This wasn't quite the dominant performance I expected coming out of the bye week, but the Vikes nevertheless overcame some stumbles to avoid yet another dramatic finish.
So, what went wrong for the Beloved Purple on Sunday? Simple answer: unforced errors. Too many penalties (Some, most notably a roughing the passer call which ultimately gave the Lions seven points instead of three, were horrible calls), too many dropped passes (Yes..I'm looking at you, Bernard Berrian) and a couple of promising drives early on that failed to land any points.
However, the negative aspects of this game were mainly self-inflicted wounds, so that could almost be considered a positive. It gives Chilly something to bug his players about. It also proves that this team still has progress to make, despite its 8-1 record and commanding lead in the NFC North.
On the positive side, Sidney Rice was absolutely spectacular. His outstanding breakout season continued with seven receptions for 201 yards. Favre totaled 344 passing yards in all, combined with AP running for 133.
It's tough to say much more about this game, the Vikings really should have taken control earlier than they did as three different possessions inside the red zone led to zero points in the first half. Two fumbles and a questionable handoff to Jeff Dugan on a fourth down play kept it a 10-3 halftime lead for Minnesota.
The Ol' Man continues to be able to stretch the field while limiting his mistakes and avoiding turnovers. The missed opportunities in the first half, along with the penalties, give the Vikings something to build off of in future weeks. However, 27-10 looks the same in the standings as 45-0.
P.S. My vote for the Vikings defensive line nickname: "Maul of America"
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