The Vikings totally pushed the Rams around in this game earlier today.  Brett Favre was solid again completing 18 of 24 passes for 232 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  Tarvaris Jackson finished up this game at QB for the Vikings and he completed all three of his pass attempts for 68 yards.  Adrian Peterson was busy for the Vikings as he carried the ball 15 times for 69 yards (4.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  Chester Taylor pitched in with 20 yards rushing on 9 carries (2.2 ypc) with a TD run and he also caught 3 passes for 49 yards (16.3 avg).  Percy Harvin (66 yards) and TE Visanthe Shiancoe (49 yards, TD) each led the Vikings with 4 catches apiece in this game.  The Vikings finished up this game with 377 total yards on offense (89 rushing, 288 passing) in this game.

The Vikings’ D was solid in this game until garbage time when the Rams moved the ball well.  CB Cedric Griffin led the way for the Vikings in this game with 8 tackles.  Safety Tyrell Johnson also had a solid game with 5 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception.  DE Jared Allen only had 2 tackles and he defensed 1 pass but he also recovered two fumbles one of which he returned 52 yards for a TD.  The Rams finished up with 400 total yards of offense in this game (122 rushing, 278 passing).  The Vikings are now 5-0 on the season.

This game could wind up being a brutal beat down for the Rams unless the Vikings have a let down due to the big win that they got over the Packers on Monday Night Football.  But, that is unlikely to happen.  The Vikings will likely get back to running the football with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor against a Rams’ D that is allowing 135.0 yards rushing per game and 4.1 yards per carry.  Brett Favre will likely be a game manager early in the game before taking a lot of chances downfield against a shoody Rams’ pass defense which is allowing opposing QBs to have a 100.2 QB Rating. 

Honestly, the best chance for the Rams to score a TD in this game likely lies with KR/PR Danny Amendola and that’s a awful thing to say about a football team but it’s likely accurate.  After all, the Rams have only scored 24 points this season and they have already been shut out twice.  Any hope they have lies in getting the ball into Steven Jackson’s hands (367 yards rushing, 67 yards receiving) and he will find it hard to get a lot of yards against a Vikings’ D that is only allowing 89.5 yards rushing per game and 3.7 yards per carry.  The Vikings will likely have 8 or 9 defensive players in the box at all times as the Rams are having serious issues throwing the ball.  They have allowed 10 sacks this season and the receivers don’t have much experience which has made it hard for either Marc Bulger or Kyle Boller to get anything done through the air.  DE Jared Allen of the Vikings already has 6.5 sacks this season and he will not doubt be getting into the Rams’ backfield often.

PREDICTION:  VIKINGS 30, RAMS 6

Brett Favre was able to get revenge on his former team Monday night as the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) beat the Green Bay Packers (2-2).  Adrian Peterson has been the catalyst for the Vikings offense most of the time this year, but Brett Favre was determined to take down his former team and was the Vikings best player on offense Monday.  The Packers defense was able to contain Peterson, as he finished with 55 yards on 25 carries (2.2 avg), but they could not contain the nearly 40-year-old Brett Favre and the Vikings’ passing game.  Favre finished the game with three touchdowns and 271 yards on 24/31 attempts (77%).

The Vikings defense had just as much, if not more, to do with the Vikings winning this game as Favre’s great play.  Although Favre had a great night, the player of the game has to go to Jared Allen.  Allen had 4.5 sacks and a safety, leading the Vikings defense attack on Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers.  Rodgers did throw a career high 384 yards, but a lot came in late comeback efforts.  The Packers were down all game, as Favre and the offense built an early lead on Green Bay, so Rodgers had to throw often.  The Vikings defense did a great job pressuring him though, as they finished the game with eight sacks and Antoine Winfield had an interception.  They also held the Packers to 82 rushing yards.  The Vikings are on the road next week against the win-less St. Louis Rams.

The Minnesota Vikings (3-0) are hosting Brett Favre’s former team, the Green Bay Packers (2-1) this week.  Favre is looking to “stick it to” his former club and this will be an exciting match-up.  Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers will also be looking to prove something, as he wants to show why the Packers went with him over Favre last year.  These are two pretty evenly matched football teams and this will be a fun game to watch.

Vikings’ fans better hope Favre doesn’t try to do too much against his former club, but I am sure he will try and force a few throws down field.  The Packers and Vikings offenses are pretty even when it comes to numbers, as the Packers average 313 yards and the Vikings average 317.  The Vikings have Adrian Peterson though, and in three games he has put up very good numbers but more importantly has had at least one huge run in each game.  In week one he had a 64-yard run, week two a 27-yard run, and last week he had a 35-yard run.  The Packers have a good defense, but Peterson has proved he can put up the numbers against any defense.  In their match-up last year, Peterson ran for 192 yards and a touchdown, and I am expecting more of the same from him in this year’s game.

The Vikings defense is where Minnesota has the advantage in this game.  They are holding teams to 260 total yards per game and have been wreaking havoc on quarterbacks.  The Packers offensive line has been struggling to protect Rodgers, as they have already given up 12 sack this year.  This seems to be the big difference-maker in this game, as Rodgers will not have enough time or opportunities to make big plays.  If the Packers are able to protect Rodgers though, he is a very good quarterback and could lead the Packers’ to the victory.  I think the Vikings defense will be too much for the Packers’ offensive line to handle though and I think the Vikings will win a close game.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:  Vikings 28, Packers 21

Chester Taylor has not been getting many carries behind Adrian Peterson but the Vikings are using him a lot out of the backfield in the passing game.  Taylor has caught 15 passes (leads Vikings) for 103 yards (6.9 avg) so far this season.  He has also carried the ball 17 times for 41 yards (2.4 ypc) this year.  Taylor is a outstanding weapon for the Vikings and he should get more carries as the season goes on to give Peterson a break and he should also continue to catch a lot of passes from Brett Favre.

Brett Favre managed the first two games of the season for the Vikings but he proved against the 49ers that he still has a lot to offer.  He led the team on a long drive resulting in a TD which came on a incredible pass Favre to Greg Lewis.  Favre has completed 61 of 94 passes (64.9%) for 566 yards with 5 TD passes and 1 interception (94.5 QB Rating).  It will be very interesting to see how Favre handles playing against his old team….the Packers….who pushed him out of the door a couple of years ago.