This will be the second time since 2004 that the Minnesota Vikings have faced the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. Hopefully, the outcome will be the same as the one in 2004 when Randy Moss thought that it would be a fine idea to moon the crowd at Lambeau on the way to a Vikings victory.
The Vikings and Packers meet for the second time in six days. The Vikings are looking to make it two wins in a row. Two of the most important Vikings players from last week are listed as questionable due to injuries this week. Quarterback Christian Ponder played perhaps the best game of his career last week. He also injured his elbow during the game. He finished the game but was greatly limited in practice this week. I have a hard time imagining that he'd miss the game tonight. Cornerback Antoine Winfield was important last week in missing most of the game. He'd broken his hand a week earlier and aggravated it during the Packers game. When he left the game Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers started slicing up the secondary. Winfield impacts the game with his play and his leadership. He's a coach on the field for a young secondary. He'll wear a more sturdy cast and play as much as he can stand. I have a hunch that he'd sooner lose the hand than leave the field.
Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has stated that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson isn't going to get 200 yards in this game. That doesn't really sound like much of a goal. Considering that Peterson has averaged just over 200 yards in the two games I guess that anything short would be an improvement. Like he's been to a lot of teams over the last half of the season Peterson will be a nightmare for the Packers tonight.
With all the attention that the Packers will be paying to Peterson the Vikings have to take advantage in the passing game. It'd be nice if receiver Jerome Simpson finally has that big game everyone's been expecting of him since he was brought in as a free agent. He's starting to make more plays. He has to make more. Rookie Jarius Wright has become more of a playmaker each week. He's got the speed to really hurt a defense. The receivers are starting to make more plays for Ponder. Tight ends Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson and Rhett Ellison can help him even more. The Vikings pass catchers aren't considered as explosive as those of the Packers but they can make some plays. Peterson can carry the team and the Packers know it. The Vikings passing game have to take advantage of that run stopping attention.
Packers receiver Randall Cobb missed the game last week. Outside of Rodgers, Cobb is probably the Packers most dangerous player. Winfield is the Vikings defender best able to handle Cobb. Winfield has to be on the field.
Packers defensive back Charles Woodson has missed most of the season with a broken collar bone. He's been cleared to play for this game. Woodson is a fantastic football player. A defender that can change a game all by himself. His return is huge for the Packers. A broken collar bone seems like the worst sort of injury for someone trying to tackle Peterson. I doubt that he'd be cleared to play if there was a concern.
Any time a team faces a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers the defensive line has to be harassing and the secondary has to stick to their responsibilities. Rodgers will take advantage of the slightest mistake. It really starts up front. Defensive ends Jared Allen, Brian Robison and Everson Griffen have to be all over Rodgers all night long. He's got to be uncomfortable in the pocket. And, he's got to stay in that pocket.
Go Vikings!!!
There's another game today.
The Cincinnati Bengals visit the Houston Texans. These two teams met in the Wild Card round last year. Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates, in place of an injured Matt Schaub, led the Texans to the win. Schaub finally starts a playoff game today. The Texans have struggled at the end of the season. For a team this talented, it's a a mystery as to what they are missing right now. They should defeat the Bengals but who knows what Texans team shows up. The Bengals are dangerous. They can score points with quarterback Andy Dalton, running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and receivers A.J. Green, Marvin Jones and Andrew Hawkins. The defense led by amazing defensive tackle Geno Atkins is tough.
I found this stat from Sports Illustrated's Peter King pretty interesting. Since 1982, there has not been a division more evenly balanced than the NFC East. Dallas has won the division 9 times. New York has won 8. Philadelphia and Washington are right behind with 7 each. That's amazing. Only Philadelphia has failed to win a Super Bowl. They did make it to one.
A few things from the college bowl games.
The bowl season just feels empty when Cal is not a part of it. One thing that was pretty much a constant during Jeff Tedford's Cal coaching career was a Golden Bear presence in bowl games. I hope that new coach Sonny Dykes can do the same. Better, actually.
Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor has really impressed me throughout his career. Every time that I see him I become more impressed. He is an extremely tough, physical runner. Whatever NFL team that drafts him will be very happy.
South Carolina defensive end Jadaveon Clowney is an incredible football player. He's definitely a player that has completely lived up to his top high school player in the nation ranking. Not many have. I was real curious to see him go up against Michigan's Taylor Lewan in the Outback Bowl. Lewan might be the first lineman taken in the 2013 NFL Draft. There were moments when Clowney could not be blocked. He'll likely be the top pick in the draft whenever he decides to move to the next level. He'd likely be the top pick this year. He won't because he's only a sophomore. The website Pro Football Talk immediately wrote that Clowney is getting a raw deal in not being allowed to enter the draft. That he's risking injury having to stay at a level of football that he's clearly eclipsed. That view is misguided and irresponsible. There's always going to be a football player that's ready earlier than most. Some felt that Adrian Peterson was ready for the NFL as soon as he left high school. Running for over 1,800 yards as a true freshman at Oklahoma showed that could be true. Former coach and TV announcer John Madden felt that De La Salle High School back/linebacker D.J. Williams was ready for the NFL as a high school player in the late '90s. The rule isn't meant for them. The rule is meant for those that think they can but really can't. What's so wrong with going to college?
I loved seeing USC get handled easily by Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl. It's what that nauseating school gets for a bunch of dipshits the entire week in El Paso. They insulted the city and their opponents. USC just finished a two year bowl ban. It should have continued.
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is an electric football player. My goodness. He's fun to watch.
Go Vikings!!!
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