For the second straight week, the New York Giants were horrendous. In their pathetic 41-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, they proved that they need to rebuild. It’s easy to accuse Eli Manning, but I’d put more blame on offensive coordinator Bill Sheridan. The Giants looked confused on each of their drives so it’s no surprise that the Minnesota Vikings defense shut them down. Their only score came on a one-yard run by Danny Ware early in the fourth quarter. Still, Manning wasn’t completely absent as he did manage 141 yards on 17 of 23 attempts. With this defeat, the Giants fail to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. Their fans deserved a solid effort but the Giants just didn’t seem to care.

As for the Vikings, they straight up abused their opponents. Not only did they show up on defense, but their offense was even more impressive. Brett Favre posted possibly his best game of the season, repeatedly finding receivers Sidney Rice, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Percy Harvin. Gradually picking apart an uninspired Giants defense, Favre went 25 for 31 on attempts for 316 yards and four touchdowns. His passes to Rice were a sight to behold. Rice really worked for both of his touchdowns, running interesting routes to fool the coverage.

The Vikings will now await the results of today’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallsas Cowboys. If the Cowboys beat the Eagles and clinch the NFC East, the Vikings will get the buy in the first week of the playoffs.

Here are five quick-hit observations from the Cardinals’ impressive 30-17 win over the Vikings in Week 13.

1. Warner still amazes.
The media loves to talk about what Brett Favre is able to accomplish at his age – and for good reason. But you watch a game like the on Sunday night and it’s hard not to be just as amazed at what Kurt Warner is able to do at 38-years old. He completed 22-of-32 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns, constantly stood in the face of pressure and delivered some rockets to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. He’s still fun to watch.

2. Favre must be getting ready for the postseason.
With the playoffs coming up in a few weeks, Favre decided to get into postseason form tonight by playing like crap. I know, I know – he’s been brilliant this season. But considering the media waxes this guy’s nuts every week, I think we can take a little time to recognize how bad he played tonight. He made some downright rookie mistakes throughout the game and while he only threw two interceptions, the Cardinals could have had at least two more if it weren’t for drops by their defensive backs. I’m sure this was just one bad night, but it’s interesting to note that Favre threw off his back foot multiple times in the face of pressure – something he’s accustomed to doing when he’s struggling.

3. AP gets shut down.
What a fantastic job the Cardinals’ run defense did against Adrian Peterson, who finished with just 19 yards on 13 carries. He had zero running room tonight, as Arizona’s defense did a great job of gang tackling him throughout the game. He did haul in six catches for 46 yards, but you know AP didn’t have a great night when Percy Harvin and Chester Taylor outgained him on the ground.

4. Note to self: Don’t piss off Anquan Boldin.
Since Ken Whisenhunt ticked off Anquan Boldin by deactivating him for the Bears game a couple weeks ago, the wideout has snared 28 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns. Tonight, he caught seven passes for 98 yards and two scores, as he and Warner torched Minnesota in the first half. The adjustment he made on a sideline rout that led to his 38-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was a thing of beauty.

5. The Vikings’ defense suffered a huge blow.
E.J. Henderson was carted off the field with what appeared to be a season-ending leg injury in the fourth quarter. The problem is not only that the Vikes lost their leading tackler in Henderson, but that they also have little depth behind him. Rookie Jasper Brinkley will replace Henderson and it stands to reason that he’ll be a significant downgrade. It’ll be interesting to see if opponents start attacking the middle of the field now through the air.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/12/07/2009-nfl-week-13-cardinals-30-vikings-17/feed/ 0 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/29/vikings-crush-bears-favre-showing-zero-signs-of-fatigue/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/29/vikings-crush-bears-favre-showing-zero-signs-of-fatigue/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:44:59 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=30060

If Brett Favre is wearing down, then he has everybody fooled because the guy is playing like a freaking maniac.

Favre completed 32-of-48 passes for 392 yards with three touchdowns and no inceptions in the Vikings’ 36-10 win over the Bears in Week 12. Minnesota attacked Chicago repeatedly through the air, throwing the ball 31 times to just 12 rushes in the first half. When the dust settled, the Vikings had a 24-7 halftime lead and the game was never in doubt from that point forward.

