Monday Headlines: The Post-Apocalyptic Edition

#1 – Adrian Peterson Out Indefinitely

Brad Childress revealed in his Monday press conference that Adrian Peterson has a torn ligament in his knee. It isn’t, fortunately, an MCL or ACL tear, but an injury to the lateral-collateral ligament which is apparently less important and known for healing well. It wouldn’t affect Peterson’s ability to run forward, Chilly said, but would hinder his lateral movement. No surgery will be needed, and Peterson will probably not be out more than a couple of weeks.

So the Vikings dodge a bullet with Peterson, who initially looked like he was badly hurt. This somewhat ameliorates our disappointment over the way things went yesterday against Green Bay. This is what we’re reduced to: Yes we got our asses kicked fifteen different ways, but at least our franchise running back didn’t get crippled for life.

#2 – Dwight Smith Flap

Dwight Smith was seen by numerous witnesses to carry on in jovial fashion on the sideline late in yesterday’s 34-0 beat-down at the hands of the Packers. This rubbed certain people the wrong way, especially those who think that whenever something goes wrong the only acceptable response is to slip into an immediate near-suicidal depression. Smith would seem to disagree with the notion that he should tumble into despair at a mere ass-kicking. Smith said after the game:

"What you’ve got to understand is, for fans and people like that, football is more than it is for players. This is our job. This is what we do. This is not who we are. If you’re at work and you’re having a bad day, you’re not going to smile or talk to somebody else? It’s a job for us."

Some will use Smith’s words as a cudgel with which to pummel him and all other spoiled, insufficiently motivated athletes. These pummelers are the same people who show up to games just to boo, and call in to radio shows and post comments on blogs merely as a way of venting all sorts of deep-rooted frustrations. They hate their own lives, and take out this anger on people they perceive as unworthy and unappreciative. The rest of us – you know, those of us who are rational – will see Smith’s comment as a typically ill-worded attempt at self-explanation by a less-than-eloquent individual who only half-meant what he said.

#3 – Hail Number 4

Watching Brett Favre yesterday only made one more acutely aware of how inept the Vikings’ quarterbacks are. Viking QBs look at best uncertain, at worst utterly terrified. They’re constantly glancing back at the sidelines for instructions, half-puzzled looks on their faces, and seem as skittish in the pocket as Don Knotts in a room full of banging pots and pans. Contrast this with Favre, the picture of command. He’s always signalling back and forth with the coaches, but you get the feeling of a real dialogue – him telling them what he’s going to do as much as them telling him what he should do. Then he strides to the line, cool as a quick-draw artist. He starts pointing to stuff, telling his guys where to go, letting his linemen know where the blitz is coming from. He’s in total control of the game – even after he gets his bell rung, as happened yesterday when he scrambled, and Kenechi Udeze dove over him, striking him in the back of the helmet with his shoulder-pad (and not his own helmet as the refs called). Brett Favre half-dazed is still more sure of what he’s doing than Brooks Bollinger or Tarvaris Jackson in complete command of their faculties. Oh, and Favre actually throws the ball where he means to throw it.

#4 – Comedy of Errors

What was funnier – Mewelde Moore having the swing pass bounce off his hands straight to Charles Woodson or Cedric Griffin and Darren Sharper taking each other out of the play while going for the interception in the endzone and the ball going right to Ruvell Martin for the TD?