That's special

Last season I lost track of how many times the Vikings special teams cost the team in minor and major ways.

Whether it was a coverage guy stepping on the goal line to wipe out a punt downed inside an opponent’s five-yard line, skittish punt returners calling for needless fair catches, kick-off returners unable to muster a return of more than 15 yards and, of course, the unit’s specialty, giving up long returns – often for touchdowns – the Vikings special teams seemed to go out of their way to contribute to a Viking loss.

Sunday’s 38-26 win over the Green Bay Packers was evidence of how much has changed for the Vikings special teams. A lot of the focus for the Vikings win is surely going to fall on Brett Favre and his four-touchdown performance and I’ve got no problem with that. Favre played very, very well. But Viking fans who watched the game must realize the Vikings special teams and Percy Harvin deserve a game ball, too.

Some of the ways the special teams helped the Vikings were subtle – like punt returner Jaymar Johnson’s refusal to call for fair catches or not catch them at all and let the ball hit the Lambeau Field turf and roll deep into Viking territory on Packer punts.

Johnson averaged a modest 7.4 yards on five returns, but he did break one return for 20 yards that set up the Vikings second touchdown, and his fearlessness (and sure-handedness) in catching and returning punts shaved a few extra yards off the total the Vikings offence had to gain to get into scoring position.

It’s a small thing in the grand scheme of a football game, but ....

Not so small in the grand scheme of things was the impact Harvin had on this contest in the return game. Harvin had kick-off returns of 77 and 48 yards. Both returns led to Viking touchdowns and both came at critical times in the game – the first after the Packers had taken a 3-0 lead in the first quarter off a bungled snap by center John Sullivan, the other after a Packers touchdown had cut the Vikes lead to 24-20 late in the third quarter.

Some other things I liked about this game:

Bernard Berrian being able to play. I didn’t think we’d see him after he injured his hamstring last week against Pittsburgh, but he started and played well, all things considered. The stats weren’t huge (three catches for 47 yards) but he caught Favre’s fourth touchdown pass, which sealed the victory. He also caught a 19-yard pass from Favre on a third-and-17 on the Vikings first drive of the second half. One play later Harvin scored on a 51-yard pass-and-run play. And Berrian’s other catch also produced a first down on the Vikings second touchdown drive. Overall, a productive game for a guy who couldn’t have been a 100 per cent healthy.

Ray Edwards. The Vikings might want to consider signing the fourth-year starting defensive end to a contract extension. I always value how Edwards defends the run, but I also think he’s got some pass rushing talent. He showed it against Green Bay registering two sacks and pressuring Aaron Rodgers on several other plays. He was one of the better players on the field. And keep in mind he only turns 25 on Jan. 1st. Edwards game has room to grow.

More balanced offensive playcalling. The Vikings got too pass happy for my liking against Pittsburgh last week. This time Brad Childress and Darrell Bevell stuck with the run even though the Vikings weren’t initially having anymore success running the ball against the Packers than they did against the Steelers. I’m a lot more comfortable with Favre throwing the ball 28 times as opposed to 50.

I don’t know what to think about the Vikings second half performance on defence, which went from suffocating to sieve-like. But perhaps we should worry about what that means for the Vikings Super Bowl chances some other time.

Right now it’s time to enjoy a rare Vikings victory at Lambeau Field and a rare Vikings sweep of the season series against our biggest rival. The Vikings are 7-1 and in full control of the NFC North and we’ve got the bye week coming up.

Just think, almost two weeks to watch and re-watch highlights of Harvin and Favre and Jared Allen beating up on Green Bay on You Tube and NFL.com. It’s going to be sweet.