Minnesota is now 10-1 and will be rooting hard for New England to beat New Orleans on Monday night. The Vikes have the inside track on a first round bye, but they’ll have their eye on earning the top seed in the playoffs entering the final month of the season.

As for the Bears, their disastrous season continues. All of their defensive problems were on full display today as Favre and the Vikings went up and down the field with the greatest of ease. Chicago was out gained in first downs (31 to eight) and total yardage (537 to 169).

It was the same story today as it has been all season: They were outplayed in the trenches, they couldn’t run the ball and Jay Cutler turned the ball over multiple times. Nothing has changed about this team in over a month.

Forget the fickleness, the wavering and the constant stroking of his ego – Brett Favre was worth it for the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings remained undefeated in 2009 following their thrilling 33-31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. For all intents and purposes, the Vikings should have won by double-digit points but they blew leads as large as 14-0 in the first quarter and 27-10 in the fourth.

It was Favre that once again stepped up when Minnesota needed it most. After Baltimore shocked the Metrodome crowd by taking its first lead of the game at 31-30 with just over three minutes remaining, Favre found Sidney Rice on a 58-yard reception that got Minnesota down to Baltimore’s 18-yard line. Head coach Brad Childress then decided to play for the field goal by calling three consecutive running plays and setting up a Ryan Longwell 31-yard field goal to give the Vikings the lead back at 33-31. Favre and Minneosta then had to hold their collective breaths as Ravens kicker Steven Hauschka missed a potential game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired.

Putting aside Minnesota’s near-collapse for a second, Favre and Adrian Peterson were incredible. Favre completed 21 of 29 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns, while Peterson rushed for 143 yards on 22 carries. I don’t know if Peterson is opening things up for Favre, Favre is opening things up for Peterson or if it’s just a perfect mix of both, but it’s working for the Vikings.

But while I hate to pop the Favre-magic balloon, this was the second time this year that the Vikings got lucky inside the Metrodome. The first time was against the 49ers when Favre found Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone on an improbable touchdown pass. Had San Fran been in a normal defense, Minnesota would have suffered its first loss of the season. And had Hauschka made the field goal today, the Vikings would have lost again. It certainly wasn’t a chip-shot, but that’s a field goal Hauschka has to make while kicking inside a dome.

That said, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. While the Vikings aren’t a perfect football team (the Ravens did whatever they wanted in the second half offensively, exposing some of the Vikings’ defensive issues), they have a perfect record and that’s the only thing that matters at this point.

Oh, and having No. 4 under center certain helps too.

Thanks to Brett Favre and their 4-0 start, the Minnesota Vikings are one of the most talked about teams in the NFL right now. One of the players off to a solid start is receiver Bernard Berrian, who has 16 receptions for 177 yards and one touchdown on the year. Bernard was gracious enough to chat with us about the Vikings’ big win over the Packers on Monday night, a game in which he hauled in six passes for 75 yards and a 31-yard touchdown. Among some of the topics we asked Bernard were what it’s like being in the same huddle with a legend, whether there was any truth to the rumor that there was a divide in the Vikings’ locker room following the signing of Favre, and who is the toughest cornerback he’s ever faced.

The Scores Report: Hey Bernard, how are you man?

Bernard Barrian: I’m fine, how you doing?

TSR: Good. Congratulations on the win Monday night.

BB: Thanks, appreciate it.

TSR: I felt that your touchdown in the third quarter gave you guys the momentum the rest of the way.

BB: Oh yeah I think it definitely did, or put us in position at least.

TSR: No knock on any of the other quarterbacks you’ve played with throughout your career, but you’re playing with a legend now. What’s it like being in the same huddle with Brett Favre?

BB: It’s fun really. He brings a lot of fun to the game. When you see highlights, you see emotion pouring out through different players on the field.

TSR: Who put the rocking chair in front of his locker after the win?

BB: I still haven’t found out who did that – I have no idea. But it was hilarious when I saw it sitting there. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) I know it’s early, but what has he meant to the Vikings so far?

BB: Just the leadership ability that he brings and the way he approaches the game. It’s fun to watch him play because he brings a lot to the game.

TSR: Was there any truth to the rumor this offseason that there was a divide in the locker room between the players when he was signed?

BB: No, there was no truth to that. I don’t even know where that came from. There’s been nothing but unity out here.

