"Holy shit, we're going to win this game!"

Those were the words I blurted, no, shouted out when Brett Favre completed a 31 yard pass to Javon Walker during the final decisive drive of the Packers 34-31 victory on Christmas Eve. This was a victory so sweet and so joyful that I was compelled to go to a Methodist Service later that night to praise the baby Jesus.

…and it was at that point as those words came blurting, no shouting out that Karen found the next level of football fan-hood. She looked at me with a horrified stare and said “You didn’t! You know better than to FUCKING say that! Quick, knock on wood or something, FAST.” The verbal berating continued, deservedly I might add, for she was right. I should have known better. I knocked wood, crossed my fingers, and silently said an “Our Favre”, and Karen, I now know, is completely and emotionally invested. All of a sudden my ritual of placing the autographed Favre mini helmet in between me (wearing my custom made genuine Packer jersey…both gifts from my beloved) and the TV doesn’t seem so silly any more. She now believes the things we say and do at home affect the game on TV. Mission accomplished.



It was a tale of two drives, one that tied the game and one that won it. Favre had been picked off by Vikings linebacker Chris Clairborne, a spectacular grab of a patented Favre bullet pass that Clairborne ran in for the go ahead touchdown. With the Metrodome crowd in a frenzy, I fully expected Favre to meltdown as he has done so many times in this dome before. Instead, Favre was in complete command, showing a poise and confidence I have never seen before.



Drive one: On a third and 10 early on, he threaded a pass between two defenders and hits Donald Driver for 20. It was as clutch a throw as I’d seen… until fourth and one at the 3. Favre hits Driver as Driver falls into the end zone, placing the ball where only Driver could have caught it.



Drive two: Facing third and long, and anticipating a Vikings blitz, the Packers call for a quick slant to Javon Walker. It’s the perfect call as the Vikings bring 7 against the Packers 6 defenders. Favre holds the ball until the last second and releases it an instant before he gets hit. Walker breaks a tackle and runs free for 31 yards to the Vikings 7. “Holy shit, we’re going to win this game”



This win was all about Favre and his receivers. The receivers had dedicated the game to Robert Ferguson and played flawlessly. Favre was nothing short of spectacular, passing for 365 yards including 165 to Donald Driver, who had man coverage most of the game as the Vikings decided to double Javon Walker. However, Favre’s most brilliant play came at the end of the second quarter. On a third and 5 play with no time outs Favre hit Javon Walker for a four and ¾ yard gain. No time outs, fourth down, clock is running, 7 seconds to go, how do you get your field goal unit out? Favre calls for a measurement. This stops the clock long enough to allow the field goal unit to take the field. Vikings coach Mike Tice is beside himself, in a rage that would have made Lou Pinella proud. The clock restarts and Ryan Longwell kicks a field goal to end the first half.



The Defense, well that’s another story.



I have never seen a shoddier defense than this one, including the one we trotted out in 1983. To say that the tackling was terrible would be an understatement. It was almost non existent. The players are clearly not coached in the fundamentals and that is absolutely unacceptable. While watching the attempts at tackling on Michael Bennett's 26 yard TD catch St. Ides's dad had this to say: "Jesus, these guys are a joke". Yep, that's about right. In an earlier email to St. Ides, I said the following: “I'm not sure if you saw the Packer game Friday, but I swear to holy Christ that Archbishop Stepenack can tackle better than our guys. Even the team with fat Mario Vasquez.” So if fat Mario Vasquez ever reads this please take that as a complement.



After the game, the players were all bragging about defensive coordinator Bob Slowik. The postulate was that Slowik’s second half adjustment to a cover two scheme was the difference maker. What I don’t get is how week in and week out Slowik’s game plans are so awful that they require paradigm shifts just to stay close. Here’s a thought for Slow, free of charge, like a Christmas gift from Samichlaus himself: Each week, plan out your defense like you always do. Then when the game starts, do the complete opposite. Just try it, OK? If it works as well as I suspect it will you can send St. Ides a case of Colt 45 because being a Seahawks fan he’s going to need it. Also, go ahead and send fat Mario Vasquez some rice and pork. It wasn't nice of me to call him fat.