Post-Game: Vikings Defeat Raiders 29-22

Well, folks, today we won a game we should have won against a team we should have beaten.  Getting victories is always nice, but with the kind of performance the Vikings put on this afternoon, it's hard to get terribly excited.

(Or, perhaps, that's the effects of the two papers I spent the better part of yesterday and today writing.  Actually, I think it's more or less that.)

The Vikings allowed the Raiders to stay in this one by constantly handing them the football.  The Beloved Purple committed four first-half turnovers, including losing three fumbles to the Silver and Black. . .one by Bobby Wade, one by Chester Taylor, and one by Tarvaris Jackson at the end of the half to go along with one Jackson interception.  Mind you, prior to today's game, the Raiders hadn't recovered a single opposition fumble ALL SEASON LONG.  Eh, it's not like they could go all season like that.  Oakland got 9 of their 19 first-half points as a direct result of recovered fumbles. . .the interception led to a Minnesota safety as Daunte Culpepper was called for intentional grounding from his own end zone.

I still can't get over the beauty that was the Vikings' first play from scrimmage.  If you haven't caught the highlights yet, click on the link to the game over on the right-hand side there under the schedule.  Sidney Rice (sponsored by The Daily Norseman) completed an absolutely beautiful pass.  Shoot, Rice had another completion in the second quarter thanks to an outstanding catch by, of all people, Troy Williamson.

After today, if Chester Taylor isn't the best backup running back in the league, someone's going to have to point out who is.  163 yards on 22 carries and 3 big touchdowns?  Those are Adrian Peterson-esque numbers right there.  We'll see if he can replicate that sort of performance when the Vikings travel east next weekend to take on Big Blue.

Tarvaris Jackson today played, quite frankly, his best game as an NFL quarterback.  The interception aside, he completed over 80% of his passes today and made some pretty good decisions with the football, all in all.  And before anyone comes out with "But it was only the Raiders," remember that the last time Jackson played a truly horrific pass defense, he was throwing four interceptions against Detroit and hobbling his way off the field with a groin injury.  Maybe the game is finally starting to slow down for Jackson and he can start making some progress.  I know I, for one, would love to see that happen.

That's all for tonight, folks. . .enjoy the victory and the rest of your Sunday, and we'll talk more shop tomorrow.