I can recall four games when the Vikings beat the Packers at Lambeau Field: 1998 (though I didn't watch this game: I was was at play rehearsal for O Pioneers!), 2003, the 2004 playoff game, and 2005. It's always special when the Vikings win at Lambeau, and we can always hope they will (because sometimes they do), but we shouldn't ever expect it to happen. It is rare. Even a good Viking team is likely to struggle at Lambeau: if the Vikings can get a season split with the Packers, they should be OK.
The Vikes played a good opponent on the road to within a touchdown and lost. So now we move on. This Sunday is the home opener against an Indianapolis team that just suffered a bad home loss to the Bears. The Colts are still scary, but it appears that now is the right time to face the Peyton Manning passing attack, and if Matt Forte can run well against the Colts' defense, Adrian Peterson should be dynamite.
Patience. The Vikings fully revealed their weaknesses on Monday Night, but this can still be a special season.
It's easy to take a big step back and just look at the score and what venue was played in, but that isn't the concern. Just losing to the pack in lambeau doesn't explain what happened Monday night. It's what is going to happen the rest of the season?
ReplyDeleteThe story this whole offseason was developing this team, especially the QB. From what I saw Monday night, regarldess if we had won or not, was that we have taken no steps forward in accomplishing a developed QB. TJACK LOOKED NO DIFFERENT FROM PAST SEASONS.
So we lost, it's not the end of the world, there's 16 games, but its in the way that it happened. Kick returns happen sometimes, if it happens again then it would be a major concern, but we had many other opportunities to score and we didn't.
The playcalling is another issue. Childress has proven to be substandard in his knowledge and strategy of offensive and defensive schemes. Not blitzing Rodgers on 3rd downs, dropping into zone coverage, not running outside screen passes on offense during packer blitzs, running right up the middle when everyone (especially the packers) expect him to.
There's no secret or mystery as to what Childress is going to do each game. That scares me more than anything.
Good points.
ReplyDeleteDespite the disappointing pass rush, I'm not worried about the defense. There will be games when a pass rush gets shut down, no matter how good the line is. When that's happening, the team needs to adjust with blitzes.
What gives me some hope about T-Jack's game was the defensive opponent. The Packers have good pass rushing DEs, and the Vikes were without McKinnie--problem one. And the Packers have two good cover corners in Al Harris and Charles Woodson, which helps explain why Viking receivers were getting little separation--problem two. In the criticisms of Jackson's accuracy last season and Monday, we can overlook the fact that Jackson's passes are often required to be spot-on, because the WRs rarely give him separation to leave any leeway. Jackson also threw some sharp, accurate passes Monday (that nice pass between defenders that Shiancoe dropped sticks out). More than worrying about Jackson's accuracy, I want to see if Berrian and Rice can consistently give Jackson an open target--if a WR gets open, a pass can be slightly off and still lead to a completion.
But yes, it felt like Jackson was pretty much the same player that he was last season. Let's see what happens this week: Kyle Orton looked solid against the Colts, so if Jackson looks the same in week 2 as he did in week 1, we're in trouble.
Dudes, you need to know the following:
ReplyDeleteJason Spitz played center for the Packers. Jason Spitz had never started at center before last night. Jason Spitz NEVER played center in his career. And he completely handled Pat Williams. Ya'know, the guy who has terrorized offensive linemen since he came to the Vikes? That bother anyone? Because it sure bothers ME.
And you know WHY the Vikings didn't blitz?
Would YOU blitz when you have a backup corner who was getting ABUSED? Gordon was getting SCHOOLED by either Jennings or Driver. And by the way, contrast THAT effort with Spitz who was acting in a backup capacity.
That tells me a LOT about the coaching staff.
And not to belabor the quarterback issue but remember the TD called back because the lineman was downfield for GB? Well, that was an audible between Rodgers and Driver. Done with a HAND SIGNAL immediately before the play because Rodgers saw something and let Drive know what to do. So the lineman was downfield because it was a running play called but Rodgers changed it at the last second and if not for back luck would have had a 68 yard TD pass.
And it was a beautiful pass by the way.
Guy starts his first game. And he audibles into a long TD pass thrown perfectly.
Anyone remember TJ doing that?
Me neither.
Spitz has been a starter for a few years. He's the Pack's best interior lineman. He's supposed to do well. I was a little surprised Jared Allen did so much talking pre-game, considering how Clifton abused him last year, but you'll get that.
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