Around the NFC North: Vikings and Bears

by Brandon on Oct 26, 2009 1:15 PM CDT in Green Bay Packers News

I watched most of the Minnesota Vikings loss in Pittsburgh, 27 to 17, and it was a great loss for the Packers in a couple ways. First, it's their first loss of the season, and the Packers only trail them by 1 game in the loss column. Second, it seemed like a really physical game, and both teams must be hurting after it. CB William Gay certainly is after RB Adrian Peterson ran him over. Still, it wasn't a sign of big trouble either. The Vikings are still a really good football team. From Daily Norseman:

There were two big missed opportunities for the Vikings -- an absurd tripping penalty on Jeff Dugan that wiped away a Sidney Rice touchdown, and the pass that went through Chester Taylor's hands and sealed the deal for the Steelers. Both drives could have resulted in Viking touchdowns, and yet each resulted in seven for the Steelers...

Certainly, those two plays are the most obvious reasons for the defeat, but keep in mind some other factors. We saw glimpses of the old, undisciplined Vikings today -- 11 penalties for 78 yards. Several of those penalties were garbage calls, but the fact remains that you won't win too many games on the road with so many unforced errors...

It stings that a gutsy defensive effort was wasted, and it stings that numerous opportunities to win this one also went to waste. But it's important to keep perspective. Disappointing as this game is, it's 1/16 of the season.

I didn't watch the game phoned in by the Chicago Bears. I expected the Bengals to win, but I didn't expect a 45-10 blowout. From Windy City Gridiron:

This is one of those games that just hurts the soul...

At 3-3 it isn't over for the Bears, especially with the Cleveland Browns coming to town next week, but this game is a blueprint game for every team that we play the rest of the year. They are going to do the same type of things until we can prove we can stop them.

This was a total collapse game.

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It was a bad loss by the Bears, but I think they’re still a good team on offense. The defense, on the other hand, will need some offseason help. Still, we need the Bears to show up in their pair of games against the Vikings in Nov/Dec, so my building them up is definitely self-serving :)

by Danwood on Oct 26, 2009 2:57 PM CDT reply actions

I wonder if those bad calls for Minnesota is the refs making up for not calling them for holding the previous six weeks?

by Charlie Kelly on Oct 26, 2009 3:07 PM CDT reply actions

Call it a reversal of karma

which doesn’t always happen mid-season.

In any case, the horseshoe that Brad Childress and company might be on its way out. This week will certainly be telling of that.

"Brandon Jennings needs a nickname before he gives himself one. Oh wait, Young Money, he already did."

by Mitchell Maurer on Oct 26, 2009 5:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Great Day for the NFC North!

The Viking fans finally realized Brett can win you games, but he can also lose you games. I know the INT was not exactly his fault, but the throw was alittle high. The fumble ehh… bad protection but bottom line he didnt protect the ball. And cant remember if it was the fumble or the INT were he ran down trying to make a tackle and just lays down! But AP is just a beast! That hit he gave Gay hurt just looking at it!

The Bears played this week? They certainly did not show up in Cincy! Benson looked like he had something to prove to his former team and boy did he prove it! 180+ yards! And Cincy’s O had points on their first 5 or 6 possessions. Their D was just embarassed. I wouldnt expect another performance like this by their D but at the same time Benson is a good back but AP is better and they still do have to play the Vikings twice.

by bizzle4 on Oct 26, 2009 4:08 PM CDT reply actions

It wasn't Favre's fault

He did his job. Bad break for Chester Taylor, but a good break for the Packers.

by ktenreb on Oct 26, 2009 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions

not saying it was

but not saying it wasnt! It was a dropped ball that turned into an INT… either way i liked the outcome!

by bizzle4 on Oct 26, 2009 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions

What Favre did was nothing that was that out of the ordinary for any other QB to do (or fail to do). Including Aaron Rodgers.

