After all that came before kickoff Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, such as the betrayal, the revenge, the intensification of an already-nasty rivalry, and the media circus, Minnesota's 38-26 win over Green Bay simply proved one basic fact; the Vikings are a better team at the moment than the Packers.
Minnesota's got the running game, the veteran generalship and a still-potent arm at quarterback, two of the best lines in the league, and Percy Harvin. Green Bay, meanwhile, has problems running the ball, can't keep defenders off its quarterback, can't rush the passer and has a penchant for penalties. Which is why one team is 7-1, and the other is 4-3.
The Vikings won outright Sunday as 3.5-point underdogs on the BetJamaica.com NFL betting line, and the game breezed by its total of 46.5. A month ago, Minnesota beat Green Bay 30-23 at the Metrodome, covering as 4.5-point favorites. And that game went over, too.
Minnesota outgained Green Bay Sunday, but only 355-351, and outrushed the Packers 111-90. In the two games these teams played this season, GB outgained the Vikes overall 775-689, and only got outrushed 174-172.
But both games saw the Vikings take large leads, then hold off the Packers down the stretch.
So at the halfway point this season, the Vikes lead the Packers and Chicago Bears by 2.5 games in the NFC North. For Minnesota, it now looks like a duel with the 6-0 New Orleans Saints for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
Green Bay, meanwhile, sits in another tie with Chicago for the seven spot in the NFC, a half-game behind the 5-3 New York Giants, in the race for the final Wild Card berth.
Despite falling behind 24-3 early in the third quarter, the Packers rallied and had a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter. But Sunday's game proved again how missed field goals can have huge impacts. Trailing 31-26 with six minutes to go, Green Bay drove to Minnesota's 33-yard line before stalling. Kicker Mason Crosby then missed a 51-yarder, which deflated the Packers just a bit, and gave Minnesota great field position. Four plays later, after a 44-yard Brett Favre-to-Adrian Peterson catch-and-run, the Vikes were in the end zone again, and the game was over.
Favre may have put up nice numbers again, but the key to Sunday's game was Harvin, who set the Vikes up with short fields several times with big kickoff returns.
Also, while Minnesota sacked Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers six times, the Packers couldn't sack Favre even once.
Minnesota now gets its bye week, before hosting three straight games vs. Detroit, Seattle and Chicago. Expect the Vikings to be 10-1 when they visit Arizona Dec. 6.
The Packers, on the other hand, visit Tampa this Sunday, before hosting Dallas Nov. 15 and San Francisco Nov. 22. As of Monday morning, BetJamaica.com is listing Green Bay as 10-point road favorites over the Bucs, with a total of 44.