The Vikings put on an NCAA-like performance against the Green Bay Packers

I'm not sure what the definition of rock bottom is, but if the Minnesota Vikings didn't hit it in a 45-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers Monday night, they came awfully close.

Playing the 8-0 Packers on the road at Lambeau Field, the Vikings had to play an almost perfect game to pull off an upset. They didn't succeed.

The special teams immediately surrendered an 80-yard punt return touchdown to Green Bay's Randall Cobb, digging themselves a 7-0 hole before the Packers even had an offensive possession. They were flagged for 10 penalties compared to Green Bay's one. Their only score was set up by a muffed punt return by Cobb in the third quarter that gave the Vikings the ball on the Packers 14-yard line. They allowed Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers to throw for four touchdown passes. Basically, the Vikings were as limp as a 99-year-old man with erectile dysfunction.

There's little doubt the Vikings-Packers "rivalry" is at its lowest ebb since the Vikings entered the league as an expansion team back in 1961. Since Mike McCarthy took over as Green Bay's head coach in 2006, his team has a 9-3 record against the Vikings, including sweeping the season series in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011.

But a little perspective is in order. Despite the 38-point loss, tonight's thrashing did not reveal any new warts about the Vikings. We know the Vikings secondary cannot hold up against a quarterback and receiving corps that is anything above league average. We know the offensive line can't pass or run block worth a lick. And we know they don't have a wide receiver who can stretch the field and make defences pay for stacking the box against Adrian Peterson. (For all his talent and toughness, Percy Harvin is not that guy – yet.)

So while another shellacking at the hands of the Packers stings, a year or two from now Vikings fans might grudgingly thank Green Bay for the beatdown. And they'll thank them because if there was ever any doubt about the wide chasm that separates the Vikings from a Super Bowl contender like the Packers, it was illustrated in living colour at Lambeau Field on November 14, 2011.

The memory of this game should be enough to convince the Vikings coaching staff and management that some serious housecleaning is required with this roster once the 2011 season is over. That might be the only encouragement we can take out of this blowout loss.