Saints vs Vikings - Game Thread

[MichiganPackerFan]

Any press conference he gave this week would probably be limited to "Ow ow ow ow ow ow"...

Definitely want him to come back for one more season so a more mature pack squad can have another shot at him.

[Scott Campbell]

What did the Vikings serve for their pre-game meal? Turnovers. This caused them all to choke!

If your playing in a game your not supposed to be in and are not favored to win, is it really a choke? Bad play, yes. Good play, yes. Hardly a choke.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/images/01/25/FavreINT.mp3

[HarveyWallbangers]

This entire post reminds me that now Queens fans have their own version of Fourth-and-26 and the 07 Giants loss to gnash teeth over, to dessicate, to mince and dice and digest forever and ever. Peterson's fumbles? Favre's interceptions? The play calling? Who was the 12th guy who wasn't supposed to be on the field? Why oh why didn't Favre just run for that first down or get close enough for Longwell to kick?

Now they have a way to wile away the winter in Minnesota.
\
Enjoy, fellas.

Well, Minnesota has had plenty of these. Darin Nelson dropping the ball against Washington in the 1987 NFC Championship Game. 1998 NFC Championship Game. Nate Poole.

[mngolf19]

What did the Vikings serve for their pre-game meal? Turnovers. This caused them all to choke!

If your playing in a game your not supposed to be in and are not favored to win, is it really a choke? Bad play, yes. Good play, yes. Hardly a choke.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...5/FavreINT.mp3

Eh. Really I'm just wandering through the desert at this point wondering why.

[mngolf19]

This entire post reminds me that now Queens fans have their own version of Fourth-and-26 and the 07 Giants loss to gnash teeth over, to dessicate, to mince and dice and digest forever and ever. Peterson's fumbles? Favre's interceptions? The play calling? Who was the 12th guy who wasn't supposed to be on the field? Why oh why didn't Favre just run for that first down or get close enough for Longwell to kick?

Now they have a way to wile away the winter in Minnesota.
\
Enjoy, fellas.

Well, Minnesota has had plenty of these. Darin Nelson dropping the ball against Washington in the 1987 NFC Championship Game. 1998 NFC Championship Game. Nate Poole.

And Nelson will be a loser in my mind forever because of that.

[mraynrand]

John Madden: "And Gary Anderson hasn't missed a field goal all year!!"
Pat Summerall: "Hasn't missed all year"

[mraynrand]

This entire post reminds me that now Queens fans have their own version of Fourth-and-26 and the 07 Giants loss to gnash teeth over, to dessicate, to mince and dice and digest forever and ever. Peterson's fumbles? Favre's interceptions? The play calling? Who was the 12th guy who wasn't supposed to be on the field? Why oh why didn't Favre just run for that first down or get close enough for Longwell to kick?

Now they have a way to wile away the winter in Minnesota.
\
Enjoy, fellas.

Well, Minnesota has had plenty of these. Darin Nelson dropping the ball against Washington in the 1987 NFC Championship Game. 1998 NFC Championship Game. Nate Poole.

And Nelson will be a loser in my mind forever because of that.

"I Love you, Minnesota!"

[mraynrand]

What did the Vikings serve for their pre-game meal? Turnovers. This caused them all to choke!

If your playing in a game your not supposed to be in and are not favored to win, is it really a choke? Bad play, yes. Good play, yes. Hardly a choke.

An unforced error that loses you the game is a choke.

http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/mraynrand/?action=view&current=favreslastGBtoss.flv

http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/mraynrand/?action=view&current=favremoonshot.flv

http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/mraynrand/?action=view&current=favrebailout.flv

[pbmax]

Was Nelson's non catch really a drop? I remember it being a tough catch. And I also remember that he may not have gotten into the endzone if he had made the catch.

Anyone have the film?

[MadScientist]

What did the Vikings serve for their pre-game meal? Turnovers. This caused them all to choke!

If your playing in a game your not supposed to be in and are not favored to win, is it really a choke? Bad play, yes. Good play, yes. Hardly a choke.

An unforced error that loses you the game is a choke.

