The Vikings played ball contol on offense and the defense was outstanding leading Leslie Frazier to a win in his debut as the Vikings’ head coach.  Brett Favre was a game manager in this game for the Vikings as he connected on 15 of 23 passes for 172 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs.  Rookie RB Toby Gerhart led the way on the ground for the Vikings in this game with 22 carries for 76 yards (3.5 ypc) with a TD run.  Adrian Peterson had 6 carries for 36 yards (6.0 ypc) with a TD run and he also caught 1 pass for 34 yards before leaving the game with a ankle injury.  Visanthe Shiancoe (3 rec, 54 yards) and Percy Harvin (5 receptions for 32 yards and 3 carries for 14 yards) helped out through the air for the Vikings in this game.  The Vikings carried the ball 38 times for 137 yards (3.6 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 23 passes for 162 yards as they had possession of the ball for 33:05.

LB Chad Greenway (9 tackles), DE Jared Allen (6 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 sack and 1 QB hit) and LB E.J. Henderson (4 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack, 1 pass defensed, 1 QB hit and 1 interception) led the way for the Vikings’ D in this game.  The Redskins finished up with 29 yards rushing on 13 carries (2.2 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 35 passes for 187 yards.  The Vikings are now 4-7 on the year.

The Vikings have lost four of the last five games but they will have Leslie Frazier calling the shots instead of Brad Childress who has been fired.  The Redskins rebounded from the 59-28 beatdown the Eagles put on them two weeks ago to win a hard fought game in O.T. over the Titans 19-16 in Tennessee.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Vikings have the ball:  I have a feeling that the new head coach is going to start off his career by giving the ball to the best player on the Vikings early and often in this game.  Adrian Peterson should have a solid game against a Redskins’ D that is allowing 131.0 yards rushing per game and 5.1 yards per carry.  When the Vikings do go to the air look for Brett Favre to be targeting Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice and Visanthe Shiancoe.  The Redskins are giving up 280.1 yards passing per game this year so as long as Favre stays away from CB DeAngelo Hall he should have some success.

When the Redskins have the ball:  The Skins are a banged up team right now.  Their top WR (Santana Moss) is iffy for this game and if the doesn’t play I see the Skins having a hard time moving the ball.  Donovan McNabb is likely going to try to throw the ball a lot against a Vikings’ D that is allowing 218.0 yards passing per game.  If Moss can’t go, Anthony Armstrong or Joey Galloway is going to have to step up.  The Vikings should pay special attention to Chris Cooley who is a pretty good TE.  The Redskins will be using Keiland Williams as the main RB and I think he’ll have problems getting many yards against the Vikings’ D-Line.

PREDICTION:  VIKINGS 23, REDSKINS 17

The Vikings fired head coach Brad Childress last Monday and they have replaced him with 51-year old Leslie Frazier on a interim basis.  Childress had lost control of the locker room as evidenced by players saying that hated him and were playing for themselves.  It didn’t help that the Vikings were pathetic last Sunday at home getting pounded by the division rival Packers 31-3.  The Vikings were 3-7 under Childress this year as they were outscored 226-172.  The Vikings were 39-35 (52.7%) in five years under Childress during the regular season and they were 1-2 in the post-season.  51-year old Leslie Frazier has been the defensive coordinator for the Vikings since 2007.  This is his first head coaching gig after being interviewed 7 times to no avail due to the Rooney Rule (which is a joke).  I’m hoping that Frazier turns the Vikings into a running team as Adrian Peterson is by far  the best offensive player on the team.

The Vikings scored first in this game and that appeared to piss the Packers off!  The Packers dominated the rest of this game.  Brett Favre was awful against his old team in this game as he completed 17 of 38 passes for 208 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  Adrian Peterson only carried the ball 14 times for 72 yards (5.1 ypc) and he caught 1 pass for 16 yards.  Toby Gerhart only carried the ball 1 time for 3 yards last Sunday but he also caught 3 passes for 41 yards (13.7 avg).  Sidney Rice played in his first game of the season and he led the way for the Vikings in the passing game with 3 grabs for 56 yards (18.7 avg).  The Vikings finished up with 93 yards rushing on 18 carries (5.2 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 38 passes for 207 yards.

The defense was solid against the run but horrible against the pass as they were at the mercy of Aaron Rodgers who picked them apart.  The Packers finished up with 91 yards rushing on 30 carries (3.0 ypc) and they also completed 23 of 32 passes for 283 yards.  The Vikings are now 3-7 on the season.

This could very well be Brett Favre’s last start of his NFL career if it goes badly.  But this is the kind of game where he could be inspired for one last time in his career to greatness.  As bad as this season has gone for the Vikings, they are still 3-1 at home.  The Packers are 2-2 on the road this year but they are on a 3-game winning streak.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Vikings have the ball:  Listen up Vikings…….give the ball to Adrian Peterson at least 25 times (running the ball) this Sunday against the Packers and you’re going to win the game.  The Packers are allowing 114.2 yards rushing per game and 4.5 yards per carry.  Peterson ran good against the Packers in the first meeting but then the Vikings decided to throw the ball instead which was a big mistake.  The Packers have 28 sacks and 14 interceptions this season so Brett Favre is going to have to get rid of the ball quickly while still being careful. 

