Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers: Third Quarter Open Thread

The second quarter of play started with Jeff Locke getting away a pretty bad punt from Jeff Locke that put the Packers at their own 33-yard line. However, the Vikings' defense stood up once again (despite a penalty from Everson Griffen), and forced another three-and-out from the Packers, and Tim Masthay's punt went through the end zone to give the Vikings a start at their own 20-yard line.

Naturally, the Vikings went three-an-out on the ensuing drive, and Jeff Locke's punt was taken by the Packers at their own 34-yard line. The Vikings again forced a three-and-out of their own, and they took over at their own 12-yard line.

The Vikings picked up a couple of first downs on the next drive, and advanced the ball near midfield. And then Christian Ponder happened, as he found Julius Peppers for what turned into a 49-yard pick-six to make the score 21-0 in favor of the Packers. It was a seriously ugly throw from Ponder. . .I have no idea where it was going. It looked like he was going for Cordarrelle Patterson (who, to that point, did not have an offensive touch), but man. . .woof.

The Vikings started the next drive at the 20-yard line after a touchback. . .and two plays later, Ponder was intercepted again by Jamari Lattimore, and the Packers started with a short field at the Minnesota 19.

Again, it didn't take the Packers long to cash in, as Aaron Rodgers found Davante Adams for an 11-yard touchdown to make the score 28-0.

Minnesota started their next drive at the 20 after another touchback, and actually put a couple of first downs together and got across midfield for the first time on the evening. Of course, as soon as they crossed midfield, Matt Asiata fumbled the football and the Packers recovered, because why not?

The Vikings forced another three-and-out. . .the defense actually hasn't been that awful thus far. . .but a penalty on Antone Exum on the punt return pinned the Vikings back at their own 9-yard line. The Vikings ran out the clock, and went into the locker room down 28-0.

The offensive game plan has been just baffling so far. Jerick McKinnon has just three carries so far, neither Cordarrelle Patterson nor Greg Jennings has touched the ball on offense, and the offense has been nothing short of a complete disaster at this point. I'm not going to get into the offensive numbers because, really, you don't care. . .just know that the Vikings' numbers have not been very good.

The Vikings trail the Packers at halftime by a score of 28-0, but they get the ball coming out of the locker room at halftime. Yippee?