Thanks to the performance of an unheralded rookie, Brett Favre may no longer give the Vikings 'the best shot' at winning.
Upon further review, maybe the Eagles should have played the Vikings on Sunday?
An injury-riddled Vikings team with a rookie quarterback making his first start walked into Lincoln Financial Field Tuesday and beat the high-flying Eagles, 24-14.
Joe Webb, a rookie from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, outplayed Vick as the Vikings won its sixth game of the year. Looking like anything but a rookie, Webb was 17 of 26 for 195 yards and also ran for 31 yards and a touchdown.
- After recording zero INT in first six games, Vick now has six in last six
- Vick has been sacked 19 games over last six games
- Winfield tied a team record with his fourth career defensive touchdown
More importantly, the kid never turned the ball over.
The same could not be said about Michael Vick. As a result of the physical pounding he received from the Vikings defence, Vick did not have a good game. The stats show that Vick threw an interception and lost two fumbles. But if the Vikings secondary had better hands, Vick would have ended up with more turnovers.
Before he was the interim head coach of the Vikings, Leslie Frazier was the team's defensive co-ordinator. Tuesday night Frazier and his coaching staff devised a ruthless game plan to control Vick and slow down the Eagles offence. The Vikings blitzed constantly and they hit Vick every chance they had. A great example of this took place in the second quarter when Antoine Winfield came in on a blitz and sacked Vick, forced a fumble, then picked up the fumble and ran it 45 yards for a touchdown. Offensively, Webb received a lot of help from running back Adrian Peterson. All-Day ran 22 times for 118 yards and a touchdown. Peterson's best run came late in the fourth quarter when bounced off tackle and took off on a back breaking 27-yard gallop down to the Eagles goal line. Two plays later Peterson scored and the game was over.
Vick was sacked six times and (officially) hit another seven times Tuesday night. The week before in their win over the Giants, Vick was sacked three times and hit another 11 times. Do the math and Vick has been sacked nine times and hit another 18 times in the last two games. During the course of last nights beating the Eagles say that Vick suffered a quad contusion. Now the Eagles will have to play the Cowboys on Sunday. If you are Andy Reid do you start Vick Sunday and risk further injury? Or, knowing that you will not have a bye in the first round of the playoffs, rest Vick and make sure he's healthy for the post-season?
Asked after the game whether or not he should rest up for the post-season, Vick opened the door to the possibility of sitting out the Cowboys game.
"I always want to play but, ultimately, it's Andy (Reid)'s decision. He'll make the best decision possible and I'll go with whatever he asks me to do"
That sounds like a man who would gladly take a week off if his coach tells him he needs a break.
The rest of the playoff bound teams in the NFC should be texting a 'thank you' message to Frazier right now. Tuesday night provided those teams with the perfect blue print and game plan to contain Vick and beat the Eagles.
If you are Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, you now have to look long and hard at taking the interim label off of Frazier and make him the head coach. It is obvious the players like him and they play hard for him. More importantly for the Vikings in 2011, they won't have to deal with the daily Brett Favre soap opera. Some might call that addition by subtraction.
What it all means?
The loss produced a ripple effect throughout the NFC; as the Bears locked up the second seed in the NFC and now have a shot at the first seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Bears will know by the time they kick off at 4:15 ET in its game against the Packers Sunday whether or not they have a shot at the No. 1 seed. While some are already speculating whether or not Lovie Smith will rest some of his starters in the Packers game, Bears safety Chris Harris sent out a Tweet last night that he would want no part of sitting out.
"To make 1 thing clear just cause we got the 1st rd bye 2nite don't think we just plan on rolling over Sun against Green Bay #notgonnahappen"
Either way, the Giants playoff hopes are in great peril. New York must beat the Redskins and hope the Bears beat the Packers in order to get in. Now if both the Packers and the Giants lose, and the Bucs end up beating the Saints, then Tampa will get into the post season.
