The Metrodome Redemption:The Minnesota Vikings Issue Us All Mouthwash

Just when I thought that the Minnesota Vikings were going to fall apart, they go and do something like this and totally redeem themselves!  At the conclusion of last week's wrap up I went looking for some mouthwash to wash the bitter taste out of my mouth.  Well it appears I found it.  It's Colgate's Bengal flavor.

The polar opposite of last week, this week the Vikings, the fans, and the state of Minnesota is flying high.  Last weeks embarrassment in the desert had Vikings faithful a tad bit worried.  (Well some of us ranged from a little uneasy to their friends having to tell them "don't do it man!  It's not worth it!"  I was somewhere in the middle)

I think maybe the most telling stat of the game is Carson Palmer went 15 of 25 (respectable) for 94 yards. (What?)  You read that right.  That is astonishing.  I believe that's in the neighborhood of 3 yards a completion.  That tells us one of two things, A) there was nothing open downfield and B) we must have had pretty good pressure on Palmer forcing short throws.

We manged to hold Cedric Benson 4 yards under 100 yards, bringing our streak of not allowing a single rusher to get 100 yards to 37 I believe.  Chad Johnson did score, but with his team trailing at that point he (wisely) chose to abstain from trying to wrestle Ragnar's horn from him.

Going along with the redemption theme, the two men in my picture did a lot to further their own redemption causes.  Brett Favre had a decent game, throwing for 192 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.  Not great but not a "meltdown" many having been calling (hoping?) for.  Adrian Peterson ran the ball a season high 26 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns.  He added in 43 receiving yards.  Solid all around outing for him.  Perhaps this Adrian Peterson kid is going to be all right huh?

The defense was outstanding.  Rookies Jasper Brinkley and Jamarca Sanford had good games considering they were making their first starts.  Brinkley can lay the wood and Brinkley didn't look as lost in pass coverage as Tyrell Johnson, the rookie he was replacing.  Perhaps Sanford was aided by the fact that Antoine Winfield made his (much anticipated) return this week.  Winny is good...no other way to put it.  Winfield came back and was instant impact making 8 solo tackles and forcing a fumble.  He also dropped a sure interception, but made up for it by dropping and giving the capacity crowd ten.  Much to their delight.  You forget just how important Antoine is to the defense when he's not in there.  Well he gave us a refresher yesterday.

Here's to hoping that Favre can hold up the remainder of the way.  He was pretty coy about the issue after the game.  Guard Steve Hutchinson said that Favre is actually getting stronger as the season wears on, as opposed to falling apart like so many Favre haters claim. (Hope, wish, pray for)  Apparently just after Favre signed on with the team he stood up in the locker room and addressed the team.  He basically reassured everyone that he was there to be a team player and help them win a championship.  After which the team embraced Favre and named him a team captain.  Thus far Favre is having a career year and showing no signs of slowing down.

Wait wait wait.  I was assured by many wearing green and yellow that Favre is selfish, only looks out for himself, and is poisonous to the locker room, on top of that he falls apart late in the season.  That's also what Thomas ( sour grapes) Jones told us about Brett last year in New York.  Perhaps maybe Favre felt alienated last year in New York.  Maybe New York pressure of being some sort of Messianic figure to a tortured fanbase was too much on Favre.  Couple that with an arm injury and maybe he was just depressed or something.  You know that could have lead him to "fall apart" and sort of separate himself from the rest of the team.

Also, don't we always overlook the fact that Favre had a good December in 2007, and had a good game in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs against the Seahawks.  I mean honestly in the NFC Championship where was his running game?  Also his defense didn't do him many favors.

Perhaps people in the media just don't like Favre all that much and wish he would go away?  I think a lot of this talk of "falling apart" is just a lot of people in the state of Wisconsin, and New York wishing it would happen.  There are a lot of people who dislike Favre for one reason or another and they just want him to fall apart and retire for good.  I'd imagine that it only adds fuel to the fire for Favre and makes it that much sweeter when he does good.

