The Minnesota Vikings coming off a very impressive home opening win traveled to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers who got a huge road win in Chicago so winner of this game would be in first place 2-0.
The game is over and in the books but will this game be talked about for at least this upcoming weeks of the what ifs.
The way the Green Bay Packers started the game with a four play drive and I say it looked way too easy as the Packers are quickly up 7-0 and I see the dreaded Lambeau Leap. Oh come on Vikings this is not how the day I going to go is it?
I really liked the Vikes moving the ball giving me the feeling as though I will see a tie 7-7 but no the Packers defense stiffens and the Vikes never dying kicking drama gets into the game to put three point on the board. I see the snap, the hold and there the ball goes wide and I sat on my couch in disbelief as I see the Packers make the Vikes defense look silly and then a missed Field goal. Is today Friday the 13th even though I know it is Sunday.
My stomach pain did not get any better as I see the Packers once again make it look easy and now it is 14-0 and I am sitting in shock. Yes it is tough to win in Lambeau but going down two touchdowns quickly makes the percentage of winning go down faster and faster.
I really thought Vikes quarterback, Kirk Cousins have one of the worst first halves I have seen in a long time as this time I see him get pressure from the Packers and what happens? Yes, the dreaded fumble and my stomach was getting tighter as I watched and then another Packer touchdown and folks the Purple is now down 21-0 in the Border Battle and I am seeing too many Lambeau leaps.
I will say as many negatives I saw the positive I saw was in the crowd and that was the beautiful color of purple in the crowd. I was very impressed with the showing of Vikes fans.
The score is 21-0 and I am wondering where on earth is the team I saw last week but then at last I see # 33 Dalvin Cook take the handoff and there he goes 20 mph and 75 yards and it’s now 21-7. It’s been brutal to watch but know football can change on a dime as we are now down only two scores. It can be done Vikes, you have the fire power to do it.
I do think after the 21 points of seemingly ease that the Vikes defense finally came to play as not another Packer score the rest of the game giving the offense so many chances to cash in.
I really was mystified on a Packers drive when they failed on 3rd down and with 4th down went for it having no chance as the Vikes defense penetrated and stopped the Packers and now the Vikes have possession and cash in as Dan Bailey connects on a field goal and its’s now 21-10. Oh boy we have a game and as down as I was got equally pumped knowing the defense was playing better and just hoped the offense would start cashing in more and more.
The Vikes got another break as it appeared to be a snap to Aaron Rodgers who was not ready and Viking rookie Hercules Mata’afa jumped on the loose ball. Oh things are getting exciting as I was thinking a touchdown and we can possibly creep up and steal a game on the road.
I see Kirk Cousins launch a deep ball into the end one into double coverage by the Packers and actually I thought very good coverage by two Packers defenders and into Stefon Diggs hands for a touchdown. I watched the replay over and over and have no idea how the Packers did not intercept but credit Diggs for great concentration. I then see exactly what the Vikes did not need and that was Diggs taking his helmet off in celebration and there goes the yellow hanky. Good grief 15 yards and now the extra point is 40 yards away.
I was kind of wondering if the Vikes would go for two and potentially make it 21-18 but because of the penalty it left Coach Zimmer with the decision he had to kick the extra point. I see the snap, the hold and a Packer player flying around the corner and yes it was partially blocked and no good. The Packers 21-0 lead is now 21-16 and very much a game.
The officiating obviously will be a talker even though the results will not change but I thought it was strange when FOX TV announcer Chris Myers said it seems like every penalty was going against Minnesota.
The touchdown reversal call with the officiating calling it blocking down field when clearly he should have stated an illegal pick was hard to swallow as our luck the Minnesota Vikings are the first team in the NFL to have a reversal.
I will say officiating was terrible but it did not cause the loss as Minnesota just shot themselves in the foot way to many times. A game that was 21-0 seems funny to say that this game was very winnable.
I loved the running attack by Dalvin Cook having a career high 154 yards and Alexander Mattison adding 25 yards. I loved the offensive line blocking on the run but still struggle to watch the pass blocking as Cousins has very little time.
I struggle still after the game knowing the Vikes drove the ball down the field with a great running attack and then seeing Kirk Cousins drop back and throw into the corner of the end zone in double coverage and yes the dreaded interception. Why? Why? Why? It was incredibly disappointing knowing the Vikes were so close at taking the lead and maybe winning.
It’s only one game and it’s so early and yes the way they came back only to lose is incredibly painful but as I always say as a fan I still get up the next day and go to work and life does go on. The win would have been huge going to 2-0 and tie breaker with Packers going the Vikes way but it was not meant to be.
Thank you for reading
Purplestick
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