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Vikings vs Packers, Week 10 |
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Saturday, 10 November 2007 |
Vikings vs Packers , 11 Nov 2007
Pregame Analysis by Dave Stefano
VikingsValhalla.com
The trick this week will be to focus the players and the organization on the Packers. Coming off of Adrian Peterson’s NFL record day and the dominating victory over the Chargers there has been plenty of to distract the team.
I thought (and think) that we will look at the Chargers game as the turning point for the organization and of the season. Adrian Peterson had established an argument for himself that he is the best back in the league, and that he has done it as a rookie makes it all the more amazing. The defense played lights out in their best overall performance this year. The offense clicked, maybe not as efficiently in the passing game as we want, but there were no major gaffs either. The offense even stepped it up a notch when Tarvaris was knocked out (literally) and Brooks Bollinger came in on relief. He has completed over 70% of his passes, one touchdown pass and had no interceptions. That folks is real improvement.
So at the beginning of the week, rather than having the traditional theme of “Packer Week 2: The Revenge”, we got the Adrian Peterson show all across the country. Okay, we can live with that because he did set more than one NFL record and this is a very happy topic in what has been a disappointing season so far. (He deserves the accolades too.)
Then we hear what is becoming known as “Funeralgate”. The denying of Troy Williamson’s game paycheck for the game he missed while taking 11 days of bereavement time off. The whole issue has been a worst PR blunder under Childress’ tenure. Then to exacerbate it, coach Childress himself was the one to go out and give the excuse that it was due to business principles. This gave the country the view that the team was cheap and crass. In all the talk of family and values that Zygi Wilf has espoused, his underlings have operated as cheaply and without empathy as an old used car salesman just trying to squeeze every extra penny out of the sucker willing to buy his piece of junk car.
Then tie in the results from this and other Childress actions as Mike Florio from ProFootballTalk.com writes, and the situation gets even direr.
“The move, as we hear it, is pushing some veteran players -- and some members of the coaching staff -- toward a revolt against Childress.
Even before the widely-criticized decision to withhold $25,000 and change from Williamson, there were strong signs of discontent. Presiding over a struggling offense and meddling (as we're told) with defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier's work has made Childress a target for quiet (to date) hostility.”
As a head coach, you will have influence over your defense, but this doesn’t sound like that. This sounds like undermining of the defensive coordinator. (Weren’t there rumblings of that last year?) That is never a good leadership principle on the battlefield, in business, on the field of play, or at home and makes it harder and harder to recover from and leads straight to disfunctionality and dissent. We’ve been hearing this all week, and just barely is there a word or feeling of anticipation going into what is usually the most savored game of the season. The warning buzzer is blaring in my head.
The question will be if Childress has enough skill and leadership to move the team through all of these distractions, plus the everyday ones like injuries, and focus the team to the task at hand, going over to Lambeau and defeating the 7-1 Packers?
Green Bay has with no running game to speak of, and has relied on Brett Favre to throw their way to an NFC best 7-1 record. That and a good defense have culminated in balls bouncing the Pack’s way. The Vikings will have to come in determined to change that.
Let’s start with the Vikings defense stopping the Packer offense.
The Pack are 32nd in the league at running the football averaging only 72.1 yards a game. Put that against the Vikings rush D that is currently second in the league and holding their opponents to just 70.4 yards a game and running might be futile. DeShawn Wynn is their leading rusher on the year with 203 yards total after 8 games (he only played in 7). He and anybody else unfortunate to have to run should have the Williams Wall and their supporting cast of defensive ends and linebackers salivating to make their rushing numbers smaller than it has ever been this season.
The Pack passing game led by a Brett Favre, who is having his best season at age 38, is a whole different story. They rank 2nd in the league with a 290.1 yard passing average. They will load that up against our pass defense that has moved up from last to 31st in league giving up 275.6 yards per game. The D will be facing leading receiver Donald Driver along with Jennings, Jones, Lee and tight end Bubba Franks.
This will make the Packer offensive game plan obvious, abandon a useless running game and let Brett wear his arm out (if that is possible). Antoine Winfield may play but will be nursing a sore hamstring and is listed as questionable, but if not, Marcus McCauley will get the start in his place. He did well against the Chargers, but as the 5th DB in the first game, Favre picked on him for two TD passes. The Vikings were able to confuse Philip Rivers last week disguising their cover packages and will try and do the same this week, but that task will be much more difficult against the crusty old future Hall of Fame’r having the best season of his career.
The Vikings offense should have the ability to keep this game close, which means handing off the ball to Adrian Peterson and a sprinkling of Chester Taylor, then throw a completed passed or two to keep the defense honest.
