Packer-Viking Recap

I came away with many thoughts and opinions after the latest installment of Packers/Vikings:

And I lead with this because it’s the most important of all my thoughts and opinions. The NFL is as about as unpredictable as it comes. And everything I mention from here on out in this rant, could easily be as far from the truth as possible by next week.

Both of these football teams have a ton of weaknesses. The Packers have so many injuries that they should be holding open tryouts on a daily basis across Wisconsin to see if anyone can help them out.

The Vikings are the most underachieving team in the league, and I blame most of that on the coach who is so bent on running his system that he doesn’t have the vision of how to use his players the best way.

This was an extremely entertaining game. The ebb and flow combined with the story lines and last minute finish were spectacular.

Oh, and of course throw in the absolutely pathetic officiating. And by the way Viking fans, it didn’t just work against you. Let me just mention a few bad calls that went AGAINST the Packers in this game: the late hit by Nick Collins was not late. He made the hit in bounds. The interception at the end of the first half in the end zone might have been caught had Greg Jennings not been mugged running his route down the sideline and yet no pass interference or holding was called. The spot after a third down pass to Jennings before the Vikings last drive was horrendous. It should have been first down, but instead it was fourth down. The Packers failed to pick it up and there began the final Viking drive. On one of the Adrian Peterson’s 20-year gallops on the last drive, there was a blatant block in the back that sprang Peterson on a cut back move. There were more, but I’ll stop there.

Mike McCarthy needs to run the ball more. Brandon Jackson may be a below average NFL running back, but like any running back in this league, if you give him 20-plus carries, he is going to start picking up more and more yardage as the game goes along, especially when you are winning in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

Brett Favre is amazing and yet a shell of himself. He almost pulled this game out. But he can’t move in the pocket and is back to throwing interceptions this year. When you throw in the terrible coaching, I don’t think he can succeed in this system anymore.

Back to the Packer injury situation. Frank Zambo was playing defensive end during the fourth quarter. Zambo is a rookie backup linebacker. But because of the Packers injury epidemic and the front office’s refusal to do anything about it, Zambo actually helped lead the Packers to victory.

Clay Matthews is the difference maker in this defense. With Matthews and the return of Al Harris and Atari Bigby, this defense may be able to salvage the season.

At the moment, I don’t see either of these teams contending for anything this year, but as they say, championships aren’t won in October in the NFL.

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