I don’t even know where to start. I guess that’s the way it goes when you are horribly wrong about something. I was horribly wrong about the Packers’ chances to beat the Vikings last night. I love it when I’m wrong like that!
The Packers did shock me big time, I didn’t think they had it in them. The Packers’ scrappy and overworked defense came up huge in the second half and the offense did just enough to get the job done. It was a huge monkey off the back of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers braintrust after getting beaten like a rug last year by Brett Favre and the Vikings.
Of course the Vikings aren’t the same team as last year and Brett Favre looks like a shell of his former self, but the old gunslinger choose to to come back and like all NFC North division quarterbacks this year, he has taken a beating behind a poor offensive line. Favre broke his ankle in two places but never missed a down. Could his streak end in the same place it started but just in a different uniform? I doubt it, but like Muhammad Ali against Larry Holmes, how many more rounds before he stays on the stool?
I don’t know what to make of this win as far as the remainder of the season is concerned. One would think it would be a confidence builder and the Packers, now knowing they can win even shorthanded, go on to another strong second half run like they did last year. They are back in first place in the division and will probably get back Al Harris and Atari Bigby this week.
On the flip side maybe part of the reason they played so poorly the first six games was because they were so psyched for the Vikings, so now that they have accomplished that goal they will suffer a let down next week in New York against the Jets. Since the Jets are right now the best team in the league, a loss won’t necessarily mean a let down, but another lifeless game like Miami or Washington and we are right back to where we started from.
I’m going for the former, the monkey ain’t no joke, but now it’s gone. This team is over the hump, they’ll play good football from here on out. If the Packers can stun the Jets they have a Tony Romo-less Cowboys in Lambeau then a chance to stick a fork in the Vikings and Favre a week after their bye. Maybe a little roll here?
I’m still in the state of shock. Didn’t even record it because I was so sure we would lose. Can’t wait for NFL Network’s replay tomorrow.
More to come…
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