Green Bay @ Minnesota
8:30 PM ET, October 05, 2009
Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN
MNF Packers @ Vikings: The Brett Favre Bowl, Part I
The Brett Favre Saga over the past couple of years is a "beauty in the eye of the beholder" type story. If you're a Vikings fan, you have to be pleased with his play so far, and it must feel good to have a NFL-quality starting QB in your lineup. For Green Bay fans, well, your disgust and disdain for Favre suiting up in purple is legit. For most of the rest of the NFL-loving public, it was a story we were sick of hearing about.
But, admit it, tonight is something you want to see. The Brett Farve Bowl, Part I makes for interesting viewing. It’s not the Armageddon we’re all truly waiting for -- that would be Brett’s return to Lambeau Field on November 1st -- but it will do for now.
Lost among the hoopla is that the Vikings are looking like serious contenders in the NFC. They’re 3-0 and Favre has been the piece they needed to go with Purple Jesus and the Williams Bros. defense. On the other side, the Packers can create a three-way tie at the top of the NFC North with a victory tonight. So we have a true football game of interest even without the Favre dessert.
Green Bay Packers (2-1)
The Packers are an offensive football team, they can score points and they need to since their defense will give up yards and points. More specifically, the Pack is a passing team, with the trio of QB Aaron Rodgers and WR's Donald Driver and Greg Jennings being the workhorses. Green Bay has yet to find a consistent running game and Ryan Grant, who was a breakout player a few years back, is now averaging only 69 yards per game. The Packers want to run the ball more, it helps to set up the play-action pass, but against a defense that usually plays the run very well that will be an uphill battle.
The Packers can make up for the run deficit by turning to their passing game. One key is that Rodgers is not turning the ball over. So far on the young season, he’s thrown four TDs and zero INTs. If you’re going to live by the pass, you need a QB who doesn’t toss around interceptions; Rodgers is gold on that front in 2009. The other thing about Rodgers is he’s pretty good on the scramble. He’s not ‘known’ as a running QB, but his ability to pick up yards with his feet instead of lofting desperation passes fits perfectly in the Packers offense.
On defense, Green Bay has one overarching goal, and it’s not to beat Brett Favre into the artificial turf, although I’m sure that would be most satisfying. All enmity aside, they need to stop Adrian Peterson, or more accurately, slow him down. The Packers defense is in the middle of the pack as far as the NFL goes, so it’s likely Purple Jesus will get his yards. If the defense is to make a significant contribution, it will probably be harassing Favre into mistakes or poor throws. In the end though, Green Bay will probably just have to outscore the Vikes.
Minnesota Vikings (3-0)
For the last few years, the word on the Vikings has been: stack the box against Peterson and beg them to beat you with their QB. The Vikings have a very tough defense, and they have the anointed one in AP, but they’ve been saddled with sub-par QBs. So they did what they needed to do, they went an got a QB who everybody knows can make plays -- the problem over the last few years for Favre is making plays for both teams.
Favre has always been an inconsistent QB, he’ll make the spectacular play, then follow it up with a bonehead play. That’s life with these types of QB. But what Brett does for the Vikings is make the passing game a legitimate option. They desperately needed someone to loosen up the eight and nine-men box they were continually facing, so far mission accomplished. Favre has been efficient (65% pass completions) and he’s taking care of the football -- five TD passes and only 1 INT. Plus, he can still make the spectacular play like last week’s last-second TD pass for the win.
Even with all the Favre stuff, the straw that stirs the drink in Minnesota is Purple Jesus. Peterson has 357 rushing yards and four TDs in three games. The only team that has really slowed him down is the 49ers, who held him to only 85 yards and no TD. He still had a healthy 4.5 ypc in that game. This year though, the Vikes have a new weapon that is turning heads. Rookie Percy Harvin has dazzled with his speed and explosive-play capabilities. He's the Vikings leading receiver and has 2 TDs already in only three games, plus a kick-off return for a TD. Harvin looks to be the new go-to guy in the passing game.
On defense, Minnesota has been a stalwart against the run led by the law firm of Williams and Williams clogging up the middle. They make it tough for any team to run, and the Packers haven’t been lighting it up in the run game anyway. What some people don’t know is that the Vikings have been good against the pass this year, too, even better than their run defense, which is admittedly a little down statistically from previous years. One area the Pack need to control is the Vikings pass rush. A team like Green Bay -- if the Minnesota pass rush is not there -- has the weapons to make life difficult for the Vikes in The Brett Favre Bowl, Part I.
For a preview from the Packers side, visit Acme Packing Company. Taking care of business for the Vikes, the Daily Norseman.
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