As It Should Be, Vikings Control Their Destiny

There's no need to be scoreboard watching now. Minnesota, it's time to earn the right and win your way into the playoffs. Sunday's game was bizarrely calm. Maybe knowing that you have to win one of two games or that Chicago only had to lose one game took the edge off. Well, I didn't like it. The Vikings control their destiny which means they need to take it, grasp it, and make it theirs! No waiting!

I'm glad Green Bay lost (I'm not sure Chicago won) and I want the Vikings fired up and needing a win. It shouldn't be handed to them by way of Green Bay. That's tainted! So darn tainted!

I was at the game Sunday and the fans didn't seem as amped up as Fox was about the game. While the TV network 'flexed' the game from noon to 3:15 because this was a great playoff-like matchup, the fans did not seem as excited.

Why did I notice? Well, I was excited and I was there to root the Vikings to victory. I took my cousins to their first ever game and I wanted them to see firsthand the excitement that the Metrodome can offer. I wanted them to complain that the fans were too loud and I wanted them to walk away from the 'Dome with a quiet ringing in their ears and amazement in their hearts and minds.

Instead, the game fell short. The Vikings never seemed to be as fired up as they needed to be. Why, I don't know? Maybe, you're supposed to be on an even keel.

I know the Vikings gave the game away with four lost fumbles. Adrian Peterson again struggled holding onto the ball. It's mind-boggling. My cousin Jessie said it best after his second fumble, "You keep doing that and you do not have a career." Genius! That's so poignant!

I was really surprised with how well Atlanta played with their rookie running back. They took Tarvaris Jackson's running for big gains in stride and kept their poise. With the Vikings giving away the ball, I can't really say that Atlanta won the game but I can certainly say that Atlanta didn't lose it. It was the Falcons that looked like they controled their destiny. And now, with the other losses in the NFC, they have seized their destiny and earned a playoff spot. Now, I want the Vikings to do the same.

Vikings/Packers - A Game Worthy of the Rivalry

28 to 27 - the game could not be closer. The game Sunday is worthy of the great rivalry between Minnesota and Green Bay. 2008 continues a great tradition of hard-fought, it's-never-over, matches. And as it should be, the home team won.

Okay, some pieces of Sunday's game are not worthy of the rivalry. Two bad offense trying to outfail each other is not worthy of the classic Black and Blue division.

But much of the game was. It's great that both teams were 4-4 and needed a win. What is worthy is Adrian Peterson and Ryan Grant fighting for every yard. Worthy is two defenses locking horns. Worthy is also two teams working 60 minutes and not giving up. It's worthy that it comes down to the last minute of the game.

As it should be Sunday ended five straight wins by Green Bay. To make a rivalry relevant, each team needs it's day in the winner's circle. Each team needs to lose to fuel the anger for the rival. After five straight losses, I think it's only right that Minnesota returns to the win column. The win by Minnesota puts the all time series at 45-49 with 1 tie (I found the stat in a newspaper article but couldn't find a second source so this is unverified). The all-time series is almost as close as Sunday's score. And that's as it should be.