Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers: Defense the Key for Top Performers
The exciting division game came down to the wire.
Although Brett Favre’s play left much to be desired and the loss can be put mostly on his shoulders, it seemed the Brett Favre magic would once again rear its head at Lambeau Field.
On a fourth and long attempt, Favre dropped back and slipped. He got up and heaved the ball down the field to the back of the end zone to Randy Moss who failed to come up with the potential game winner.
The Vikings were in position to take the game earlier but Favre’s three interceptions and critical third quarter pick-six to Green Bay’s Desmond Bishop all but sealed the game.
Still, there were plenty of big performances in the crucial NFC North Division meeting between two teams with Super Bowl aspirations.
Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings
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The all purpose superstar once against got the job done for the Vikings.
Although he failed to return a kick for a touchdown like last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, Harvin once again displayed his excellent versatility.
On three kick returns, Harvin had 81 yards with a long of 48.
He led the team with five receptions and 65 yards with a long of 37.
Finally, and most importantly, he rushed three times for 41 yards including a 17 yard touchdown to tie the game in the first quarter.
The addition of Randy Moss, like Sydney Rice last season, has opened the game for Percy Harvin. He almost had two more touchdowns in the game but they were over turned by replay.
The Patriots will have their hands full next week.
Greg Jennings and James Jones, Green Bay Packers
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After the loss of Jermichael Finely, Green Bay needed its receivers to step up more than ever. They succeeded last week but failed to come away with a victory.
This week, Donald Driver was absent from the stat sheet.
Jennings and Jones got the job done though.
In the first quarter, James Jones turned in a 45 yard reception, which led to a one yard touchdown run by Brandon Jackson.
On the following drive, Jones caught a 32 yard pass. This helped the team set up its nine yard touchdown strike to Andrew Quarless.
Jennings caught a bullet right on the numbers in the third quarter for a 14 yard touchdown.
The receivers needed to spread the field to open up the running game. Although Driver was invisible, Jones and Jennings combined for 10 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown to help the team pull away.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
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Despite throwing two interceptions, Aaron Rodgers kept his team in the game as he always does.
Proving to be arguably the best young quarterback in the game, Rodgers completed 61.8 percent of his passes. He hit six different receivers, completing 21 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns.
He also added 14 yards on the ground.
Rodgers’ two touchdowns were lasers right to his receivers that only they could have caught.
Although Rodgers isn’t my top performer for the Packers, it is clear the Packers would be nowhere without him.
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Brandon Jackson, Green Bay Packers
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Brandon Jackson had arguably his most impressive performance of the season to me.
Jackson displayed more power in this game than I’ve seen all season.
In the first quarter, Coach Mike McCarthy finally gave him a goal line opportunity and Jackson made the most of it. Unlike last week when the Packers looked terrible at the goal line against Miami, Jackson punched it in from one yard out to give Green Bay the 7-0 lead.
Jackson ran 13 times for 58 yards, good for 4.5 yards per carry. He also added three receptions for 46 yards.
This is the type of versatility that the Packers need out of their running back on a week to week basis.
At least for Week 7, Jackson was the effective dual threat needed to win the game.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
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Nothing new from All Day on Sunday Night.
Peterson was his violent, angry, and tackle-shredding self.
He rumbled for 131 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries and added 41 yards on two receptions.
Although it wasn’t enough for the win, Peterson was once again the most impressive Viking player on the team.
It seems every week he breaks through several tackles on a play to gain first downs. He is simply too powerful and fast to keep bottled up for an entire game.
I can’t help but think the Vikings would have won the game had the Vikings checked down to Peterson in the passing game to give him more open space to work with.
Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk, and Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers
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These Packer defenders stalled three Viking drivers and all but sealed the game for their team.
All three defenders have big interceptions.
Favre threw his first interception to A.J. Hawk in the third quarter. Hawk rank the ball back 21 yards, which led to the 14 yard touchdown from Rodgers to Jennings.
Desmond Bishop was the benefactor of being in the right place at the right time. On a play designed to go to Percy Harvin on the right side of the field, Favre threw the ball to the left side of the field as he was getting pressured. The ball landed right in the hands of Desmond Bishop who ran it back for a 32 yard touchdown.
Finally, Nick Collins stalled a Vikings drive in Green Bay territory in the fourth quarter. He made an excellent play on a pass to Percy Harvin down field, which allowed Green Bay to run three more minutes off the clock.
Without these three key second half interceptions, I can only assume that Minnesota would have taken this much needed game.
Bishop, Hawk, and Collins are the three key performers of Week 7’s Sunday Night Football.
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