34-20, 27-13
Those are the final scores of the Vikings' first two wins this season. When presented with that fact alone, and if one was a total moron, one might ASSume this = the vikings are a good team. No. Not even slightly. Allow me to explain:
1. Those 2 games were against the Browns and Lions. Point 1 over.
2. The Vikings were straight-up DOMINATED for an entire half against the Cleveland Browns. Seriously. They looked they didn't belong on the same field. The same held true in the Lions game- for a quarter and a half the team that didn't win a single game last year made many people's super bowl pick look like a pop warner squad.
Now I know that the final scores look impressive, but here's what happened in both games: the Vikings were outplayed for a half, and then in the second half both the Lions and Browns were unable to sustain drives. In the Browns case, it was general suckyness, and in the Lions' case it was Matthew Stafford forgetting that his team wears blue and not purple.
This led to their respective defenses being tired, which led to Mr. Peterson throwing his ample-sized arms into their faces and taking the game over.
Allow me to remind you what happened last time Mr. Peterson found himself up against a certain linebacker wearing the red and gold:
Sooo, yeah. Obviously, that was 2 years ago. But my point is this: the Vikings are where they are this year thanks to terrible opposing teams handing the game to them in the second half. From what we've seen of the 49ers so far, Singletary is not going to allow this. This defense is legit, and they look very stout against the run. (BTW, I especially like the "WTF!?!?!?!?!?" look peterson has as he's getting up.)
Brett Favre is going to have to throw for them to win- something he hasn't done at ALL this season. If their team is riding Brett Favre, we're leaving Minny with a 3-0 record and I'm taunting everyone I can see on the way out of the stadium.
It's going to come down to Hill vs Favre, and our WRs vs their WRs. In a very similar matchup last year, we won (vs the Jets). That game was played in Candlestick, but I truly believe this game is going to be very close, and I believe it is absolutely winnable. The Vikings are really not that good- contain Peterson, you beat them pretty easily. And we've already contained him in the past.
