Viking Week

A year or two ago the local papers and radio stations in Minnesota started constantly calling this Packer Week. They never really specify that it's one of two Packer weeks, they just say "packer week". Which is entertaining for me, a soldier stuck behind enemy lines. The coverage goes through the roof and, because this is the Vikings biggest rivalry, it gets pretty vicious.

I always enjoy hearing what other fans and regional media members think of the Packers. They have no obligation to look on the bright side and the beat reporters don't have to worry about offending a player or coach that they're gonna need a quote from down the road, so the filter comes off a bit and we get to hear what they really think.

I can tell you that most fans think this is the week the Vikings begin their playoff charge. That's laughable and it's got nothing to do with this week's game. They may well win, but if the Vikings are a playoff team then the NFC may want to reconsider sending 6 teams. They're a bad team.

That's not to say the Packers are better. They are both throwing out one half of a team each week. With the Pack it's the defense that seems to blow a coverage for a TD at least once a game. For the Vikings it's trying to, y'know, score a TD on offense period. They can't do it. Did you know they haven't scored an offensive TD in half their games? What kind of offense gets shut out 4 times in 8 games?

On the flip side their D is solid and can score. Since Jon Kitna won't be around to hand them two TD's this week I don't know how much that will impact the game but it should be noted.

Much like the Bills game that was a combination of crappy and ugly never before seen, and therefore worthy of a new word like "crugly", the Packers have the more talented team. They can win this game. The Vikings specialize in waiting for the other team to make mistakes because they don't have anyone, and I mean ANYONE, that can make a play for them on offense. So it's simple, don't turn the ball over and put the W in the column. Of course that whole "don't turn the ball over" thing is the tricky part.

I considered getting tickets to the Humpty Dump to watch this game. The Vikings are having a hard time selling tickets now that they have no offense to show off. I don't remember the last time I heard them selling tickets for games 2 weeks away, it was prior to Randy Moss in '98 though. So the pressure is building. The fanbase has not sold off on the new coach (where have we heard that before) and they're executives are even less established than TT.

Enjoy the week people. Read the Star Tribune and PiPress and laugh at KFAN as they try to come up with reasons for Vikings fans to be excited. I mean it is Packer Week after all, and that only comes around twice a year.