Day at the Vikings and Other Week 3 thoughts

So I went to the Vikings for the first time in 3 years with my buddy Matt on Sunday. It was a pretty good game. It looked very ugly at the start, but it was all Minnesota after the defensive touchdown that tied it up before the half.

Now so much is being made of Gus Ferrotte's performace. Admittedly he looked better than Jackson has in either of his first two starts, but not by much. Ferrotte was only 16 for 28 and threw 1 int (though it bounced off his reciever so probably not his fault). Ferrotte let himself get sacked on consecutive plays in the 3rd quarter, which gave great field position to the Panthers and a chance to get back in the game.

So Ferrotte was far from perfect, and shouldn't be looked at as the huge hero he's being made out to be. That said he did a couple things that distinguished himself from TJack.

1) He completed 2 big passes beyond 10 yards, including the touchdown on the first drive of the 2nd half.

2) He took a lot of the easier underneath passes and didn't force too many balls deep (the type of the throws Jackson was missing by 5 yards last week).

But as big as Ferrotte was, it was as important that Chester Taylor played a huge game to pick up the extra load from the vikings limiting Adrian Peterson's touches (though AP did make good most of the time when he got the ball, despite his injury).

But this game was won by the "D" and I think the local media would be very critical of Ferrotte if the vikes had lost 21-20 for the things I mentioned. Also for how undiciplined the Vikings played with all their brainless penalties in the 1st Quarter, and how poor the tackling was on kick and punt coverage. Carolina probably should've won given the field position they had until the Vikes engineered that beautiful 11 minute drive that put them up 2 scores. But after looking soft on the Panthers first two drives, the "D" stepped up huge, and getting that touchdown at the end of the 1st half gave the Vikes the confidence they needed to hand the Panthers they're first loss.

So praise the "D" (maybe I'm just extra excited cause I'm crushing him on all fantasy points the Vikes "D" got me this week), and be happy the vikings beat a decent team to avoid what would be a devistating 0-3 start. The Vikes will have to play much better next week to beat 3-0 Tenesee. The Vikes got dumped on schedule-wise for the first 4 weeks, after that it gets much easier.

As for going live the Vikings are 3-0 when I attend. (They beat Detroit in '05, and Miami in '94).

After hitting the concourse at Halftime and how insanly crowed it was I am ready to give Zygi Wilf his $1 billion dollars for his new stadium (jk, but still whenever or however we get the new building, wider concourses!)

Non-viking thoughts

I didn't really think the New England Patriots we're going undefeated again this year. But I didn't think their long regular season losing streak would fall at the hands of last years 1-15 doormat Miami, and by a 3 TD margin. Quite shocking...

If you need further proof that Detroit really sucks again look at this

(lowly) San Francisco 31, Detroit 13.

Yes the Pathetic 49ers ran it up on Detroit. The Lions will be welcome when they appear at the Metrodome in two weeks.