It's just one game but that other team is supposedly championship material so the first lesson is just how much of an impact the change of leadership has made. The old coach was in charge while some good things happened - none of us want the memory of the Miracle to vanish - but the impact of the change of mentality, philosophy & personality are already undeniable.
The usage of Jefferson as a weapon the likes of which this franchise has never known before (🤯) was a statement to all of the other 31, but there's no chance they didn't leave some aces up their sleeves for the next 16+ games! As the game unfolded we also learned that the Bayou Beast is going to SHRED at least one of the Freak's records.
Even with his skillset that wouldn't be possible without Cousins putting together an exhibition in his own right. Finishing with just one sack and far less pressure than he's known in the past freed him up to make the right reads and give the "vaunted" defense even a chance to turn the tide. It's tantalizing to think about what MN may cook up for the Philly game after they gave up 35 to Detroit today!
When the offense couldn't get all the way home Greg Joseph showed that he can pick them up. We've all seen & heard the horror stories of kickers gone-by but maybe the new mentality can dispel even that mess! That doesn't mean he's going to hit personal & franchise bests on a weekly basis but consistent 50 yard range would be a dream.
Dream is also an apt word to describe the fact that it was the first start for Rodgers against the Purple which finished in single digits by his team! This was also the first time since Tice in 02 that Minnesota beat GB in the inaugural opportunity.
And none of it would have been possible without a defense that looked far better than middle-of-the-road! Four sacks against a depleted offensive line is a good base line but the interception by Harrison Smith and the near picks by Chandon Sullivan & Danielle Hunter are next level, especially considering the one under center! Perhaps we got to see the beginning of the end for Rodgers or maybe this defense will just be that effective at ball-hawking. Need at least another games-worth of evidence to know but it was a lot of fun seeing him have that much trouble today as well as the promise of what may be done by our guys!
One nugget that went completely unnoticed was how much of a wrecking-ball Jordan Hicks was. The conversation since he signed is that he's very Kendricks-like so the assumption was that tackles would come in bunches but he lapped the field with 14, Harrison Smith & Cam Bynum took second with seven each (not a great sign since their job is on the back end of the defense but more is required before complaining about them will occur). Hicks also got one of the four sacks so they may have found a real diamond in the rough!
And now for the second opinion
Do I even need to ask? Yeah, we like that! A great win, a legendary receiving game, and a defense and special teams that didn't let up should make us all happy today.
Let's start with the obvious, the offense looks like its playing a whole new game versus the Zim Zam era. The team came out and punched GB in the mouth and didn't let up. Our running game was consistent and kept the defense honest, and JJ is still JJ. Let's also put some respect on Kirk's name, his record against the drunks from the East makes him more of a GB owner than any fans with a slip of paper. 70+% completion percentage and a pair of TD's are, in fact, elite. If there is any complaint to have its that we could've dug our heels in even more, but this felt like an entirely new team. On defense, what can you say except "gosh darn"? The Hitman had the only INT that the North has had since 2019, and Z Smith was playing like his hair was on fire. Four sacks and Love outplaying Rodgers? If anyone is selling that by the can please let me know, I could use it daily. The team didn't make many mistakes and caught a couple breaks, but this was a recipe we could use all season. Toss in a big goal line stand and it was the defense that we needed for years. Special teams was awesome as well. Greg the Leg is looking better by the kick while Ryan Wright had three punts inside the 20, a great game overall!
So ladies and gentlemen, the moral of the story is that the Vikes are 1-0 and GB isn't. Rodgers is still Rodgers, but yesterday we made him a lesser version. No one tell the DNR, but next week we are going Eagle hunting. ~Bradley Foster
Last but not least, it's never to early to start thinking about playoff implications and now they have to chase us for the duration of the season instead of the other way around. That's as delectable as a grilled cheese with high quality tomato soup during a Heartland blizzard!
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