Week 11 Thoughts

The big NFC North battle wasn't great. Well, it was for the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 30-13 in Minnesota.

The Vikings entered the game on a five-game winning streak. The Packers entered the game on a three-game losing streak. Both streaks ended.

The Vikings defense forced the Packers to settle for five field goals. That can be considered good from certain angles. The bad thing is that Mason Crosby made all five of those field goals. That alone was enough to cover the Vikings 13 points.

The Vikings made a lot of mistakes. Mental and otherwise. They came into this game as the least penalized team in the league. They had eight for 110 yards in this game. Three of those penalties were especially costly on a Packers drive to close the first half. Aaron Rodgers didn't have to be clutch as he led his team down the field. Three Vikings penalties on three third down situations kept the Packers offense on the field. 55 yards of the 80-yard drive were the benefit of penalties. Those repeated opportunities allowed Rodgers to eventually toss a touchdown to Randall Cobb. You can't keep giving Rodgers extra chances. Those seven points were the cost of each of those penalties. One of the Vikings eight penalties on the game was simply stupid. Cordarrelle Patterson had a 52-yard kick return at the start of the fourth quarter. Instead of heading to the sideline to be excited with his teammates Patterson head-butts the kicker Crosby. The kicker! Are you kidding me? Head-butting any opponent at that time, at any time, is ridiculous. But, the kicker! Instead of being set up nicely at midfield the Vikings had to start at the 34-yard line. Eight penalties. 110 yards. That can't happen. As a comparison, the Packers were called for four penalties for 19 yards. Their first penalty didn't come until the third quarter.

There were two plays that really ruined Vikings chances to win the game:

1) With 3:40 to play in the first half Vikings running back Jerrick McKinnon partially blocked a Tim Masthay punt. It set the Vikings up at the Packers 42-yard line. On second down Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was sacked by Julius Peppers for a two yard loss. In the process of the sack Bridgewater was clubbed in the head by a Packers lineman (Mike Neal?). I've been led to believe that a blow to the head of the quarterback was a penalty and it was an obvious blow to the head. The announcers didn't say a thing about it so maybe I'm missing something. The replay was shown a bunch due to the fact that Bridgewater injured his left, non-throwing, shoulder on the play. This injury was worse than the sack or the possible missed Packers penalty. It forced Shaun Hill to enter the game with a now third-and-15 situation. Teddy Bridgewater has a decent chance to convert that unfortunate situation. A fresh-off-the bench Hill has about zero chance. He didn't. The missed opportunity brought about by a blocked punt died when the Vikings starting quarterback was knocked out of the game. It also gave the Packers their penalty-enhanced opportunity to score before the half. Bridgewater did return to the game after a visit to the locker room.

2)After a Packers touchdown to take a 27-13 and after Patterson's idiotic penalty to start the fourth quarter, Bridgewater guided the Vikings from their own 34-yard line to the Packers 32-yard line. With some building momentum and a 1st-and-10, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson ran the ball inside the 20-yard. Unfortunately for the Vikings he didn't finish the run with the ball. The Packers recovered the fumble on the 21-yard line. There was still a lot of time but this fumble put the chances of a Vikings comeback real close to miracle territory.

For the second consecutive year Packers running back Eddie Lacy entered the first Vikings game of the season not playing very well. Packers coach Mike McCarthy even named James Starks the starter before last week's game. For the second consecutive year Packers running back Eddie Lacy shook himself out of his slump against the Vikings. He had 22 carries for 100 yards yesterday. I'd guess that Lacy is again the Packers starting running back.

If Lacy wasn't the star of the game for the Packers receiver James Jones was. He had 6 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. His 37-yard juggling catch on third down late in the third quarter was a dagger. For some reason Jones found it necessary to wear a hoodie under his jersey. I can't recall ever seeing that before. And, quite frankly, he should have been kicked out the game for doing so.

As for the quarterbacks, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that Aaron Rodgers was outplayed by Teddy Bridgerwater. The stats:

Rodgers: 16/34 for 212 yards and 2 TDs
Bridgewater: 25/37 296 yards and 1 TD

The only stat that really matters is the score.

The real difference in the game came with respective protection that each quarterback received from their offensive line. Bridgewater was sacked six times and harassed all game. Rodgers was sacked twice. Bridgewater was on the run throughout the game. Rodgers had a much more relaxing day.

Bridgewater's one touchdown toss was a beauty. A 47-yard catch and run to tight end Kyle Rudolph. The pass was lofted over a safety with tight coverage that gave Rudolph an opportunity to cruise about 20 yards to the end zone. Rudolph had a terrific game. Six catches for 106 yards. That sort of production needs to continue.

One of Bridgewater's incompletions was a heartbreaker. He missed receiver Mike Wallace by inches on what could have been a game-changing 75-yard touchdown strike in the fourth quarter. Wallace has yet to make an impact this season. His only production yesterday came on a six-yard run. Quarterback and receiver have to connect.

Vikings rookie receiver Stefon Diggs continues to make an impact. He had only 66 yards on six catches yesterday but a few were of the explosive, chain-moving variety. If the Packers weren't concerned about the youngster before having faced him they are now.