TSR: I know the Packers bottled him up on Monday night, but talk to me about Adrian Peterson. How special is he and is his potential sky high?

BB: Oh, he’s definitely a special player. There’s no running back better than Adrian – he’s easily the best by far. He’s the best running back out there and his work ethic is insurmountable.

TSR: Can Percy Harvin be the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2009?

BB: I can definitely see that. The way things are going right now, he’s off to a great start and I only see him getting better. So yeah, that’s definitely a possibility for him.

TSR: Have you taken him under wing? Has he learned a lot so far?

BB: I think he has learned a lot just being out there and I think another thing that has helped him is having Brett out there. We’re always having conversations about what he should do and where he should be. He knows a lot of stuff on his own, which is kind of surprising when you sit down and look at things. He knows a lot himself.

TSR: You guys won the division and went to the playoffs last year. Besides adding Favre, what’s the key to you guys getting back to the postseason and not only that, but winning a playoff game?

BB: I think it’s just that little amount of extra confidence that’s the biggest difference. We thought we were a Super Bowl contender even before all the Brett Favre talk, but now that he’s here I think it’s just that little bit of added confidence that will able us to get there.

TSR: Is Brad Childress’ offense second nature to you now, Bernard?

BB: Oh yeah, it’s second nature to me now. It’s an easy offense to pick up anyway. Offenses are pretty much the same outside of different styles of offenses. You know in Chicago, we ran a different style of the West Coast Offense anyway, so the only big difference was the terminology and a couple different route structures.

TSR: Bring me back to last year when you caught your 99-yard touchdown pass against the Bears. Did you ever think that you’d have the opportunity to score on a 99-yard play, or even that a pass would be the play called in that situation since you guys were backed up against the goal line?

BB: Oh no, never. I was always lobbying for it in practice. We always work on our offense being backed up and I was always like, “Call a pass play – let it go, let it fly.” And then for them to actually call it was shocking and to even land it was even more shocking.

TSR: Was it more special because you did it against your favorite team or had that not crossed your mind?

BB: Nah, there’s no hostility towards those guys – what’s done is done. You know, once I signed with the Vikings I was a Viking and I had to let go of the Bears. What was done was done and besides that was the second game (of the series) anyway. All the emotional stuff was gone and let loose in the first game.

TSR: Who’s the top cornerback that you’ve come across in the NFL?

BB: Toughest cornerback…I’d have to go with Nnamdi (Asomugha).

TSR: Really? That’s a great choice. That division has two tough cornerbacks in Asomugha and Champ Bailey – have you faced Champ?

BB: Champ Bailey – yeah, he’s good and I have faced him but it wasn’t one of those games where he’s following you the whole game. So it wasn’t like we were going up against each other the whole time. I’ve got to face a guy for a sustained period of time before I can say I really went up against him.

TSR: Sure. You faced two good cornerbacks Monday night in Charles Woodson and Al Harris. Are those two the toughest corners in your division?

BB: Oh yeah by far I would say they’re the toughest in the division. They’re two great cornerbacks that are crafty – Charles is definitely a crafty guy and Al is a very physical, crafty guy as well. They play within their scheme very well.

TSR: Who is one Vikings player that you feel is being overlooked but is a key for the team getting to the playoffs?

BB: Ooh, that’s a great question…uh…

TSR: You can say yourself too, Bernard.

BB: Nah, I can’t include myself.

TSR: (Laughs)

BB: Hmm…

TSR: What about Sidney Rice?

BB: I don’t think he’s getting overlooked though.

TSR: That’s true. It could be a defensive guy.

BB: That’s where I think I’m going – the defensive side. I would go with Chad Greenway.

TSR: Okay, cool. What kind of impact do you think he can make throughout the course of the year?

BB: He’s always around the ball, he comes up with fumble recoveries or he causes fumbles. He’s a very athletic linebacker and talented linebacker that I’ve seen.

TSR: Is it frightening to be in the same locker room with Jared Allen?

BB: Oh no, it’s great being in the same locker room with him!

TSR: Better he be in your own locker room than in another team’s right?

BB: Yeah, definitely.

TSR: Now I know you guys lost, but what’s your most memorable experience from Super Bowl XLI with the Bears?

