Week 7 Reaction

The Packers did exactly what everyone envisioned they would, dismantling a far lesser opponent and looking like they might be able to beat anyone in the league. Somehow they look as good as the Colts when playing teams in the bottom tier of the NFL, but as soon as faced with a quality opponent seem to crumble and look like a shell of themselves. The peculiar portion of this equation is that when watching them play good teams they seem capable of competing.

Turnovers and sacks just kill them in big games seemingly every week. Also, their defense is going to need to do better than just bottling up Adrian Peterson like they did in the first meeting between the Packers and Vikings. Their run defense is still so weak that unless they dedicate almost all of their attention to Peterson he will rage on them, but in stifling the running game they leave themselves exposed everywhere else. Anyway, they have to prove they can beat a good team and if they want to keep up in the division race, I think they need a win this week.

The Vikings on the other hand have much less on the line this upcoming week. No matter what happens this week it seems that at least 11 or 12 wins are in the cards for Minnesota this season. After Sunday, 5 of their remaining 8 games are at home and they still have contests remaining against Detroit, Seattle, Carolina, and the Bears twice. If they do not win 4 of those 5 games I think it will be surprising.

The loss this week actually proved more to me than any of their wins thus far. Playing a top five team in the league they took several punches and responded every time until the end interception on the screen pass. Not only are they at least a top 3 team in the NFC, but they match-up well with their pass rush and running game against Indianapolis who looks like the best team in the AFC at this point in the season.

If Peterson and Favre can stay healthy and their defense returns all their key pieces by the playoffs, they will be difficult to contend with. Especially if Percy Harvin, who looks like the most impressive offensive rookie this season, can maintain his knack for making big plays and Farve can continue to find him.