Minnesota Vikings react to rival Green Bay Packers’ win
By Jamie Wright
The Minnesota Vikings aren’t taking any moral victories from their loss against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon.
No, the Vikings were more interested in the plays left on the field that afternoon; the catches un-made, the passes off target, the missed tackles.
After the game, they didn’t want to hear about holding the Packers explosive offense to just 24 points, after they had put up 50-plus in back-to-back games. They didn’t want to hear about how often they were able to get Aaron Rodgers off the field. They didn’t even want to take solace in the fact that rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater actually looked like a would-be franchise guy against the Packers on-again-off-again defensive unit.
No, the Vikings were more interested in the plays left on the field that afternoon; the catches un-made, the passes off target, the missed tackles. They did credit Aaron Rodgers and Eddie Lacy on their prevalence in a tight contest – but they were holding true to the opinion that the Minnesota Vikings ultimately beat themselves on Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers throws during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports photograph
I get it – the Packers take such responsibilities in a loss. As a fan, you like to hear that because it makes you feel like [if those “lost plays” are converted], you win that game and you are still the superior team. As an opposing team fan … it’s a little insulting.
However, the Vikings put up quite a fight in Minnesota – the first outdoors matchup across the border in over 30 years. Bridgewater got into a groove and proved that he can be a headache in the NFC North, if given the opportunity. Rodgers and his explosive offense were somewhat stagnant on a few drives, despite the success of Eddie Lacy on the ground.
Both Coach Zimmer and Teddy Bridgewater had nice things to say about Aaron Rodgers. They know what a talent the NFC North houses, in rival Wisconsin.
The defensive players interviewed, among whom were: Captain Munnerlyn and Xavier Rhodes, also complimented Rodgers’ ability to escape the pocket and extend plays. They revealed that they had game-planned for such and were able to execute that plan fairly well.
However, on one scramble that was unanticipated, Rodgers was able to buy time and throw across his body and the field to a wide open Richard Rodgers in the corner of the end zone. Both men attributed that to just Rodgers being Rodgers … a compliment in and of itself.
Everyone who talked about Eddie Lacy in their post-game interviews had this to say: he’s a beast.
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Lacy was on fire, racking up 125 yards from scrimmage on 25 carries and adding two touchdowns to his yearly total. Zimmer called Lacy “a load” to handle in the open field. He lamented not being able to tackle Lacy quicker, though most every player in the Vikings locker room conceded that no one person is bringing Lacy down alone.
He is the kind of guy that needs to be gang tackled and it worked for the Packers in a big way on Sunday.
Today, both teams are looking ahead to next week’s opponent. The Packers will host the New England Patriots in the late afternoon game this coming Sunday – a highly anticipated match-up with playoff implications. The Vikings, on the other hand, are still in the middle of a rebuilding period, and looking onward, as well.