Trailing Clouds of Heaven: Vikings 35, Seahawks 9

Vikings-Seahawks Box Score (ESPN)

Domination
After busting out with a 21 point second quarter to establish the rout, the Vikes virtually sealed the game with a 12 play, 89 yard touchdown drive in the third quarter. Every number points to a Viking team that dominated a game it should dominate.

Points: Vikings 35, Seahawks 9

First Downs: Vikings 28, Seahawks 10

Yards: Vikings 431, Seahawks 212

Time of Possession: Vikings 42:11, Seahawks 17:49

Brett Favre
22/25 throwing a lot of different types of passes to several different receivers. Growing up with Tecmo Super Bowl, I love deep passing. But it's these days when Favre lights it up with short and intermediate passing that make me confident the Vikes can win games in the playoffs. Teams might scheme to take away the deep pass plays, and they might scheme to stop big runs. But it's hard to stop a QB with a firm grasp of his offense, a quick release, good pass protection, and several reliable pass catchers to choose from.

Visanthe Shiancoe
When an opposing defense focuses on preventing deep passes, the Vikings have been good at running an efficient, high percentage short passing game. When that becomes the strategy, Shiancoe becomes a very good target. He's reliable at both getting open and holding the ball.

He's one reason the Viking offense can succeed at virtually anything the defense is willing to allow.

Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin
Rice: 6-89-2
Harvin: 5-79-1

Both Rice and Harvin were effective running after the catch today. They did little things to gain yardage after catching the ball that looked easy and obvious, but actually took some savvy and skill.

And that's yet another way to break an opponent that's working to stop the deep pass: catch the short passes and run with them. Rice and Harvin do well at that: they're both tough players that are hard to bring down.

E.J. Henderson
I thought he played a pretty good game: frequently at and behind the line of scrimmage making tackles and disrupting plays. Today he looked like the old E.J. Henderson.

Chester Taylor
It also felt good to see Taylor making positive plays. Adrian Peterson can get a break for a play or two, and the Vikes still have a player that provides a running threat and works effectively in the passing game.

Run and Pass Defense
Aaahh. The Seahawks had 13 carries for 4 yards. Since 2006, Viking fans have started taking these sort of games as a birthright.

The Viking defense was also excellent versus the pass today, and still without Antoine Winfield (nice to go 3-1 while he gets healthy). It's all sort of a blowout blur to me now, but it seems to me a lot of Viking linebackers and defensive backs were making effective plays in pass coverage.

Skol
The Vikings are 9-1, and host the Bears next week. The Vikes still haven't lost a home game or an NFC game. There's nothing to feel bad about right now. I spend most of my football anxiety not fearing a Viking collapse, but fearing potential playoff opponents like New Orleans or Green Bay.

The Vikings look dominant on offense, on defense, and on special teams. Skol.