Vikings Scoring Analysis (Week 8)

Well I am going on vacation for the rest of the week and I still have to pack! So let's skip my introduction and get straight to the meat and potatoes.

Quarter 1
Packers Fumble Return For A Touchdown (That Never Was):
Vikings Defense (+7) - I suppose I should warn you that aside from what they showed on TV I never saw a replay anywhere else or on any of the recaps shows.

However, watching it live, on like the second play of the game Ryan Grant clearly fumbled the ball, the Vikings recovered it and they ran it in for a touchdown.

Referees (-7) - But the refs said Grant's forward progress had stopped, despite the fact that he was GOING FORWARD. He fumbled the ball while falling forward. The worst part is that it's non-reviewable. I was bitter about this one. (Too bitter, according some of the people I was watching the game with.)

Packers 37 Yard Field Goal:
Vikings Offense (-3) - A bad snap off the knee of Brett Favre and the Packers recover the ball deep in their territory. Combine that with the botched fumble call and I was worried it wouldn't be the Vikings day. Luckily, the defense stepped up and kept the Pack to a field goal.

Vikings 1 Yard Touchdown:
Vikings Special Teams (+3) - Great return by Percy Harvin. He showed up to play in this game. (Unlike all those other players who showed up to...kind of play...I suppose?) Anyway, any way you slice it, a 77 yard kickoff return to the 14 yard line should be at least an automatic 3 points.

Johnny Jolly's Short Temper (+2) - Who's surprised that I was bitter when the Vikings failed to get in the end zone after the big return? Then Johnny Jolly's head butt gives the Vikings new life. A bit of a momentum change.

Vikings Offense (+1) - Finally, the offense punches the ball into the end zone.

Brad Childress (+1) - I love going for it on fourth down. You HAD to make sure the Packers paid for that dumb penalty and the Vikings made it did end up costing them 4 points. That touchdown had to be deflating.

Quarter 2
Vikings 12 Yard Touchdown Pass:
Vikings Defense (+2) - This is going to end up being a group touchdown. First, +2 points for the defense getting a 3 and out deep in Packers territory meaning the offense was destined to get good field position.

Vikings Special Teams (+1) - Nice 20 yard return to the 50 yard line.

Vikings Offense (+4) - And the offense takes it the rest of the way. It was so nice to see the Vikings up 14-3. At least I could relax for some of the game. But I knew it was far from over. (And it was.)

Vikings 41 Yard Field Goal:
Vikings Defense (+1) - Another stop deep in Packers territory sets up good field position for the offense.

Vikings Offense (+1) - The offense gets a 47 yard drive to get the ball down to the 23.

Vikings Special Teams (+1) - And, undoubtedly, the most famous former Packer on the Vikings comes on to Lambeau field and kicks a nice 41 yarder. Good job, Longwell.

Quarter 3
Vikings 51 Yard Touchdown Pass:
Vikings Offense (+7) - Ahhh...the Packer Collision Pass. Probably my favorite clip of the game. (Who doesn't like seeing three Packers flat on their backs as the Vikings score a touchdown?)

Anyway, my favorite thing about the pass is how, after it, I excitedly replayed the touchdown verbally to the people watching the game. I said Percy Harvin caught the ball, then turned around, stared at the Packers on the ground for a moment and thought "Eh, I guess I'll run into the end zone then."

I figured I was exaggerating and that Percy really just caught the ball, turned and ran without really questioning why he had so much free space. But After the game, Harvin was asked about the play and he said “Once I turned around I was expecting to get hit, but I saw all three of them on the ground.” I was right!

Packers 26 Yard Field Goal:
Vikings Defense (-3) - The defense allowed a 62 yard drive for a field goal. I figured the field goal wasn't that big a deal at the time. I had no idea what would happen next.

Packers 16 Yard Touchdown Pass:
Vikings Special Teams (-4) - After the field goal I went to the bathroom. I came back and suddenly Green Bay had the ball again!? I heard about the squib kick followed by the ill advised run and I got a knot in my stomach. I knew that was big.

Normally I'd only penalize 3 points for a turnover that leaves the opponent close to field goal range. But this was such a big momentum swing that they got penalized an extra point.

