Week 13: Packers vs. Vikes

Game Day Mimosa at LG Bar and Grill

Well, yesterdays game started out strong but kind of fizzled, and for a while there I wasn't sure we were going to come out on top. Thank goodness for Morgan Burnett!
The Rodgers to Jones TD in the first quarter was spectacular. Jones really did a great job of hauling that one in. The run game went OK, although Minnesota's run game fared slightly better. Lol. (Adrian Peterson had a record day, with a career long 83 yard run for a TD). I don't think it has so much to do with our running backs lack of skill so much as the offensive line not executing the run blocks effectively. They just can't seem to create the gaps that other teams are able to, and it leaves our backs...well, on their backs. I do like the Starks/Green combination, and I think playing both of them is working out.
Crosby is on his way out for sure. I hate to say it because he has been so awesome for so long, but he almost missed a 30 yard field goal, at home, and then did miss the 53 yarder to end the half. If we are going to make it to the playoffs, we cannot afford to only make a 3rd of our field goal opportunities. I'd be really surprised if they stick with him for the rest of the season. It's too bad, and I feel for him. And I feel awful saying all this but it's true.
The end of the first quarter, beginning of the second was sort of blah. There were a bunch of 3 and outs and then Jordy Nelson hurt his hamstring. GREAT. That's just what we need. At least Greg Jennings is back out on the field.
I thought the play calling was really conservative yesterday, and I didn't care for it. McCarthy was definitely playing it safe all the way. Twice we were at 4th and  inches and McCarthy chose to punt. I know AP (Adrian Peterson) is a threat, but with the Vikes main receiver out of the game, I would have given the offense a shot. I know the decision probably has to do with the backup personnel on the field, and not being exactly sure what the offensive line, in particular, would do. But Rodgers was out there, and Jennings and Cobb, and Kuhn, and Green. I mean for crying out loud one of those guys could have moved the ball 2 inches for a first down. We didn't play an aggressive game, and that annoys me, because that's what football is all about. But anyway.
Then on the first play after the half Crosby made yet again another huge mistake. (The rule is if you kick a ball out of bounds between the 5 yard line and end zone on a kickoff, then the ball automatically gets moved to the 40 yard line.) The next play AP took it all the way down to the 13 yard line in one run. It was around then that I started to get nervous. But luckily Burnett got those two interceptions int he second half. If not, I'm not at all certain we would have come away with the win.
The defense played OK, but not great. The Vikings had a +200 ground game, but our secondary did well against their (almost) non-existent pass game. There wasn't much pressure on the QB, and I was a little frustrated by that but...Oh well.
All in all, I guess it was an OK game. And we got a division win, and the Bears lost. So all of those are good things. I just wish we were playing less sloppy (I think we had between 8 and 10 penalties yesterday), and more confident. And what happened to the no huddle? Is it because of the offensive line issues? We take on the Lions next week, and I really hope the O-line protects Rodgers and gives him time to make some plays. I also hope Matthews is back by then to give our pass-rush a little life.
Until then!