Also, here's hoping that Adrian Peterson can use his good game as a spring board for the rest of the year.  I for one am sick and tired of everyone telling us how AP is "overrated" or "washed up" or whatever they want to claim.  Between Favre and Peterson you hear plenty of trash.  I hope both of them tear it up the rest of the year.

Of course the Saints won again, of course they did.  Not only that they struggled against an inferior team.  Personally, the Saints can keep struggling against bad teams the rest of the season to an undefeated record for all I care.  At this point it's highly unlikely the Vikings steal that number one seed anyway.  Let the Saints keep hanging on, it only builds more and more pressure on them.  I've grown to resent the Saints, I resent how every bad call in a game goes their way, and I resent how they catch every single lucky break.  Are they good?  Yes, they are very good.  I just don't think they are the best team in the NFL.

I guess it doesn't matter in the end.  The Lombardi Trophy is handed in February not December.  The Saints defense isn't all that great and they are starting to become a tad bit one dimensional.  Neither one of those traits lends itself to postseason glory.

But I digress.  Onto my Offensive and Defensive Player(s) of the game.  On offense I am going to go with...Adrian Peterson.  With Percy Harvin out, and Favre not on his A game, AP stepped up like we all knew he could.  He was three yards short of 100 and had 140 total yards from scrimmage.  Throw in two touchdowns and you have a fine day.

On defense I am going to go with...Antoine Winfield.  He made some tackles, forced a fumble and overall just seems to set a physical tone while he is out there.  Our physical intensity just cranks up a few notches with him in there.

Now, onto one of two new segments.  My play of the week.  This will the play in the Vikings game that just stood out the most to me.  That award will go to...Cedric Griffin's hit on Chad Johnson.  I mean he crushed him and Chad's helmet went flying off.  It riled up Chad and had a "wow" factor about it.

We have now reached the point where I hand out my weekly Gunslinger award.  This week was pretty tough.  No one really stood out and grabbed me.  However, the show must go on, so I finally settled on one.

My weekly Gunslinger award goes to *drum roll please*....Philip Rivers, Quarterback, San Diego Chargers.  Way to go man.  He had a great game yesterday, something that is becoming a lock in December.  Check out this stat, as a started, Philip Rivers is 16-0 in December.  Seriously, in the month of December there are three certainties: 1) The temp will drop, 2) I will drink enough hot chocolate to supply a small second world (that's right, I am sick of the bias towards third world nations.  Seriously, why should they get all the pub.  There are plenty of second world nations.  Speak of which, what constitutes a second world nation?  I digress...) nation, and 3) Philip Rivers is going to go all PHILIP RIVERS! (To quote LL)  Amazing, take your Gunslinger PR.  Maybe this year you can do something in the postseason after you knock the Colts out.

Now, my final new segment to this article.  I am going to start award a weekly Randy Moss Award to the human being who just truly failed at life this week.  It's not necessarily a bad game, it could have been a bad attitude about life.  You know someone who just captures the spirit of Randy: selfish, doesn't try hard, etc.  A quick note, I could just give it to someone who just had a flat out bad game, bad play, etc.

My first weekly Randy Moss Award for (lack of) Excellence goes to....Randy Moss himself!  Way to go big guy!  First you were late for practice and got sent home early, then Carolina Panthers players called you out for quitting on your team.  Tom Brady had to come soothe your feelings like a little girl at one point in the game.  Is it sad that at one point I loved Randy Moss, why Randy, why must you let me down like this?  Moss could have been the greatest football player of all time if he would have tried 100% of the time.  Such a shame, such a waste.  A once in a lifetime talent squandered.

Don't forget to catch me later on in the week when I preview the Vikings next game as they go to Carolina to take on the Panthers.  For some reason this game has scared me all year long.  Will my fears be justified?  Or put to rest?  Who knows, stay tuned.  Same bat time, same bat channel.

Skol Vikings.