Entering the 2022 season, the big question in the NFC North was whether anyone would usurp the Packers. The trendy pick was the Vikings. The Vikings ended up beating the Packers in week 1 but fell to the Eagles in week 2. The Packers righted the ship in week 2 after struggling in week 1. Both teams sit at 1-1. One analyst has an outrageous ranking for the Packers entering week 3.
Outrageous Ranking For The Packers
In an NFC North power rankings, one analyst has the Packers ranked second behind the Vikings. After what we saw on Monday night against the Eagles, I cannot fathom why the Packers are not ranked ahead of the Vikings in any poll. The Packers looked discombobulated in week 1. The Vikings looked downright awful in week 2. For a ranking that is supposed to look at the totality of what the teams have done on the field, it misses the mark.
The Packers Week 1 Loss
There’s no way around the fact that the Packers lost to the Vikings. However, a closer look at the game shows how close the Packers were to turning the game around. I’ll mention three plays in particular. The Christian Watson drop was huge play. The failed 4th and goal from the 1 was also a huge play. They misfired. The third play is Justin Jefferson‘s second touchdown. If you watch the tape it paints a different story. Kirk Cousins is being pressured, moves to his left and throws an absolute duck across his body. It just so happened that a coverage breakdown happened by the Packers. Jefferson is wide open and runs in for a touchdown. If there is better communication in the secondary, the Packers at least knock the ball down. It is outrageous to rank the Packers below the Vikings simply due to this loss.
The Vikings Week 2 Loss
Cousins tried more up for grabs throws against the Eagles on Monday night. They did not have any breakdowns in coverage. Darius Slay pick Cousins off twice on balls that were literally thrown up for grabs. The Vikings could not move the ball consistently. The lone bright spot was the defense that kept the Vikings in the game with timely turnovers. In a couple of instances, the Vikings had a short field and couldn’t even turn it into points because they were so sloppy with the ball. The offensive line was a mess and could not block anyone. There are so many more questions about the Vikings entering week 3.
I’ll admit bias in the situation but I don’t understand how you look at those two losses and think they are equal. I wasn’t panicked about the Packers loss. If you are a Vikings fan, I would be very concerned with how they played on Monday night. This is an outrageous ranking for the Packers. Through the first two weeks, it is clear that the Packers should still be the favorite in the NFC North.
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