Bridgewater really spreads the ball around to his receivers, tight ends, and backs. Nine different players caught passes against the Packers. It's surprising and disappointing that Wallace wasn't one of them. Charles Johnson too. It's tough on a defense when anyone with an eligible number could make an impact on any play. It should be noted that the rookie Diggs has been getting more looks than the rest since he's been part of the game day offense.

The Packers won this game because they made fewer mistakes. It's funny how that usually happens. The Vikings were riding a five-game win streak mostly because they have been playing smart football. Avoiding penalties and mistakes. The Vikings really made things difficult for themselves. Penalties, stupid and otherwise, kept killing opportunities and giving the Packers extra opportunities. Aaron Rodgers looked a little off all game but he still managed to take advantage of all of the extra chances that he was given. Great quarterbacks have a tendency to do that.

The Vikings offensive line has to start giving Bridgewater more time. And Peterson more holes.

The Vikings still have control of their 2015 fate. They play five games before they face the Packers again to close the season. If the Vikings take care of their own business that game could be for the division title. The Vikings do have a rough road the rest of the way.

@ Atlanta Falcons
Seattle Seahawks
@ Arizona Cardinals-Thursday Night
Chicago Bears
New York Giants
@ Green Bay Packers

The visit to the Cardinals three days after playing the Seahawks worries me the most.

Welcome back Tony Romo. The Dallas Cowboys didn't win a single game of the seven that their quarterback missed. The Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins in a rematch of Super Bowl VI. That game was 24-3 Cowboys. This game was 24-14 Cowboys. Romo threw two touchdowns in his return.

The Carolina Panthers are still undefeated. In perhaps their most complete game of the season they Panthers took apart the Washington Redskins 44-16. Cam Newton threw five touchdown passes. He has to be in the MVP conversation. The Panthers are going to cruise into the playoffs without having faced many challenges. Their division and as a result their schedule hasn't put up much resistance. Despite that they sure look like a team that can challenge for a title. Terrific defense and a quarterback that puts a lot of stress on a defense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston also threw five touchdown passes. His team took apart the Philadelphia Eagles 45-17. Running back Doug Martin tossed in 235 yards on the ground to balance out a very productive Buccaneers offense.

It's sometimes tough to watch Mark Sanchez run Chip Kelly's silly offense.

The San Diego Chargers are really fading fast. Injuries have done a number to a talented offense. The Kansas City Chiefs thumped this time. 33-3. Nose tackle Dontari Poe even got in the scoring fun with a short touchdown run.

When the New York Jets visited the New England Patriots on October 25 they were 4-1 and playing for the division lead. They have only won once since then. The Jets lost to the Houston Texans yesterday. 24-17.

Brock Osweiler replaced Peyton Manning as the Denver Broncos starting quarterback. Osweiler, with a lot of help from a terrific defense, did enough to lead his team past the Chicago Bears. 17-15.

The Oakland Raiders haven't done well against the NFC North. Half of their six losses are to the Bears, Vikings, and Lions. The Detroit Lions defeated the Raiders this time. 18-13.

I spent my time waiting for the Vikings late window start by watching the Atlanta Falcons-Indianapolis Colts game. The Vikings visit the Falcons next week.

It didn't seem like either team wanted to win in the Baltimore Ravens-St. Louis Rams game. Each team had a shot to break a 13-13 tie late. Each team missed a long field goal. The difference was that the Ravens had a second opportunity. Justin Tucker made a 47-yard field goal as time expired.

The Ravens were gifted that game-winning opportunity when Rams quarterback Case Keenum fumbled and the Ravens recovered. The problem with that play was that Keenum was knocked woozy on the play before. He had trouble getting to his feet. The NFL has people at every game tasked with getting these potentially concussed players out of the game. The NFL might have some explaining to do.

Colts quarterback Matthew Hasselbeck started in place of injured and Andrew Luck. He played better in his two starts earlier this season but the results were the same. Hasselbeck is 3-0 as the Colts starter. 24-21.

The Falcons controlled the game until the final moments. For most of the game the Colts offense was in neutral. They gained 276 total yards and 170 of those yards came on their two touchdown-scoring drives. Other than those two drives they didn't do much. Mostly punted. It helped that the Colts defense added a score.

A significant portion of the Falcons offense was lost when running back Devonta Freeman left with a concussion in the first half. He had 43 yard on three carries at the time. 39 of those yards coming on a single run.

No matter how many times Falcons receiver Julio Jones touches the ball, and he had nine catches for 160 yards in this game, it doesn't seem like enough. He's a fantastic football player and the best receiver in the game. The Vikings have to deal with him next week. Corner Xavier Rhodes did a decent job covering Jones last year. Rhodes has to be even better this year.

In the nightcap, the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals played a scorcher. The Cardinals put up 21 points in the third quarter. The Bengals responded with 17 in the fourth. All of that action resulted in a 31-31 game with just under a minute to play. That was enough time for Carson Palmer to move the Cardinals offense 70 yards and a game-winning field goal.

These are two of the best teams in the league. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if they play again in February.

The New England Patriots might have something to say about that. They host the Buffalo Bills tonight.