Are you referring to the int or all of those critical fumbles? The only really unforced fumble was the one by AP near the goal line. As for the last int, they were out of FG range, and scrambling would not have got them to it. He would have barely made it past the line of scrimmage, given where he was, where the defenders were and how bad his ankle was. It was a bad play, but there is no guarantee that any other choice would have let them win the game.

I would agree that being sloppy with the ball causing them to lose a game they were otherwise dominating can constitute a choke. Perhaps a better definition is: 'A team that acts like they can't stand success in championship games.'

[HarveyWallbangers]

As for the last int, they were out of FG range, and scrambling would not have got them to it. He would have barely made it past the line of scrimmage, given where he was, where the defenders were and how bad his ankle was. It was a bad play, but there is no guarantee that any other choice would have let them win the game.

Wrong. They were at the 38 yard line. At worst, they at least get a 55 yard FG attempt. In a dome, that's well within Longwell's range. Longwell was 8 for 8 on 50+ yard FGs in the last two years (including a 54 yarder and two 53 yarders). Remember he also recently won a game at Chicago on a 55 yarder. So, an incompletion gives them a chance.

Saying he would have barely gotten back to the LOS is crazy. He throws the ball from the 40 (two yards behind the LOS) and there was nobody within 9 yards in front of him. There was a guy trailing him by about 4-5 yards. At worst, he gets 4-5 yards out of a scramble and Longwell knocks home a makeable FG. Give me a break on the ankle excuse. Watch him scramble on the play. He hardly looks affected by the ankle. In fact, he looks faster than he did most of the game.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d815f1c71/Favre-INT

[mraynrand]

What did the Vikings serve for their pre-game meal? Turnovers. This caused them all to choke!

If your playing in a game your not supposed to be in and are not favored to win, is it really a choke? Bad play, yes. Good play, yes. Hardly a choke.

An unforced error that loses you the game is a choke.

Are you referring to the int or all of those critical fumbles? The only really unforced fumble was the one by AP near the goal line. As for the last int, they were out of FG range, and scrambling would not have got them to it. He would have barely made it past the line of scrimmage, given where he was, where the defenders were and how bad his ankle was. It was a bad play, but there is no guarantee that any other choice would have let them win the game.

I would agree that being sloppy with the ball causing them to lose a game they were otherwise dominating can constitute a choke. Perhaps a better definition is: 'A team that acts like they can't stand success in championship games.'

Go back through this and the Favre thread. I am on record as saying Favre played a very good game. Absolutely, the fumbles cost MN the game. They don't turn it over they win going away. They were vastly superior to NO. If you were around after the Wildcard against the Cards, Patler astutely pointed out that all that great stuff leading up to the critical play is good, but greatness is made by converting the critical plays. Favre runs it, they were likely attempting a 50 max FG. Aaron Rodgers throws a good ball to Jennings, the Packers would have gone to N.O. Critical unforced errors at critical times and the QB lost the game (or didn't win it), despite all the good they did earlier.

[Scott Campbell]

What did the Vikings serve for their pre-game meal? Turnovers. This caused them all to choke!

If your playing in a game your not supposed to be in and are not favored to win, is it really a choke? Bad play, yes. Good play, yes. Hardly a choke.

An unforced error that loses you the game is a choke.

Are you referring to the int or all of those critical fumbles? The only really unforced fumble was the one by AP near the goal line. As for the last int, they were out of FG range, and scrambling would not have got them to it. He would have barely made it past the line of scrimmage, given where he was, where the defenders were and how bad his ankle was. It was a bad play, but there is no guarantee that any other choice would have let them win the game.

I would agree that being sloppy with the ball causing them to lose a game they were otherwise dominating can constitute a choke. Perhaps a better definition is: 'A team that acts like they can't stand success in championship games.'

Go back through this and the Favre thread. I am on record as saying Favre played a very good game. Absolutely, the fumbles cost MN the game. They don't turn it over they win going away. They were vastly superior to NO. If you were around after the Wildcard against the Cards, Patler astutely pointed out that all that great stuff leading up to the critical play is good, but greatness is made by converting the critical plays. Favre runs it, they were likely attempting a 50 max FG. Aaron Rodgers throws a good ball to Jennings, the Packers would have gone to N.O. Critical unforced errors at critical times and the QB lost the game (or didn't win it), despite all the good they did earlier.

