moss-loss" wagon, and just focus on what's there.