Bucky Five: Already Freaking Out About Next Week

1. What Time Was That Game? - I know I'm not alone when I say that it really didn't feel like the Packers played this weekend. I mean, I remember watching a game, and cheering and stuff, but this week didn't have the same kick to it that the last two weeks did. Perhaps it was because the Rams are brutal, perhaps it was because this was about as expected of a win as you're going to get, or perhaps the sting of last week hasn't quite left. Either way, kind of a dull week. The Packers did put up a nice score on St. Louis, 36-17, but we didn't play particularly well, so this is a tough one to gauge. But hey, Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh this weekend so that makes us look better. I'm telling you that Cincy team isn't one to be taken lightly.

2. Love a Good Driver Meal - Rodgers is doing a real good job lately of not really impressing me, but having great stats. He was 13/23 with 269 yards and two touchdowns, but to me he still doesn't look like the guy he was during the preseason. I mean he's good and all, but something's different. Oh, that's right, the offensive line blows. Either way, when Rodgers was able to get good protection, he found Driver four times for 95 yards, one of those catches being a touchdown and the other the great one handed catch you see above. Driver's having a great year so far, even if Greg Jennings has been a little disappointing. Jennings did have a very Devery Henderson-like two catches for 103 yard performance somehow though. Credit to the roomies for the Devery comparison.

3. I Might Give You 99 - Many running backs in fantasy often lose touches to the plethora of touchdown mongers on their team, and today John Kuhn was that monger to Ryan Grant. Kuhn had two touchdowns, one via the run and one via the air, while Grant didn't find the end zone for the first time this season. Grant however did have 99 yards, although I'd like him to work on that 3.8 average he had today. He did look like he had his legs back in this one more so than any other week however, and hopefully he'll be the back we think he can be next week against a very formidable Vikings run defense. As for those Vikings, well, we'll get to that in a moment.

4. Super Boller - Shades of Jason Garrett and the many other backup quarterbacks that burned us ran rampant when Kyle Boller replaced Mark Bulger in the first half. Just as the Brewers love to give up home runs to opposing pitchers, the Packers love to let backup quarterbacks shine. For awhile, Boller looked like he was going to lead a comeback, as he had two passing touchdowns, including one right before halftime. By the way, how bad is Marc Bulger? He's been this mediocre bad for like three years now. Why haven't the Rams signed anyone, or drafted somebody? These are questions I'm glad I only think of once a year, instead of week after week like the poor Rams fans do.

5. And Then, The Bullshit - Maybe what made Sunday feel like the Packers were on a bye week was because of what happened in Minnesota about ten minutes after the Packers victory. By now you've all seen Favre's ridiculous throw to Greg Lewis to give the Vikings a last second victory over San Francisco, a victory which puts the Vikings at 3-0 heading into their huge Monday Night Showdown against the faithful Packers. It was actually a nice play by Favre to keep the play alive, and a miracle that Lewis was able to even catch that thing, but it was total bullshit. Especially because this was a game where Favre got away with another crackback block, got handed 15-yard late hit penalties at his beckon call, and was able to throw the ball three yards past the line of scrimmage.

Now, I know that this is a Packers article, and that I talk about Favre way too much even though I keep saying I never will again, but I just can't understand how there are people that still say they like both Favre and the Packers. THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE! You just can't be a Packers fan and root for Favre, because that means you cheered when the Vikings, the arch-rival Vikings, won on a last second miracle that put them at 3-0 and first place in the NFC North. That means that next week, when the two teams play, you're going to be satisfied no matter what the outcome is, because you're essentially cheering for both teams. It's like cheering for both the Montagues and the Capulets, even though the two families are bitter enemies. We all know that whole forbidden affair didnt' end well, and this one won't either, so I just don't get it.

In fact, I just don't get how anyone can wake up and root for this Vikings team in general, and still feel good about themselves. If someone can explain this to me, I'll give you the space in an entire Winks Thinks column to tell me why I'm wrong. You can't like Favre and the Packers anymore, you just can't. God, next week's game is so huge, and I'm so worried that the Packers aren't ready for it. They'll win the one in Lambeau no question, but the Vikings look like the better overall team right now, and I will not be able to live if Minnesota wins with Brett Favre under center next week.

I said that this week didn't feel like anything special, but next week is going to be insane. It's going to be like the NFC Championship Game two years ago, a game where I literally could not breathe while watching. As nice as it was to win this week, I'm already freaking out about next week. I fucking hate Brett Favre, and we can not lose that game (already catching my breath in a brown paper bag).