Week 3: Whoops, we skipped Packer week!

Sorry about that...we completely skipped last week's tie against Green Bay, and the consequences that came from it.  Well, we have a new kicker, and Kirk Cousins appears to be the real deal.  I am still salty that the coaching staff took the ball out of Kirk's hands in the final few plays of overtime when he was dealing and probably would have thrown another touchdown to win the game.  Instead, the coaching staff decided that they could maybe trust a kicker who hadn't made a kick all day.

Spoiler alert: they couldn't...and that's why Dan Bailey is now our kicker.

Fast forward a week; this is a game you absolutely have to win with a short week to follow, and your next two games being against the Rams and Eagles.  Buffalo may very well threaten to join the 0-fer club, population Detroit (2008) and Cleveland (2017).  Theoretically, this should be the easiest game the Vikings play all year...but of course, the Vikings never make anything easy on themselves, so I'm not holding my breath on a blowout win.

The Vikes will probably make this game closer than it has to be.  Then again, it could turn out exactly like the Bengals game from late last year.  That's all I have to say about this game on short notice. 

One and one...just as planned.

See? What did I say? 

Oh yeah, the Vikings will play much better once they escape the perils of prime time.

Told you so. 

I could just end the post right here, but I have other things to say.  A brief reality check: the Lions are still the Lions.  Teddy looked good, but we expect him to look good against Detroit.  Same goes for Adrian Peterson.  Speaking of AP, I’m a little nervous at his first serious case of Fumblitis (thank you Madden Football) in about five years.  He ran well, but I was having nightmares about a certain playoff game.

Take out the fumbles, however, and he gave the offense exactly what it needed.  Matt Asiata ran the ball well a year ago, but there is no replacing the freak of nature that Adrian Peterson is.  As mentioned earlier, Teddy Bridgewater looked like he’s supposed to look.  It feels good to say that with the quarterbacks we’ve stuck behind center the past several years. 

I find it interesting people are freaking out over one missed extra point.  Maybe they missed the part where Blair Walsh hit his next field goal try to put the Vikings up by 16.  I’m hoping he’ll be okay again soon, but it isn’t like he has cost the team any games yet.  The Vikings built a big enough lead and were able to sit on it for once and “hang on” to win by double digits.

Again, the Lions are still the Lions.  I’m not going to call the Vikings a playoff team because they beat Detroit.  The Vikings have to stand up and beat the Packers and Bears (preferably sweeps of both) before I would go that far.  But, anything can happen in the NFL.  That’s the beauty of watching every Sunday, Monday and Thursday. 

The Vikings play the Chargers Sunday for the first time since AP’s record-setting day in his rookie season.  It will be interesting to see what he can do eight years later for an encore performance.  Phillip Rivers has done well to start the season.  He’s tossed a couple of interceptions, but his completion percentage is ridiculous so far.  I’m nervous for this game because he is one of those quarterbacks who can hack and slash a defense that can’t get pressure on him.

I think the Vikings can play with the Chargers.  It will a fun, close game to watch, more fun if the Vikings pull out the win. 

Hopefully the Vikings come out and eat lightning and…well, you know the rest.