When the Packers have the ball:  The Packers are going to come off the team bus throwing the ball.  The Packers are averaging 243.1 yards passing per game as Aaron Rodgers likes to spread the ball around.  The Packers are going to try to jump up on the Vikings quickly to force them to get away from running Adrian Peterson.  The Vikings have to go all out to stop the Packers’ passing game because they aren’t too worried about Brandon Jackson or John Kuhn beating them on the ground.

PREDICTION:  VIKINGS 27, PACKERS 24

Vikings’ owner Zygi Wilf was thought to be considering firing 54-year old head coach Brad Childress a couple weeks ago instead deciding to release Randy Moss.  A lot of players really dislike Childress as they have said that they are playing for themselves.  The Vikings are an amazing 3-6 this season despite having a impressive collection of talent on both sides of the football.  Childress is now 39-34 (53.4%) during the regular season in his 5 years with the Vikings.  If the team continues to fade this year I see Wilf biting the bullet and firing Childress just one year after he led the team to the NFC Championship.

The Vikings stunk both offensively and defensively in this game so it’s no mystery as to why they lost this game.  Brett Favre was awful in this game as he completed 18 of 31 passes for 170 yards with 1 TD pass and 3 INTs.  He also lost a fumble in this game.  Adrian Peterson also had a sub par game with 17 carries for 51 yards (3.0 ypc) and he also caught 4 passes for 24 yards (6.0 avg) yesterday.  Toby Gerhart pitched in with 4 carries for 20 yards (5.0 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 17 yards (8.5 avg) in this game.  WR Percy Harvin (4 rec, 64 yards, TD) and TE Visanthe Shiancoe (4 rec, 29 yards) pitched in for the Vikings in the passing game.  The Vikings finished up with 70 yards rushing on 23 carries (3.0 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 31 passes for 170 yards as they only had possession of the ball for 25:21.

LBs E.J. Henderson (10 tackles) and Chad Greenway (9 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Vikings’ D yesterday.  Safety Husain Abdullah also had a solid game yesterday with 6 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 2 interceptions.  The Bears finished up with 130 yards rushing on 38 carries (3.4 ypc) and they also completed 22 of 35 passes for 230 yards.  The Vikings are now 3-6 on the year.

If the Vikings are going to make a playoff run they have to win this game, period.  That will be easier said than done as the Vikings are 0-4 on the season where they have been outscored 99-71.  The Bears are beatable at home however as they are 2-2 there outscoring the competition 73-71.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Vikings have the ball:  The Vikings are going to have to mix things up to be effective in this game.  They will need Brett Favre to pass the ball on early downs to open up running lanes for Adrian Peterson.  The Bears are only allowing 83.9 yards rushing and 3.5 yards per carry so Peterson is going to have to earn every yard.  The Bears only have 11 sacks so far this year so Brett Favre should have time to throw the ball.  He will need Percy Harvin, Vinsanthe Shiancoe, Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian to step up.

When the Bears have the football:  The Vikings’ pass rush woke up last weekend and it’s perfect timing.  Bears’ QBs have been sacked 32 times already this year so look for DEs Jared Allen and Ray Edwards to be in Jay Cutler’s face early and often this Sunday.  The Vikings only have six interceptions this season so I look for the Bears to be aggressive in the passing game.  The Bears might try to get the running game going too but Matt Forte and Chester Taylor have been running in quicksand so far this year.

PREDICTION:  VIKINGS 20, BEARS 17

30-year old linebacker E.J. Henderson was supposed to miss the start of this season as he was rehabbing from surgery.  But he hasn’t missed a game while playing at a high level so far this year for the Vikings.  Henderson has played in 8 games for the Vikings so far this year and he has 54 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 3 passes defensed, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.  Henderson has now played in 101 games in his first 8 years with the Vikings and he has 592 tackles, 16 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks, 9 forced fumbles and 4 interceptions (he has returned one for a TD).  Henderson is one of the big reasons why the Vikings are holding opponents to 96.3 yards rushing per game and only 3.8 yards per carry.

With Brett Favre playing so/so this season the Vikings have decided to start riding the best offensive player they have, Adrian Peterson.  The 25-year old RB has played in all 8 games for the Vikings so far this year and he has carried the ball 180 times for 857 yards (4.8 ypc) with 7 TD carries.  Peterson has also caught 26 passes for 257 yards (9.9 avg) with 1 TD grab so far this year.  The Vikings would be smart to let rookie RB Toby Gerhart start giving Peterson more breathers going forward.  Gerhart has played in 7 games for the Vikings so far this year and he has carried the ball 19 times for 63 yards (3.3 ypc) and he has also caught 8 passes for 81 yards (10.1 avg).