I get the impression you are going out of your way to run down Favre, even when it is a bit of a stretch. Favre was not as sharp Sunday as he had been in recent games, no … but saying he’s the reason they lost is telling me more about your agenda than his performance.

by puddnhead on Oct 27, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Bretts a big guy, he doesnt need your support

and he only watches out for himself

Kind of a shame the Rockies aren't around to win it for Balloon Boy
-billyok

by blackoutsox on Oct 27, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions

My agenda..

was not trying to pick on Favre but more stating the box score. The fumble and INT, right or wrong with the technality of the stats, but both are knocks on him. I was not degrading him just stating the facts

by bizzle4 on Oct 27, 2009 8:57 PM CDT up reply actions

QBs

Get the fall when they turn the ball over! Rodgers was getting hammered by Viking fans in the first game because he turned the ball over twice even they weren’t totally his fault too. This is not something unusual. If the ball was in his chest and Taylor knocked it in the air and it was picked well that is different. This was a high pass that could have been caught but was NOT a high percentage pass. ON the fumble, he had the ball exposed with a hard pass rush coming around the outside. It happens to QBs…its still his fault though.

by TrevorR on Oct 28, 2009 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions

Yup

Stuff happens in games and turnovers are always gonna happen for QB’s but the QB has to take some of the blame unless he throws a perfect strike to a receiver (Ted Ginn Jr.) and the receiver hands it off to the other team basically. Some folks have said that Favre threw a good pass to Taylor so it’s all on Taylor and the Favre fumble was just a good pass rush.

Neither turnover was a real bad play by Favre but the fumble is on him for having the ball down in a position to get stripped, which is what happend, and the interception should be 50/50 blame. Taylor had the ability to catch that ball but Favre hurried the screen when they had time and threw it above his helmet so he gets some of the blame. Stuff like that happens during the season and that’s why teams rarely go undefeated.

by GGGamer on Oct 28, 2009 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions

Favre did do his job

until he lasered a screen pass at Chester Taylor’s head.

OK, maybe it wasn’t a laser, but it should have been less of a fastball. I’d give him at least 50% of the blame for that pick.

"Brandon Jennings needs a nickname before he gives himself one. Oh wait, Young Money, he already did."

by Mitchell Maurer on Oct 26, 2009 5:25 PM CDT up reply actions

What about his effort after the pick?

Sure, he’s 40 and all but if ESPN has lead us to believe anything, it’s that he’s like a kid out there. Maybe he just duidn’t see an opportunity to hit any of them below the knees while they weren’t looking.

by Charlie Kelly on Oct 26, 2009 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions

He was like a kid out there

A spoiled kid who takes his ball and goes home when things don’t go his way

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 26, 2009 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions

I detect childish pouting here

But it’s not coming from Favre.

by puddnhead on Oct 27, 2009 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions

wow its rare for someone to out themselves like that! ;-)

by TrevorR on Oct 27, 2009 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions

If he had a chop block

At least that would’ve prevented the game-sealing touchdown and get penalized instead.

by vitaminx on Oct 26, 2009 7:08 PM CDT up reply actions

An NFL player

should catch balls in his hands. I don’t remember thinking that the ball was thrown too hard to catch, but I remember thinking that Taylor needs to catch before he runs.

Favre wasnt going to make the tackle, even if he tried, but he didn’t try and he should have.

by ktenreb on Oct 27, 2009 6:27 AM CDT up reply actions

eh...

I thought it was a pretty poor pass. I watched the game and saw that pass. It went through Taylors hands but his hands were above his helmet. That is a very poor place to throw a screen pass. Keep in mind, Chester has HUGE Lineman and Linebackers all around him, not little corners so he needs an accurate pass so he can make a quick turn to elude getting KILLED. Sure he could have caught it but it was by no means a high percentage pass (read – in the chest)

by TrevorR on Oct 27, 2009 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions

exactly

by bizzle4 on Oct 27, 2009 8:59 PM CDT up reply actions

After he throws the pick

is it his job to try to tackle the guy and prevent a TD, or is that just for the other guys on the team? Funny how the same talking heads on the TV that praise Favre for running downfield to check on Percy Harvin or throw a block when no one is expecting him to conveniently overlooked his pathetic laying down to avoid being blocked on the INT or the fact that he just stopped running as soon as Woodley crossed him over on the fumble return. They’ve always said he plays with a LB’s mentality. I guess he can turn it on/off when he needs to.

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 26, 2009 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Actually

The fumble really is on Favre. The protection was just fine. One of Pitt’s OLB’s reached his hand out and knocked the ball from Favre as he was holding down by his hip.

I love watching his two attempts at a tackle on both those TD returns haha. He sure didn’t look like “he was just a kid out there”.

by packallday555 on Oct 26, 2009 5:53 PM CDT up reply actions

He held the ball too long...

He said he was trying to throw to Rice in the back of the endzone and it took too long to develop… and he had the ball too long.

