The Vikings can’t possibly be happy with any of their starting QBs given the solid running game the team has.  With the Vikings averaging 173.3 yards rushing per game and 5.6 ypc and often facing 8 and 9 man fronts….yet none of the QBs have taken advantage of it.  Tavaris Jackson is the starter and he’s only really had one good game this whole season….and it was last week.  Jackson has completed 78 of 144 passes (54.2%) for 900 yards with 3 TD passes and 6 interceptions (62.8 QB Rating) so far this season.  Jackson has also carried the ball 21 times for 122 yards (5.8 ypc) with a TD run.  Kelly Holcomb is the #2 QB on the Vikings and he hasn’t shown much.  Holcomb has completed 42 of 83 passes (50.6%) for 515 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 interception (73.1 QB Rating).  Brooks Bollinger has probably played the best of any Vikings QB this season but that’s not saying much.  Bollinger has completed 33 of 50 passes (66%) for 391 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 interception (88.0 QB Rating) so far this season.  Look for the Vikings to make a move for a QB like Donovan McNabb in the off-season.

The Vikings won this game because of their defense which was awesome.  Dwight Smith led the way for the Vikings D with 4 tackles and 2 interceptions that he returned for 112 yards including an 93-yarder for a TD!  Chad Greenway had 3 tackles and a interception that he returned 37 yards for a TD.  Safety Darren Sharper also had a solid game with 2 tackles and an interception that he returned 20 yards for a TD.  The Giants finished up with 75 yards rushing on 19 carries (3.9 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 49 passes for 234 yards.

Tavaris Jackson had his best game ever in the NFL as he completed 10 of 12 passes for 129 yards with 1 TD pass and he also carried the ball 5 times for 38 yards (7.6 ypc).  Chester Taylor was a little bit off as he carried the ball 31 times for 77 yards (2.5 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 12 yards.  Sidney Rice led the receivers for the Vikings with 3 catches for 82 yards (27.3 avg) with a TD.  The Vikings finished up with 127 yards rushing on 39 carries (3.3 ypc) and they also completed 10 of 12 passes for 124 yards.

The Vikings offense really played well yesterday and the defense was just good enough to hold off Daunte Culpepper (311 yards passing) and the Raiders.  Tavaris Jackson had one of his better games of the season as he completed 17 of 22 passes for 171 yards with a interception.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 19 yards (6.3 ypc).  Sidney Rice pitched in with two really good passes that he completed for 94 yards.  Chester Taylor had a monster game starting in place of the injured Adrian Peterson.  Taylor carried the ball 22 times for 164 yards (7.5 ypc) with 3 TD runs and he also caught 3 passes for 38 yards (12.7 avg).  TE Visanthe Shiancoe (2 rec, 94 yards) and WR Bobby Wade (5 rec, 45 yards) both had solid games.  The Vikings finished up with 228 yards rushing on 32 carries (7.1 ypc) and they also completed 19 of 24 passes for 250 yards.

The Vikings defense was solid against the run but they had problems with the Raiders passing game.  DT Pat Williams led the Vikings with 9 tackles.  LBs Chad Greenway (7 tackles, fumble recovery, sack) and E.J. Henderson (6 tackles, sack) also had solid games for the Vikings’ defense.  The Raiders finished up with 61 yards rushing on 27 carries (2.3 ypc) and they also completed 23 of 39 passes for 311 yards.

If Adrian Peterson were playing in this game it would probably have been a Vikings rout.  Without him however, the Raiders will have a legit shot and Daunte Culpepper will be playing another ex-team of his.  His Raiders rolled up a 35-17 against the Dolphins earlier this season.   The Raiders are a running team as they average 137.0 yards rushing per game this season but the Vikings only allow 75.9 yards rushing per game and 3.0 ypc so something has to give.  If the Raiders give Culpepper time to throw the ball he will be able to extract revenge on another team that gave up on him as the Vikings allow an amazing 285.9 yards passing per game.

The Vikings won’t change up their gameplan very much with Chester Taylor starting in place of Adrian Peterson.  After all, the Raiders allow 144.2 yards rushing per game and 4.8 ypc so the Vikings should be able to get a lot of rushing yards.  They better hope they can because the Raiders have a good pass defense and Tavaris Jackson stinks.

PREDICTION:  Culpepper will get his revenge.  RAIDERS 24, VIKINGS 17

The Packers applied a beating to the Vikings that will have a lasting effect on the rest of the season.  That’s because a hit on Adrian Peterson tore ligaments in his knee which will likely cause him to miss at least the next 2-3 weeks.  Brooks Bollinger did not play too well as he completed 16 of 26 passes for 176 yards with a interception.  Adrian Peterson ran the ball 11 times for 45 yards (4.1 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 14 yards (4.7 avg).  Chester Taylor also got some quality work in as he carried the ball 3 times for 37 yards (12.3 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 59 yards (29.5 avg).   Robert Ferguson led the way for the receiving corps with 6 catches for 59 yards (9.8 avg).  The Vikings finished with 86 yards rushing on 15 carries (5.7 ypc) and they also completed 16 of 26 passes for 161 yards.  The Vikings only had possession of the football for 19:20 of the game.

E.J. Henderson (11 tackles) and Chad Greenway (8 tackles) led the way for a defense that was on the field way too long.  The Packers finished with 120 yards rushing on 32 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 35 of 48 passes for 368 yards.