Vikes v. Chickens Recap
I love taking teams out behind the shed. I feel like Seattle deserved that beating just for being so smug about being from Seattle. We didn't lose focus and drop an easy one (Hey, Cinci, I'm looking in your direction.)
Let's get right to the notes -
1. Favre was unreal; 22 for 25 and 4 tuddies to 4 different receivers. 88% completion rate sets an all time high for him, can't believe that, right? Great numbers that he put up in 3 quarters of football as he got the yank at the end of the 3rd. In a conference call with DTK this morning, DTK brought up the fact that the three "incompletes" were an intentional grounding on a broken play, a bomb to Rice into double coverage that Rice almost brought down, and (I think) a dropped pass by AP on a screen (don't hold me to that.) Regardless, hard to get better than that. He literally uses everyone in the offense; I might catch my first NFL touchdown this year. Now that he's "one of us" clips like this are so much fun to watch. Get a cup of coffee, turn it up and enjoy him. (pay attention at the 4:39 mark. The Lions were so banged up they threw in Stephen Peterman to play on a goal line stand. Favre notices and yells "Damn Stephen, what they got YOU in for?!?!" Right before AP scores on him.)
2. Sidney and Percy and Adrian, Oh my! - What more can you say about the young talent on this team? After James Brown (God rest his belligerent, drug addict soul), Sidney Rice is the hardest working man in show business.
3. Shout out to the defense. Forsett ran for 123 against a decent, albeit fading, Arizona rush defense last week. Going into the 4th quarter against the Vikes, the Chickens had a combined -1 rushing yards. None too shabby.
4. Special teams - how do we like to talk about the likes of Heath Farwell with the fumble recovery? Yeah, two years ago I didn't know his name when he stopped by my old job to take pics and sign autographs, now I love him. So what?!?
5. TJac - Yes, TJac gets the mop up duty playing the entire 4th quarter. I like it. He threw an ugly ball to AP who made a nice grab for no gain. He did throw a nice ball to Rice who made a move for his second tuddy of the day. Bumpy at first but I don't think much tempo was lost when he played.
We're 9-1. How do you like me now?
5 Comments:
Honestly, this was the first totally stress-free Vikes game I've watched in years. We absolutely crushed them, and at no point during the game did I even say "come on" or "horrible call" or "what are we doing?" out loud at the TV. Seriously...Mrs. BG actually said: "Minnesota must be winning by a lot, because you haven't cussed out loud and all you've been doing is clapping." Yes, I was watching alone and clapping...as Jan would say: "so what?"
The 8-minute drive in the third quarter, which essentially put the nail in the coffin, was surgical. Runs, passes, short stuff, downfield stuff...we looked like the 2007 Patriots.
Is Sidney Rice okay? I didn't notice it during the game, but that highlight shows him limping off the field.
I also love that we got T-Jack some significant playing time, as there is still a decent chance he'll need to play a game or two down the stretch.
Finally, I know MCA has said this already, but that game just reminded me how deficient we've been at the QB position over the past several years. I mean, we went 10-6 last year with Frerotte and T-Jack. If we'd had Favre last year, we would have been 12-4, at least. We just need to keep taking care of business and hope that the Saints lose a couple games. If not, I'm starting to believe they are the 1998 Vikings and we will play the role of the 1998 Falcons...only better.
Next up: a reeling Bears team, with a QB that no one likes. Should be fun...
November 23, 2009 at 1:34 PM
"I have one goal and one goal only, to get this team to the superbowl".
-B. Favre
Now, thats what i've been waiting to hear from a viking qb for a long time. I love him. And if you watch the clip Jan sent, I am a big believer in the fact you can tell a lot about a player by how hard he slaps the ass of his teammates. You want a guy who's so excited he is willing to break his hand on someone's ass. You want the recipient of the slap to see the slapper coming and want to get away because it stings so bad, but he's not going anywhere, and he knows it. Like a wounded wildebeast trying to outrun a lion. Deep down, they should want to enjoy it as if it was a giant trophy from Oden himself who smashed it against their heads in lieu of a handshake. Jan, erroneously and maliciously, accused me of breaking his hand after gomez hit in the winning run in game 163. I wouldn't have regretted it if i HAD broken his hand. Thats the price of victory. It comes with uncontrolled excitement. I bet Favre and Jared Allen have put several players on the questionable list with ass bruises after a celebration. We should all want to have our ass slapped by those two. There, I said it. And I'm not ashamed of it.
Slap that ass, Brett. Slap that ass.
November 23, 2009 at 1:56 PM
I only am able to see the Vikes on NFL Red Zone which actaully was quite a bit yesterday. This year feels different from any other year on record. Even durning the 15-1 year, I remember being in Jan's apartment with both of us thinking we were going to drop that game to the Bucs. In past years you know that after benching Farve that early we would have had to bring him back in. he would be cold and that something bad would then happen. This year it is all sunshine and puppy dogs. I did not mind being ripped by Sidney Rice in two of my 3 FFL leagues.
November 23, 2009 at 2:04 PM
That game was so over at halftime I didn't even bother to watch the second half.
I think the long shot that Rice dropped doesn't count as a pass attempt, because it was on a defensive offsides which we ended up taking after not hooking on the free play. But whatever; obviously Favre sliced up that defense like one of those handsome All-American doctors on Grey's Anatomy from whom I'm sure dtk also desires a little ass-slapping.
The only problem with the Saints-Vikes '09 = Vikes-Falcons '98 is that we're too good for the Falcons role. Regardless of where an NFC Championship game between us and New Orleans would be, at least 45% of the pundits would be picking the Vikings based on Favre's experience and our defensive line having a chance to make things difficult for Brees. There's no Chris Chandler talent level disparity here. I hate bringing any undue attention to it, but we were MUCH better than anyone else in the league in '98; the Saints can't say that right now.
I saw a quote in the paper this morning where Favre admitted to having some sense of "insecurity" and lack of confidence early in the season, and had relied on Bevell and others to talk him up to start believing he really could do as well as he's doing. I think I hope he hasn't gotten all that confidence back, actually. I want him insecure. I do not him thinking he's going to win that close game in the playoffs by squeezing one into Rice in triple coverage just because he's Brett f'ing Favre, only to have it picked off and season's over before you can blink.
Anyway, when do teams decide to sell out on the pass rush and/or overload coverage schemes to bother Favre, leaving Peterson to beat them? I would have figured by this point that would have happened, but apparently the calculus is still that you've got a better chance of Favre screwing up in man coverage and four man rushes than you do of AP not gashing you for 200 if you play to stop the pass.
November 23, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Sorry guys, it's been awhile... the man has been keeping me down as of late. I know that is no excuse, I'll do better.
What I'm not sorry about is being a Viking's fan right now. I love this team, I love Zygi, I love AP, I love Rice, I love Winfield, I love EJ, I love that Allen plays for us, and dare I say it? dare I say it? Yes, I like Favre again.
Man this team is fun to watch, so talented on both sides of the ball right now.
That reminds me, would you guys please just get a stadium built already? You know you're going to do it- so get it done already- I don't want to hear anymore talk about luring the Vikings to LA.. I don't want them here- they belong there, in the frozen tundra. Tax cigarettes, open up medical marijuana shops, put slot machines in high schools, whatever needs to be done, the team (and Zygi) deserve a new stadium- RIP HHH, thanks for all the memories.
November 23, 2009 at 4:23 PM
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