It's hard to win when your QB has 2 INT's and a fumble, and when he chokes in the clutch.

[SkinBasket]

As for the last int, they were out of FG range, and scrambling would not have got them to it. He would have barely made it past the line of scrimmage, given where he was, where the defenders were and how bad his ankle was. It was a bad play, but there is no guarantee that any other choice would have let them win the game.

Wrong. They were at the 38 yard line. At worst, they at least get a 55 yard FG attempt. In a dome, that's well within Longwell's range. Longwell was 8 for 8 on 50+ yard FGs in the last two years (including a 54 yarder and two 53 yarders). Remember he also recently won a game at Chicago on a 55 yarder. So, an incompletion gives them a chance.

Saying he would have barely gotten back to the LOS is crazy. He throws the ball from the 40 (two yards behind the LOS) and there was nobody within 9 yards in front of him. There was a guy trailing him by about 4-5 yards. At worst, he gets 4-5 yards out of a scramble and Longwell knocks home a makeable FG. Give me a break on the ankle excuse. Watch him scramble on the play. He hardly looks affected by the ankle. In fact, he looks faster than he did most of the game.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-h...1c71/Favre-INT

I'm with this guy. If Farv had brought that ball back down, he had the nearest defender in front of him in the air and he picks up plenty to give Longwell a great shot at winning the game.

[packerbacker1234]

What did the Vikings serve for their pre-game meal? Turnovers. This caused them all to choke!

If your playing in a game your not supposed to be in and are not favored to win, is it really a choke? Bad play, yes. Good play, yes. Hardly a choke.

An unforced error that loses you the game is a choke.

Are you referring to the int or all of those critical fumbles? The only really unforced fumble was the one by AP near the goal line. As for the last int, they were out of FG range, and scrambling would not have got them to it. He would have barely made it past the line of scrimmage, given where he was, where the defenders were and how bad his ankle was. It was a bad play, but there is no guarantee that any other choice would have let them win the game.

I would agree that being sloppy with the ball causing them to lose a game they were otherwise dominating can constitute a choke. Perhaps a better definition is: 'A team that acts like they can't stand success in championship games.'

Go back through this and the Favre thread. I am on record as saying Favre played a very good game. Absolutely, the fumbles cost MN the game. They don't turn it over they win going away. They were vastly superior to NO. If you were around after the Wildcard against the Cards, Patler astutely pointed out that all that great stuff leading up to the critical play is good, but greatness is made by converting the critical plays. Favre runs it, they were likely attempting a 50 max FG. Aaron Rodgers throws a good ball to Jennings, the Packers would have gone to N.O. Critical unforced errors at critical times and the QB lost the game (or didn't win it), despite all the good they did earlier.

It's hard to win when your QB has 2 INT's and a fumble, and when he chokes in the clutch.

The fumble wasn't his fault... Peterson clamped his arms before the ball got there.


It's hard to win when -

Your stud RB has 3 or 4 fumbles. Berrian fumbles teh ball at the opponents 5 yard line. Harvin fumbles the ball at the opponents 20 yard line. Communication goes bad causing a 12 man of the field penalty when you were still in Longwells wheelhouse, putting the kick on the outer edige of Longwell's ability. the QB tries to make soemthing happen instead of playing safe, and throws a pick.

Despite all this, despite 5 turnovers, it still took OT to beat the vikings. Despite favre getting physically destroyed, it still took OT. This loss isn't all on favre, int he least bit. 3 Times, THREE, his palyers took points off the board with fumbles, sure fired points from the 20 yard line and in. Even without favre's pick that wasn't a for sure 3 points. But the 3 other fumbles inside the opponents 20? Yeah, that is for sure points, points that even if reduced to FG's lead to a victory.

The vikigns were teh better team, but had this massive case of fumblitis. Forget favre - he played well enough to win. Especially wiht the beat down he took. 7 fumbles? Yeah, thats inexcusable.