I BELIEVE...

by ArizonaVikingsFan on Oct 27, 2009 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions

That's how the media praise has always been with Favre though

He throws a tight pass into triple coverage, it gets picked off. Oh well, he’s a gunslinger. Rex Grossman does the same thing and he’s a terrible QB. You don’t really realize how annoying it is until you’re rooting against him.

by Charlie Kelly on Oct 26, 2009 5:45 PM CDT reply actions

Well, in defense of the media,

Brett is cut a lot of slack because he just flat out wins games…in the regular season.

Seriously though, Brett faced plenty of the same sort of criticism for some ridiculous plays early in his career that Grossman got justly hit with in his brief NFL career. The difference between the two qbs is that Brett continued to improve and won a ton of games, including a Super Bowl, while Grossman basically plateaued at average and went down from there.

I’m as annoyed as anyone with the shameless adulation Favre receives at the national level of the media, but I think it’s a bit unfair to criticize those who rightly point out that Grossman sucks because you’re tired of our nation’s collective man-crush on Brett.

Apples, oranges, imo.

by 400metres on Oct 26, 2009 6:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Grossman

Is still playing. He’s #2 or 3 in Houston. The past tense and the “brief career” make it sound like he’s out of the league. He’s probably better than Russell in Oakland and those 2 guys in Cleveland.

by uglyfatpimplynerd on Oct 26, 2009 8:29 PM CDT up reply actions

I think my sig says it best

It came from a post by a Seahawk fan in anticipation of a Charlie Frye start.

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 26, 2009 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions

I would love to see that list.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on Oct 26, 2009 9:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Funny

You never see those “Power Rankings” broken down on PTI, do you?

“Coming up after the break, the guys break down which teams would be sitting pretty if every starting QB in the league (and their backups) were forced to miss next weeks game!”

Now THAT’S must see TV

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 27, 2009 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions

Haha

That quote is way too ridiculous. The first time I read that I couldn’t stop laughing.

by packallday555 on Oct 26, 2009 10:31 PM CDT up reply actions

It was a bad analogy comparing him to Grossman

but what I was trying to say with it is that for as long as I can remember, Favre has always seemed immune to criticism from the media.

by Charlie Kelly on Oct 26, 2009 9:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Yikes...

Favre got PLENTY of criticism. If you live outside of WI I think you hear it more. He is the only guy really though that made the gunslinger work so well. There are many others out there that have tried (Grossman, Losman, Cutler come to mind) but just aren’t talented enough to make up for the mistakes.

by TrevorR on Oct 27, 2009 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Yesterday was just like the Big Ten/ACC Challenge

every year in College basketball. The AFC North/NFC North showdown: The collision of the upper midwest.

by jobe on Oct 26, 2009 6:01 PM CDT reply actions

Oh man

Speaking of that I love the Big Ten/ ACC Challenge. Unfotunately, it seems that they ACC always comes out on top. Just curious do you have any idea who the Badgers play this year?

by packallday555 on Oct 26, 2009 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Wisconsin plays Duke

My Terps, no matter what our record is, always seems to Bug Ten opponent. How many straight years now has the ACC won this thing?

by jobe on Oct 26, 2009 6:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Haha

I don’t know exactly but it seems like they’ve won the last 5 years at least. Haha oh great, Duke just signed some of the top recruits in the nation, and they have an awfully nice team to build off of.

One of my good friends who I played aau with is a HUGE Terps fan. He went to a Maryland vs. Duke game at Cameron, and had the time of his life.

I’m a huge Carolina fan and I hate that the Terps always seem to ruin our perfect record haha.

by packallday555 on Oct 26, 2009 10:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Favre is going to fry you like a cheesecurd silly packers

Stop talking like you hate Favre, he will be in Lambchop stadium soon enough to crush you again. He’s going to make you look silly.

"You thought you could beat my team, but yours decided to go have ice cream. Bow to my awesomeness" Brad Childress

by packerslayer on Oct 27, 2009 2:46 AM CDT reply actions

I feel really sorry for Packer fans

Who feel forced to belittle one of the most significant paleyrs in their franchise history, in order to ovoid dealing with theri own emotional issues.

That must suck to be that insecure.

by puddnhead on Oct 27, 2009 12:15 PM CDT reply actions

I feel really sorry for Viking fans

Who have to rely on Packer castoffs to get anywhere in the league. Is your team really so poor at developing players that you can only get your quality players from other teams. Sure you get lucky sometimes with players like AP falling to you but for the most part your biggest playmakers are all taken from other teams that did all the work of developing them. Sadly even doing that you still have how many titles in your ENTIRE HISTORY??? Yikes sorry man.

