Three takeaways from Sunday's game
The Star Tribune's Matt Vensel gives his three takes on the Vikings-Green Bay game:
1. The Vikings still have performance anxiety
Football fans around the country can be forgiven for not realizing that the Vikings have one of the NFC's better teams. Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Packers was their first game in front of a nationwide audience since the season-opening dud against the 49ers. And as cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said in unprintable terms, they again came unraveled when everyone was watching, which is kind of a big deal for a team that is starting to raise its profile. Coach Mike Zimmer needs to get his players to keep their composure in spotlight games for the Vikings to be taken seriously.
2. Eddie Lacy always feasts against the Vikings
The husky Packers back has had a disappointing season as he battled injuries and may or may not have been too overweight. But nothing gets Lacy going like a game against the Vikings. Lacy rushed for a season-high 100 yards on 22 carries Sunday, doing much of his damage in the second and third quarters. Lacy has now rushed for 534 yards and five touchdowns in five career games against the Vikings. Much is made about Aaron Rodgers' dominance against the Vikings, and rightfully so, but Lacy always makes them pay for focusing too much on the Packers quarterback.
3. Adrian Peterson's fumbling is officially a problem
The 30-year-old running back on Sunday eclipsed the 1,000-yard season rushing mark for the seventh time in his career. But on the carry that put him over the top, Peterson put the ball on the ground for the sixth time this season. Fumble luck has bailed him out on four of those fumbles, but this time the ball bounced to the Packers, squandering an opportunity to get back into the game. Because Peterson is still one of the NFL's best backs and the centerpiece of their offense, the Vikings have no choice but to keep giving him the ball while keeping their fingers crossed.