The Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre failed to exorcise their demons in the Metrodome on Sunday and lost to the Minnesota Vikings 31-21. The MASH unit was on hand again as the Packers had players getting hurt all over the field, but the bottom line is that Packers were simply outplayed. The Packers had no pass rush, and that allowed Randy Moss and the rest of the Viking receivers to have a field day. The run defense also took one on the chin, giving up 218 yards on the ground. The Packer loss snapped their 7 game winning streak.
The one thing the Packers didn’t want to do was give the Vikings an early lead, but that’s exactly what happened. The Vikings started the game with a reverse that picked up 12 yards. Tight end Byron Chamberlain beat Nate Wayne down the middle for a 20-yard gain, then made another catch for 18 yards when Na’il Diggs just missed knocking it away. Diggs had excellent coverage, but Daunte Culpepper who was benched a week earlier, made a great throw for the completion. Then Culpepper made another great throw to Moss for a 24-yard touchdown to make it 7-0.
The Packers followed with a three and out and gave the Vikings great field position after a 27-yard punt by Josh Bidwell. The Vikings drove right down the field in 6 plays that covered 65 yards, finishing with a 18-yard touchdown strike from Culpepper to D’Wayne Bates to make it 14-0.
This was a nightmare for the Packers already in the first quarter. The Packers were facing what they had seen too many times before, an early deficit at the House of Horrors. Now the crowd was into it, and the Vikings knew the Packers were going to give up on the run. The Viking pass rush could pin their ears back, and forget about the run.
The Packers responded with a good drive, but it eventually ended with Favre throwing an interception at the Vikings 2-yard line. On the interception return Favre was penalized for a late hit that gave the Vikings great field position, but Marques Anderson made another big play, intercepting Culpepper at the Packers 37-yard line.
The Packers would benefit from a late hit call on the Vikings Lance Johnstone, and also a dropped interception to keep their next drive going. The Packers eventually scored on a 1-yard run by Ahman Green to make it 14-7.
The Packers started the second half with Javon Walker returning the kickoff 44 yards, but the offense went three and out after Terry Glenn couldn’t pull the ball in on a short crossing pattern.
The Vikings followed with an 80-yard drive that ended with Culpepper taking in the 1-yard keeper in for the score to make it 21-7. Again the Packers had no pass rush and that allowed Culpepper all day to find his receivers.
With their backs against the wall the Packers came out fighting, taking only 3:24 to go 72 yards for the touchdown to make it 21-14. Favre hit Bubba Franks for the one yard score after another questionable call gave the Packers another chance after they failed to score on third and goal from the three.
After a big stop by the defense, the Packers went back to work starting at their own 16-yard line. Facing a third and 10 Favre hit Donald Driver on the sideline in a soft part of the Viking zone. Driver then juked one defender before taking it 84 yards to the house to tie the game at 21.
Then the backbreaker, a 51-yard kick return by Moe Williams with a 15-yard face mask penalty on top of that, gave the Vikings the ball at the Packers 33-yard line. From there the Vikings settled for a field goal to make it 24-21.
The Packers did nothing on their next offensive drive and were forced to punt. The Vikings got a huge 64-yard run from Michael Bennett that sealed the Packers fate. Moe Williams score from three yards out to make the final score 31-21.
There’s no need to panic; the Packers will survive this letdown. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell was very conservative with his game plan this week and will surely do something to start producing a more consistent pass rush.
Brett Favre has won many games for the Packers, but the three picks on Sunday were costly, and that point you realized the Packers fortunes will once again ride on the shoulders of our three time MVP. Favre is having a great season, and Sunday was just a little bump in the road.
The Packers still control their own destiny in the race for home field advantage, as they face the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday. This will be a tough game for the Packers, but I think the defense will bounce back, and help the Packers defeat the Bucs.
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