Skol home to your own site unless you have something of value to add.

by TrevorR on Oct 27, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

I'm also sorry for Viking fans

Who have never had someone so significant in their franchise history that they could even be sorry if they left.

That must suck to be insignificant

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Oct 27, 2009 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

So much animosity

for a man who put your franchise back on the national radar after 2 decades of virtual obscurity. No way was the viking loss to Pittsburg attributable to one person. Any QB will naturally get a lot of attention in those situations but I think if Farve throws that pass 10 times Chester Taylor catches it 9 or 10. As far as him making a tackle, your comments just reflect your desire to find fault. You guys have clearly not yet moved on, and Aaron Rodgers deserves better than that.

by Jshore on Oct 27, 2009 12:19 PM CDT reply actions

Sure he doesn’t get all the blame but ya know what, if Tavaris makes that throw or Sage, you guys would all be KILLING them right now. The pass was over Chesters head. His hands were above his helmet when he tried to catch it…a screen should NEVER be up there because there are too many bodies around to take it away. A screen pass needs to be VERY accurate and that one just wasn’t. Was it catchable, sure. Was it an easy catch, I don’t think so. I guess you credit the big defensive guy for making a great play and yell at the Viking players who made it look like he had a force field around him on his way to the end zone.

by TrevorR on Oct 27, 2009 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions

We've all

Pretty much moved on. The only reason we say stuff about him when he plays poor is because Vikings fans make sure we hear about him playing well when it happens. All of us on here (for the most part) are very happy with Rodgers, and really how couldn’t we be?

He has the second best Qb rating in league (110.8) despite being sacked more then any other Qb, and a TD:INT ratio of 11:2. Doesn’t really get much better then that. It’s really going to be scary to see what he can when he has a line that can give him a good amount of time on a consistent basis. This guy will likely be the best Qb in the NFL at some point in his career.

by packallday555 on Oct 27, 2009 12:52 PM CDT reply actions 3 recs

Jarred Allen

Having to oppose Jarred Allen 2 times a season will make make Rodgers gunshy or possibly beheaded at some point in his most likely short career.

"You thought you could beat my team, but yours decided to go have ice cream. Bow to my awesomeness" Brad Childress

by packerslayer on Oct 27, 2009 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions

You

Really are horrible at being a troll.

by packallday555 on Oct 27, 2009 5:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Doesn't Jarred Allen

only have two sacks outside of the Packer game this season going up against the terrible Daryn Colledge at LT? Allen is good but go look at his career matchups. The guy gets abused by the good LT’s in the league and abuses the bad backups like Colledge and ups his numbers. All he does is rush the QB and he’s one of the worst run defending DE’s in the league. I’d rather have Kampman at DE truly. Great run defender and he and Allen had the same amount of sacks the last three seasons.

by GGGamer on Oct 27, 2009 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Plus Kampman isn't a classless self hyping tool.

by Charlie Kelly on Oct 28, 2009 6:08 AM CDT up reply actions

I like Allen and I am a diehard Packer fan. I think he’s freakin hilarious and a dominant end. I have nothing bad to say about him. I listen to his show on KFAN when I can and he’s always good for a laugh and a few good quotes. He and Kampman are probably the two best ends in the league. They play and act different but both get the job done (when in their natural position). Would I choose one over the other…I don’t think so. I think if Allen was a Packer, though you guys would love him!

by TrevorR on Oct 28, 2009 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions

Gotcha

It is intriguing to look at Allen’s career matchups though. Clifton dominated him the first few times they played when Clifton wasn’t a gimp and over the hill. Even the first game last season Clifton owned Allen. If you look at a majority of Allen’s sacks every season they come against terrible offensive lines and he gets shut down (even though a lot of good LT’s shut down good DE’s) by good OT’s.

He’s best as a pest. He is high energy and he makes protection schemes worry about him which helps his fellow d-lineman. That is what he does best. Outside of his high energy pass rushing reputation, he is a horrid run defender and most teams take advantage of him in the screen and run game because he pushes hard up the field every play regardless of the situation. The guy is an impact player so I would love to have him on the right side and Kampman on the left side if they were in a 4-3 (boy would they dominate) but I think he’s a situational player. Sacks are the big thing with DE’s but getting up field quick is all he does.

by GGGamer on Oct 28, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions