The Vikes Take on The Bye Week (Finally)

Well the bye week is finally upon us.  It couldn't have come at a better time.  We are coming off a brutal brutal stretch.  Too me the stretch started with Favre-ggedon I on Monday Night Football.  That was a highly highly emotional game, and the next game after that was a classic let down game, at the Rams.  From there we were at home for the Ravens, at Pittsburgh and at Green Bay for Favre-ggedon II.  During that stretch we went 4-1 and at 7-1 we have positioned ourselves nicely to clinch the division and we have stayed in the thick of the hunt for home field advantage in the playoffs.  Antoine Winfield got banged up and has missed two and a half games, Favre is dinged up, Berrian is dinged up, and we are coming off another emotional playoff like atmosphere game.  The team and the fans need this week off after some heart pounding (sometimes stopping) down to the wire nail biters this season.

Speaking as a fan this week is a catch-22.  Yes it's nice to not have to worry about Sunday, I can take the week off and just enjoy Sunday (though I have to work) just because it's Sunday.  The downside is well...I'm not going to know what to do, for eight straight weeks I have had a Vikings game to look forward to.  Now I have really nothing, and no game on Sunday really jumps out and grabs me.  I will probably go with Arizona and Chicago and root on the Cards.  It's always fun for me to root against Jay Cutler maybe he'll throw me a bone and throw a few picks to brighten up my Sunday. 

Another good break is that coming off this bye week we have three straight at home against teams that are all beatable.  Detroit and Seattle should be slam dunks, Chicago worries me a little bit.  They usually play us tough and they may be pretty desperate for a win at that point.  That said we have way more playmakers in every facet of the game than all three of those teams.  The Bears have no line on either side, their secondary is suspect at best, they can't really stop the run, and Jay Cutler is a turnover machine.

Here's hoping that the Panthers can some how pull off an upset of the Saints.  We need the Saints to lose a few games this year and we need them to lose to conference opponents.  The more I watch the Saints the more they remind me of the 1998 Vikings/just about any Colts team for the past decade or so.  Great offense that looks unstoppable at times, great QB, opportunistic defense, and the media is falling all over themselves to crown them.  But they have the feel of a team that will ultimately come up short.  I just think they are a bit soft.  Granted they came back from a 21 point deficit at Miami, but why were they down by 21 points in the first place?  A great team at no time should find itself down by 21 points to anyone much less a team that's sub .500 right now.  There are chinks in that armor, I think they are susceptible to the run and I think if you can pressure Brees you can throw him off his game.  I am also not sold on their running game.  The Saints were in position to lose their last two games, and from what I understand there was some questionable officiating aided them in that Miami game.  And some of that Matty "Ice" melted and that helped the Saints win their last game.  Also, if you watch the Vikings you get the feeling they can get better.  The offense is good but you just feel as though they haven't fully gelled yet, there is still much to be improved upon.  When you watch the Saints you get the feeling they've peaked.  They are firing on all cylinders.  Ask the Colts the past decade or the 1998 Vikings how it feels to peak in the regular season and be anointed in October.  Or for that matter the 2007 New England Patriots.

Look, the Saints are a very good team, and who knows they may end up winning it all, I am just saying I think the Vikings are a more complete team overall, they may have the passing advantage (though that gap isn't as big as it would first seem) but I think we are the better running team and our special teams is better.  But hey, what do I know for sure?  I'm just a blogger on the internet.  

All of that said I am excited for the second half of the season, who knows how it will end up but it will be one hell of a ride.

Skol Vikings

P.S. To all Viking players, please please stay away from any boats the rest of this week and next week.