FanHouse 2008nflrecaps

I probably can't say it any better than Peter King of Sports Illustrated in his Monday Morning Quarterback column. I've trumpeted for years how good the Minnesota-Green Bay rivalry is, even when compared to overhyped NFL matchups such as Cowboys-Redskins and Steelers-Browns, among others.

King notes that the last 14 meetings between the Packers and Vikings have been decided by 4, 5, 3, 3, 3, 14, 3, 3, 6, 2, 7, 34, 5, and 1 points. Even counting the Packers' 34-0 win last year (in which Brooks Bollinger was the Vikings' quarterback and Adrian Peterson got hurt), the average is less than seven points per game.

Yes, the Packers had won five straight in the series, but that average margin of 10.8 is not terribly impressive when you think about one of those games ending 34-0. The Packers' average margin was five points in the other four games.

It's a great rivalry. Sunday's game had everything you could ask for. Superb defensive line play, a great running back, big plays turned in by defense and special teams, two safeties, at least one officiating controversy, and some terrible coaching.

And get this: The terrible coaching wasn't Brad Childress' doing. At least not this time.

Quick: Who had "Packers by 20" for this one?

Yeah, me neither.

In fact, "Colts by 20" seemed like a much more likely option.

But I guess the Packers may have heard a few too many lines this week about their status as a home dog, or their two straight losses at Lambeau Field. Head coach Mike McCarthy has really emphasized winning at home since he got the job, and the results have been pretty good to this point. It made sense that a prideful bunch would step up their game in what was close to a national spotlight, with a large part of the country getting Sunday's game on CBS.

Or maybe the Packers are just pissed about the latest Favre story.

No matter the reason, the Packers played an inspired game today. The offensive game plan was pretty obvious. Green Bay wanted to control the ball and keep Peyton Manning from attacking the Packers' banged-up defense.

As we would find out, the ball-control thing worked well, but the Green Bay defense was the story of the day.

Total domination. Jay Cutler and Eddie Royal did everything and anything they wanted last night/this morning, and the Raiders' defense had no answer for any of it as the Broncos rolled, 41-14, to close out week one action.

Cutler completed 16-of-24 passes for 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Royal, a rookie, hauled in nine passes for 146 yards. He also ran the ball twice for nine yards, returned three kicks for 30 yards, recovered his own fumble and even attempted a pass. It was his night, and nobody was stopping him.

The Oakland defense was terrible, missing tackles and watching, almost helplessly, as Broncos receivers ran through the field wide open and uncontested all night. As a team, the Raiders were guilty of five personal foul penalties, including two from the always composed DeAngelo Hall on the same defensive series in the first half.