It was not the game I was hoping for yesterday, but at least the Packers made it fun for a little while last evening under the lights of Lambeau...my heaven!

Here is what I noticed:

The boos for Favre were deafening and overpowered the few that cheered him back to Lambeau.  This crowd was not happy with the once Packer great.  They listened to LeRoy Butler....he is no longer one of us.  I appreciate what you have done in years past, but now you are a traitor and deserve to be booed.  We are Packer fans and you are now a Viking...it was so loud.

When Rodgers was announced, the stadium was so loud it shook...louder than the 4 F-16 jets that did the fly-over after the National Anthem...that was loud.  I think it made Rodgers a bit nervous at the beginning of the game.  I love Rodgers, but he was missing receivers early and took two sacks in the first quarter because he held on to the ball too long..meanwhile receivers were open down field.  He also seemed nervous to run at first.  he could have had a few big run plays in the first quarter if he would have taken off..instead he was sacked.  He had big runs the second half.  Imagine how good he could be if he had a line in front of him.

I will ask it again...why does McCarthy always take the ball first when we win the coin toss?  He never defers to the second half.  Both times the Vikings came out of halftime with the lead and then scored on their opening possession to widen the gap.  Come on Lumpy...change it up a bit.

The game was lost in the first quarter..actually the first few minutes.  The Packers cannot score when they get inside the 10 yard line.  Last year they led the league in scoring Tds inside the 20, this year it is a sure bet they get a field goal.  After the Vikes turned the ball over and we got inside the 10, we settled for 3.  That is huge for Minnesota.  Special teams allowed Harvin to return a kick deep into Packers territory.  The stadium was rockin and the boos took over when Favre came to the field and the Packers stopped the Vikings and the crowd was wild...but wait.  Johnny Jolly had a stupid head butt penalty after the play.  What were you thinking?  The crowd was deflated.  Another victory for Minnesota and they scored a few plays later.  There is 4 points and more importantly a huge victory.  Those few events set the tone for the entire first half..it was ugly.

That should have been it for Jolly.  McCarthy should have benched him.  Holmgren would have taken his head off.  Instead nothing.  In toady's press conference, McCarthy said he still had not seen the play but would be talking with Jolly.  What?  Had not seen the play?  That would have been the first thing I did when I got home last night...it decided your game.  When asked why he did not remove Jolly from the game he responded:  "You can't do that in a game like this, we need our players."  Basically, do whatever you want...we won't discipline you because you are needed on the field to make more stupid plays.  No wonder there is no discipline on this team and we have so many penalties.  McCarthy doesn't even send his kids to the corner...just do whatever.  I am starting to lose my patience with Lumpy.  I liked the guy, but his play calling it very questionable..no discipline...and no fire in his gut.  I watch his coaches show and he has no emotion.  I love Denver's coach and how excited he gets on the sidelines.  My favorite coach was Bill Cowher and now Tomlin for Pittsburgh..man are they intense and into the game.  The Packers need that.  I am not saying we need a new coach just yet, but I am starting to fade.  It is also not because we are losing...I have been feeling this way for awhile about Mike.  We need fire on the sidelines to get these guys going.  Where was the pass rush?  I thought they wanted to hit Favre..it took almost 8 quarters against the Vikings to finally hit him.  Not good.  If you are not jacked about this game, there is something wrong.

The third quarter was exciting but three issues.  1.) Could not get touchdown when at the 4 yard line..we joked in our section that it was field goal time when it was first and goal.  Maybe Jolly should have been put on the field to get a penalty and put the ball back on the 19?  From there we can score, but when we get close, we suck..and that is from the lack of an O-Line and no running game.  If we score a touchdown there, followed by the other two, the game is tied going into the 4th quarter.  We had the same issue in Minnesota..in close and no points or a field goal.  2.)  Defense could not stop.  Every time we scored and got close, the defense let Favre march down the field.  We have been plagued with giving up big plays for years...a few times yesterday it was 3rd and 8 or 17 and the Vikes got a first down.  You can't do that and it has been happening for years!!!!!!  3.)  Crosby, Crosby, Crosby....you suck!  You have missed extra points this season and struggle beyond 40 yards.  No one in that stadium gave you a chance for that 51 yarder yesterday and you had the wind at your back.  Speaking of wind at your back...you could not kick it inside the 15 yard line with the wind at your back and you kept kicking it to Harvin..at least kick it out of bounds and you are helping the defense with better field position.

So bad O-line, no pass rush, terrible kicker and a coach that has no fire and bad play calling.  But it was still a great day for tailgating, under the lights at Lambeau and an exciting second half.  I love my Packers and Rodgers is going to be a stud in this league as long as the O-line does not get him killed.  On to Tampa.