The Green Bay Packers didn’t lose Sunday, but, and I’m sure the Vikings feel the same way, it was a loss at heart. Even after a self-imposed cooling off day, a new practice I put in this year, I’m still mad as hell about this game. It was almost as unbelievable as the Packers’ opening game win over the Bears.
I’ll start with the coach. This is where I thought the game was lost. The Packers had a first and ten at the Vikings 13 with 2:05 left and a golden opportunity to put the game away. What happened next, as Chris Collinsworth would say, I can’t believe what I just saw.
A run up the gut for no gain. An incomplete pass to Adams in the endzone, and then a delay of game penalty! Are you kidding me? Then another incomplete pass to Adams and the Vikings are in business. The Packers could have easily made the Vikings use their last two timeouts, but noooooooo! They decide to pass. It was unbelievable.
If the Packers make the Vikings use those timeouts, the time remaining is probably about the same at 1:37 left, but it completely takes away the middle of the field. With the comfort of knowing the whole playbook was available to them, the Vikings promptly marched down the field and scored. The only used one timeout which allowed them the ability to ice kicker Mason Crosby on the last play of the game.
So I blame McCarthy for this debacle. But the Packers’ defense wasn’t exactly stellar, either. Kirk Cousins picked apart the Packers’ secondary in the fourth quarter, much like Aaron Rodgers did last week against the Bears. The play of the Packers’ secondary was not the same when going against Cousins. This was not Mitchell Trubisky they were facing. Against the Bears the Packers were able to make the big stop. Against the Vikings they were shredded with the game on the line. Only a kicker kept them from losing.
The Packers are now facing the Washington Redskins, who have the number one defense in the NFL and the number 12 offense. The Packers are 17th on offense and 24th on defense. Not the start I was thinking of defensive-wise. We’ll see what happens. I forgot to post my pick last week, for the record I had 24-14 Vikings. Leaning toward the Skins this week, but we’ll see what happens between now and Friday. Aaron Jones will be back this week, and that could be huge.