How can you not love this game tonight?
One of the keys to Minnesota-Green Bay, obviously, is the Vikings sticking to the type of football they've played in their 3-0 start. Minnesota's on a 54-46 run-pass ratio, and why not? The Vikings are averaging 4.8 yards per rush, and Brett Favre has been an efficient caretaker so far, making one ridiculous play (the touchdown throw at the end to beat San Francisco last week) and lots of conservative ones in his first three weeks on the job.
I asked veteran Packers outside 'backer Aaron Kampman what he saw when he looked at Vikings tape. "What jumps off the tape,'' he said, "is the running back [Adrian Peterson],'' he said. "He's playing as well as he ever has, obviously. He challenges the containment on every run. The addition of Brett gives them a different option at quarterback, because you know what Brett can do. But from what we've studied, he's doing a smart job of running the offense efficiently. He's happy with the checkdown. I haven't seen him doing what's he's done for so long -- squeezing the ball into tight spots. With that offense, he doesn't have to.
"You also see the difference Percy Harvin has made. He's a real different option for them. Running the Wildcat is a smart use of him, because you can have a tight end, three receivers and two backs on the field at the same time and it really increases the options of what they can do. And [tight end Visanthe] Shiancoe is playing well. So when I look at the Vikings, I see a lot of different options.''
That's the big thing Green Bay's nascent 3-4 defense will have to deal with. Who's going to hit the home run on a given play? You can't take away the Favre drama tonight in Minneapolis, but the football's going to be really exciting.
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