Vikings Defense (-3) - Normally the defense would get docked 4 points for this one but the special teams got the extra point, which is fitting because the defense was probably tired and the Special Teams made them come immediately back on the field.

Packers 5 Yard Touchdown Pass:
Vikings Defense (-7) - And now the flood gates open. The defense gives up an 84 yard touchdown drive. The party I was at got awfully quiet after this. (Aside from my brother who still kept complaining. I had to move seats.)

Quarter 4
Vikings 2 Yard Touchdown Pass:
Vikings Special Teams (+3) - Ah, Percy Harvin, the "Devin Hester" of 2009. It's so awesome. What a huge 48 yard run to take back some momentum.

Vikings Offense (+4) - The offense gets a big touchdown. Finally I exhale a little. I knew the game wasn't over, but this play restored some faith in me that Vikings could hold on and win.

Packers 10 Yard Touchdown Pass:
Vikings Defense (-6) - Of course I couldn't exhale for long. The defense gives up another big touchdown drive (74 yards). They only get -6 because they stopped the two-point conversion.

By the way, if you're going to commit pass interference, at least make sure the guy doesn't catch the ball. But I'm really just bitter that if Jennings didn't catch the ball and the penalty put the ball at the one yard line and then if Jennings caught a touchdown pass, I would have won my fantasy football week. I lost by .48 of a point, so those 10 yards were huge.

(Side Note: As I just said, I lost by .48 of a point in fantasy football this week. Here is a list of things that cost me the victory: The Jennings pass interference that he still caught, the fact that the Packers had to go for two points instead of kicking an extra point, Mason Crosby's missed field goal, Running Back Joseph Addai throwing a touchdown pass instead of Peyton Manning, Jonathon Stewart having 2 rushing touchdowns while DeAngelo Williams had none, Larry Fitzgerald only getting 66 yards and no touchdowns, Stephen Jackson getting his first touchdown of the season, and Percy Harvin putting up career highs is passing yards. One of those things goes the other way and I win. Why do I like fantasy sports?)

Vikings 16 Yard Touchdown Pass:
Mason Crosby's Inaccurate Kicking Leg (+1) - Yeah, it cost me my fantasy week, but his miss gave the Vikings good field position.

Vikings Offense (+5) - The nail in the coffin. I'm not sure that Berrian got into the end zone, but he was face masked and that wasn't called so I guess it evens out. Big sigh of relief after this touchdown pass.

Brad Childress (+1) - Great call to pass on third down instead of run and settle for a field goal (like against the Ravens). When the game is within your grasp you have to go for the kill. The Vikings did and the Vikings won.

Game Totals:
Offense: +19
Defense: -9
Special Teams: +4
Brad Childress: +2
Referees: -7
Johnny Jolly's Short Temper: +2
Mason Crosby's Inaccurate Kicking Leg: +1

A lot of different facets contributed to the win. The third quarter killed the defense and it was a bit disappointing. However, when I look at the game as a whole, the Vikings took control early, faltered a little in the middle but then calmed down, took control again and won fairly convincingly. In some ways this game is more impressive than if the Vikings dominated the entire game.

Season Totals:
Offense: +141
Defense: -63
Special Teams: +12
Brad Childress: -1
The Referees: -6
Mike McCarthy: +3
Donald Lee's Inability to Catch A Pass: +4
Brady Quinn’s Greasy Hands: +0.5
Kyle Boller's Tendency To Panic: +2
Big Time Pressure On A Young Kicker: +3
Johnny Jolly's Short Temper: +2
Mason Crosby's Inaccurate Kicking Leg: +1

Sure, it may look like the defense is the weak link and, admittedly, they aren't as good as I've come to expect in recent years. But to look at it another way, the defense is netting -7.875 points per game. That's really good. Sure, they've actually given up more points per game than that, but they're making up for it with big plays that put the Vikings in position to get points.

7 and 1 ain't bad. Hopefully the Vikings will continue to roll and after the next 3 games we can start talking about playing for home field advantage in the playoffs without knocking on wood. If the Vikings go to 10 and 1 (including a victory against the Bearts) then the playoffs is as good as theirs and I have to start rooting for the Saints to lose!