The Purple Pretty Pathetic Against The Pack!

Not the start the Minnesota Vikings had hoped for.  The young Minnesota cornerbacks were torched by veteran Aaron Rodgers as the Green Bay Packers blew out the Minnesota Vikings 43-34.

The game wasn't nearly as close as the score indicated.  The Vikings held an early 7-3 lead, but trailed big for most of the game.  Rodgers took full advantage of the young Minnesota cornerbacks and the empty US Bank Stadium.  He passed for 364 yards and four touchdowns. The closest the Vikings could get in the second half was within 10 points.  However, every time the Viking defense needed a stop, they didn't have an answer for Rodgers.  The future Hall of Fame quarterback shredded the Vikings secondary, especially on 3rd down in the second half.

If it weren't for a big stop on the Vikings 1 yard line early in the first half and a couple of dropped passes by Packer receivers, the Packers could've have easily put up well over 50 points on the Vikes.  I was very skeptical of the Vikings young cornerbacks going into the seasons and I know I wasn't alone.  Mike Hughes and Holton Hill were the starters and showed no physicality against the Packers wide recievers.  Third round draft pick Cam Dantzer saw plenty of action as well.  All three of those corners are 23 years of age or younger.  Replacing veterans Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander.

The Vikings offense was on the field so little in the first half it was tough to make much of an assessment.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked for a safety early in the game that really seemed to change the momentum of the game.  Cousins then threw a very costly interception right before the half that led to another Packer touchdown and Green Bay never looked back.

Dalvin Cook rushed 12 times for 50 yards, two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions. Adam Thielen caught six passes for 110 yards and two scores.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins had two touchdowns, but a very costly interception.  He put up some big numbers in the 2nd half but mostly in mop up conditions.

The Vikings will play at Indianapolis next Sunday in what I call a "must win" early season game.  If they lose to the Colts, they could be looking at an 0-4 start with Tennessee and Houston on the schedule the following two weeks.