We’ll face a Packer rush defense that is currently ranked 8th in the league (same spot San Diego was last week) and match that against our #1 ranked rushing offense. The Pack has held teams to an average of only 93.8 yards, whereas the Vikings average almost doubles that with 183.1 yards of pounding the rock. The Pack has only given up one game of over 100 yards to a runner all season, and that was 112 to Adrian Peterson the first time they met, and Adrian didn’t even start that game. With our linemen and fullback loving to drive block and getting better at it, this should mean even more yards for the Vikings.
That brings up the passing game where we will face the 20th ranked passing D averaging 219.9 yards against so far this season. This will be pitted against the 30th ranked pass offense averaging only 151.5 yards a game to be led by either Tarvaris Jackson, still listed as questionable or most likely Brooks Bollinger. Bollinger has pleasantly surprised most of us in his relief appearances and has accumulated a team best quarterback rating of 112.3. He has been getting at least 50% of the practice snaps all week and looks to be the starter even though Childress won’t admit it, saying again, “it is a game time decision.” Brooks has completed passes and moved the chains and this is what the receiving corps is looking for to give them their breakout game. Throw in the fact that the Packers have given up three 100 yard receiving games to tight ends, and Visanthe Shiancoe could be the biggest recipient of Bollinger’s passes all afternoon.
Minus Brooks getting injured (the annoying pattern so far this season), I see this game as a coming out for the offense against a team that really isn’t as good as their record indicates. Our defense will play the Packers tight leaving plenty of opportunities for the O. They will try and continue with their theme from last week of 3 and outs leaving the rest of the time for Adrian Peterson and a little Brooks Bollinger to work some magic in Lambeau.
If the distractions of the week can be overcome, I see a Vikings victory and another step towards .500 and then onwards toward capturing a Wild Card playoff berth.
SKOL VIKINGS!
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Discuss (8 posts)
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Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 10 2007 19:45:15
This thread discusses the Content article: Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Packer Week 2: The Revenge
With both the offense and defense improving, the Vikings may have turned the corner and are heading in the right direction. It comes at the most opportune time, when they face their arch rivals in their hallowed halls. I'm hoping greatly that the team is focussed beyond the distractions of the week and give their all on the football field and in doing so, coming away with their second victory in a row.
I've broke it all down and look forward to your inputs. And as always:
GO VIKINGS!
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#1781 |
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Re:Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 11 2007 16:19:29
Hoping to see the same pass rush as last week.... something about seeing #4 on his butt is just really funny too me. 
Hopefully our coaches look at the film from when we played the pack in the dome and notice something... when we ran the ball... IT WORKED!
and if T Jack can't play, I say, put in Viktor!
(how hard is it to hand off the ball?!?!) 
SKOL VIKINGS!
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#1787 |
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Re:Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 11 2007 16:52:43
I least then Viktor would have a use
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#1789 |
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Re:Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 11 2007 21:35:33
Man.. the team isn't playing like last week. Less active on both sides of the line..
Hope the second half shows some sign of life.
Where is the f'ing blitz... #4 has always been known to turnover the ball with a bad pass if you just pressure him.. yet we rush 3 maybe 4.
!@#$!@#$@#!$@#$@#$
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#1791 |
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Re:Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 11 2007 22:32:46
Childress sucks.......pass it on
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#1792 |
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Re:Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 12 2007 00:38:12
I missed the game, and it looks like that was best. What happened? I see that Adrian got hurt, right knee. How bad is that? 34-0... Ouch! Is that mutiny Florio talked about happening?
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#1793 |
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Re:Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 12 2007 01:27:54
POSTED 3:58 p.m. EST, November 11, 2007
PACKERS SHUT OUT VIKES FOR THE FIRST TIME
On Sunday, the Vikings and the Packers met for the 94th time.
And, for the first time in the 46-year series, the Packers have held the Vikings scoreless.
The 34-0 win by the Packers is the first shut out by either team in their twice-per-year matchups since Minnesota beat Green Bay 3-0 at the old Metropolitan Stadium in 1971. (The two teams have played two times per season since 1961, with the exception of the strike-shortened 1982 season.)
It's also the largest margin of victory by the Packers over the Vikings, ever.
In all, the Packers have won 48 times in the regular season, and the Vikings have won 44 times. They tied once. Minnesota won the only playoff game between the two teams, featuring the infamous Randy Moss mooning incident.
This is sad. At least Les Steckel's team scored points against the Packers. I (we) will be hearing about this from my brain damaged Packer fan buddies for the next 9 or 10 months now.
You got to be kidding me Childress!
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#1795 |
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Re:Vikings vs Packers, Week 10
Nov 12 2007 02:46:49
Chidress has to go!!I quit watching in the 3rd quarter, this is the worst loss since 41-0!!
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#1797 |
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