So the Vikings lost their first game to the Super Bowl champs. Big deal. They still looked pretty good doing it, and once Favre shakes off the rust from having skipped training camp, the strength of this team will really begin to take hold. If you’re being honest, the game really could have gone either way, and there is no question that at least the New Orleans Saints are still one of the best teams in the league. Does that not put the Vikings in the same category?
While it does appear as if the Vikings’ receiving corps is weak and depleted at the moment, Camarillo has shown much promise and looks to be a solid receiver. Favre threw some lousy throws last Thursday, but so did several others of the NFL’s “Elite” quarterbacks this weekend. He didn’t have a terrible game, despite taking credit for the loss.
What does need to improve is the coaching staff’s decision making and offensive play-calling. Why Chilly abandoned the running game almost entirely in the second half last Thursday is beyond me. Our quarterback is great, but is also old and has been known to throw away games almost as often as win them. Take some of the burden of responsibility to single-handedly put points on the board, and utilize a guy we have on the roster named Adrian Peterson to do some of the work. Oh yeah, and he just happens to be one of, if not the best running back in the league.
The Lions and Bears both looked pathetic yesterday…both of them should be pushovers. And while the Packers did manage a win against a pretty good team in the Philadelphia Eagles, they certainly showed a number of weaknesses yesterday. Rodgers was not as perfect as all the analysts have proclaimed him to be, their offensive line did cave in a few times, and their offense was basically reduced to nothing in the second half. When we do play the Packers though, we will have to focus on keeping #52 Clay Matthews away from our QB. That guy scares me.
All in all I think the Vikings have a very solid team again this year and should come out on top of the division once again. Bring on the Dolphins!