The Vikings blocked a field goal attempt and recovered a muffed punt to set up a 15-yard touchdown drive during Sunday’s overtime win at Chicago. So naturally, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels spent most of his 18 minutes with reporters Tuesday discussing the two big blunders that turned an 11-point lead into a tie in the final 1:56 of regulation .

Forgive our sins and journalistic curiosity, Vikings Nation, while some of us ignored the good and headed straight for the ugly in our need to know how on earth the Vikings inadvertently injected so much unnecessary excitement into an otherwise lifeless aspect – kickoffzzz – of contemporary N.F.L.

“Obviously, things probably could have gone a lot smoother,” Daniels said.

NFL teams have kicked off 1,841 times this season. Opponents have returned 574. That’s a 31.2% return, which still seems boring unless you buy the NFL’s new and shamelessly self-aware “Dynamic Kickoff” rules and how, so far at least, they’ve beaten last year’s record. -low efficiency of 22.1%.

The Vikings haven’t bought into the idea that increased returns are a good thing. Therefore, their touchback percentage is 85.71%. Only the Rams’ percentage (88.89%) is higher.

Which brings us to Kicking Gaffe No. 1.

Vikings interim kicker Parker Romo, who should be commended for winning the game with a walkoff 29-yarder, also nearly helped lose the game when he bungled the kickoff that became only the eighth all season against the Vikings returned.