If the Vikings are pathetic, just what are the Packers?

Green Bay Packers quarterback

(10) scrambles between Minnesota Vikings safety

(33) and defensive end

(96) in the 4th quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Disclaimer: I was on the road all day Sunday, catching the radio broadcast of the first quarter, the final two minutes and the overtime period of the Green Bay Packers versus Minnesota Vikings today.

I’m glad I missed much of the game.

From the sound of it, I missed a bad Vikings team dominating the first three quarters of this game at Lambeau Field, the benching of the first Packers quarterback in more than two decades because of bad play, another lackluster performance by an uninspired Packers defense and the Packers mounting a furious comeback on the arm of Matt Flynn during the final 15 minutes.

That’s a lot, but clearly not enough. For the first time in 27 years, the Packers ended a game in a tie – 26-26. Cripes. The score only underscores the fact that the Vikings are pathetic and the Packers aren’t much better.

Minnesota Vikings running back

(32) rushes with the football during overtime against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Vikings and Packers tied 26-26. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

With high expectations, Packers fans once more went into Sunday’s game with visions of a win dancing in their heads … and like bad sex, Packers fans were let down once again by a team that has lost any kind of drive, identity or focus.

The Packers, playing at home, on the historic turf of Lambeau Field, should have dismantled the Vikings – a team with two wins total this season and a team the Packers demolished in Minneapolis only a few weeks ago.

Instead, Green Bay embarrassed themselves once again, giving up more than 200 yards rushing to the Vikings, including 146 to Adrian Peterson on 32 carries and another 91 yards to Toby Gerhart on just 8 carries.

The Vikings gashed the Packers and once again Green Bay’s defense failed to stop the Vikings when it really mattered. Yes, The Packers recorded six sacks on the Vikings, but so what? By the time the fourth quarter rolled around and Matt Flynn found the field, the Vikings already had a 23-7 lead.

The Vikings, who couldn’t impress their mothers prior to today, got a career day out of both Gerhart and Christian Ponder – two players who haven’t ever scared opposing teams.

The Packers got a great performance from Flynn and once again from rookie running back Eddie Lacy. Flynn completed 21-of-36 passes, with one touchdown and no interceptions in two quarters of play. But it was too little, too late. He also couldn’t get his team into the end zone when it really mattered – like on the Packers’ first possession in overtime. Down on the two-yard line, the Packers couldn’t punch the ball in to seal the deal.

The defense then allowed the Vikings to march down the field during their first OT possession and kick a field goal to tie the game. From there, it was two bad teams bouncing off one another as the clock ran out. The day’s ineptitude was highlighted on the Packers final possession in overtime when the offense fell apart and could only move the ball backward. Yes, they were pathetic.

At this point, Packers quarterback

will only be an asterisk in Packers annals.

The only silver lining is that both the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears also lost today. Had the Packers found a way to win, they would have been tied for first place in the NFC North Division – a division that all of a sudden is a muddled mess of confusion and ineptitude.

What’s amazing is that as badly as the Packers have played over the past month, they are still in the hunt for the division title. Whether that really matters in the end is still a questioned to be answered. Whichever team does eventually win the division will most likely not make it far in the playoffs anyway.

At this point in time, the Packers certainly don’t deserve it. Their defense is a sieve, their special teams are far from special, and their offense is – well, just offensive.

Now it’s off to Detroit for the annual Thanksgiving Day game. Most likely Matt Flynn will start and the Lions usual suspects of thugs will be coming after him with all they’ve got.

God help this team. They need it.