BB: I think just everything surrounding the Super Bowl, more so than the game. The game to me is always going to be a game, so that’s never going to change whether it’s the Super Bowl or not. But I think everything surrounding the Super Bowl…you know, I have a lot of family out there, so being able to enjoy the things I was able to enjoy.

TSR: One last question for you, if you could pay to watch any player on Sunday not a Viking, who would it be?

BB: Current?

TSR: Current.

BB: Current player…

TSR: I was talking to Junior Seau two weeks ago and he said Tom Brady, so I’m hoping you take us in another direction.

BB: Nah, I wasn’t going that way – I’m actually far from that way. I like watching somebody exciting, where every time the get the ball they can score or watching a defensive player when they get a sack or something. Uh, Ray is always an exciting player to watch.

TSR: Who’s that?

BB: Ray Lewis is always exciting to watch.

TSR: What about an offensive guy?

BB: We’ll go with Chad Johnson. He’s always exciting to watch and you never know what he’s going to do.

TSR: Very true! Well that’s definitely a good one. What about a former player?

BB: Barry Sanders.

TSR: Another good one! Do you have anything coming up that you want to get out there, Bernard? A charitable event or anything?

BB: Feeding America. We’re going to do something around Thanksgiving again this year, so keep an eye out for that.

TSR: Excellent, well I wish you the best throughout the rest of the season, Bernard, and I thank you for chatting with us.

BB: All right thank you.

I’m setting the over/under on the number of sacks Vikings’ defensive end Jared Allen will have on Aaron Rodgers tonight at 2.5.

Any takers?

Allen is due for a monster night as Green Bay left tackle Chad Clifton is expected to miss his second game tonight following an ankle injury he suffered in a Week 2 loss to the Bengals.

The Packers’ offensive line has resembled a revolving door this season, allowing 12 sacks in the first three games. In their loss to Cincinnati, Green Bay made defensive end Antwan Odom look like a cross between Reggie White and Kevin Greene as he brought down Rodgers five times.

Rodgers is a fine quarterback, but his offensive line is going to get him killed if they don’t start protecting him. Considering Ryan Grant won’t find much running room against the Williams Wall tonight, it would be in Green Bay’s best interest to max-protect Rodgers the entire night. The Giants use a similar method on a weekly basis with Eli Manning and he seems to do just fine.

The Packers need to help Daryn Colledge out, because he’ll see the brunt of the work against Allen. Lining up a tight end to Allen’s side would make sense, although Green Bay might also need to set up a military-based obstacle course in between him and Rodgers just to be safe.

I’m taking the over tonight. I think Allen will eventually take this game over, especially if the Packers can’t get Grant going early. It could be a very long night for Rodgers.

The moment Brett Favre has been waiting for since Ted Thompson crapped in his cereal over 12 months ago is vastly approaching.

The Vikings host the Packers tonight at the Metrodome and Brett will no doubt be fired up to try to stick it to Thompson, as he so amply put it when the GM traded him to the Jets last year. (The fact that Favre put Thompson in a bad position with his fickle changing of the mind is still lost on Brett, but that’s a story for another time.)

The question becomes, will Brett beat Thompson’s Packers tonight?

Like most weeks, the Vikings will try to establish the run with Adrian Peterson in hopes of opening things up in the passing game. The Packers have a solid secondary, so Brad Childress would be foolish to take the ball out of Peterson’s hands early in the game and start forcing the action with Favre in the passing game. It would behoove Childress not to get wrapped up in the Favre-vs-Green Bay death match and just keep things simple with AP.

What would be interesting to see unfold is if the Packers dare Favre to beat them by loading the box with eight defenders to stop Peterson. As previously noted, Green Bay’s secondary is solid and Dom Capers could leave his corners on an island with Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin if he wanted to sell out to stop the run.

It would be in the Packers best interest if they get into a shootout tonight. If he gets protection (which has been a major problem for Green Bay so far), Aaron Rodgers can go toe to toe with any opposing quarterback if both teams start throwing the ball vertically. A Favre-Rodgers shootout would make for great television.

But alas, shutting down Peterson is easier said then done. He’s faced eight men in the box multiple times before and has still pounded out 100-plus yards on the ground. Still, a man could hope for a Monday night shootout, right?

Comment starter: Will Favre get his revenge tonight or does Rodgers outplay his predecessor?