The Vikings aren’t up to much so let’s take a quick spin around the division:

The Bears finished signing their 2012 draft picks, inking safety Brandon Hardin to a 4-year deal. All six Bears draft picks are signed before the Vikings have even signed one. Not saying that means anything, just throwing it out there.

Former Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly is leaving jail after receiving what is known as “shock probation.” Basically, Jolly convinced a judge that jail was too traumatic for him and he deserved early release. Jolly, who has admitted being addicted to the substance known as “purple drink,” was originally sentenced to six years after violating his probation from a drug conviction. Jolly will be on shock probation for 10 years and will have to perform 200 hours of community service.

In other substance-related news, Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley has been placed in the NFL’s substance abuse program after an April 3 marijuana arrest. Fairley had been scheduled to be arraigned in that case on Monday but it was pushed back so his lawyer could have more time to put a defense together.

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1.  I don’t know if the emotion of the homecoming helped Brett Favre, but it certainly didn’t hurt him.  One thing’s for sure:  Brett likes playing against the Packers.  In his two games against them this year, he is 41-for-59 with 515 yards, 7 TDs and no picks.  2 of his 3 highest QB rating games are against the Packers (the other was against Baltimore).  And it’s not like you can just chalk it up to familiarity with the Packers team either:  they’re playing a different defense now than the one they had when he was there.  The main problem for the Pack against Favre has been the lack of pass rush.  You just can’t give that guy so much time.  If you let him stand in the pocket, he will pick apart your defense; doesn’t matter if he knows your players, knows your system or hates your GM.

2.  Go ahead teams – keep game-planning to stop Adrian Peterson first.  Keep bringing up extra men.  Keep keying on him.  He is still among the league leaders in yards, is still getting his touchdowns, and now he’s a legit threat catching the ball out of the backfield.  Oh, and he’s not fumbling anymore.  And, in case you didn’t notice, we’re 7-1.  So suck it.

3.  Percy Harvin had his best all-around game of the season, catching 5 balls for 84 yards and a touchdown (an assist on the touchdown to the Packers DBs for knocking each other out of the play), and helping set the Vikes up in great field position with two long kick returns.  Is he the rookie of the year?  I don’t know.  I do know that he is a serious, big-time weapon.  He has good hands, great speed, fantastic YAK ability and isn’t afraid to deliver the blow.  And being sick during the week doesn’t seem to affect him during games.

4.  The line of demarcation between good Vikings defense and poor Vikings defense was glaringly obvious.  When their front-4 is getting mad pressure, they are a great defense.  When their front-4 isn’t getting that much pressure, they are a weak, even porous defense.  Thankfully, Jared Allen and Ray Edwards were both dominating for long stretches of the game, and that was enough to keep the Packers from piling on the points.  Obviously, the Packers have a good QB and some nice receivers, and are going to get their yards and touchdowns.  The Vikings made enough plays when they needed to.

5.  Brad Childress can drive you nuts sometimes.  Late in the first half, he elects to go for it on fourth down instead of taking the field goal, and AD (who – memo to everyone – is NOT A GREAT SHORT YARDAGE BACK) gets stuffed.  So, Vikings get the ball back with a little over two minutes left, and instead of showing that same bulldog instinct, Chilly goes into his usual run the clock down, take the 3 and go into halftime mode (for which Troy Aikman and Howie Long both blasted him).  I’m not entirely certain what is going through Chilly’s mind, but, he has this bizarre, infuriating tendency to play it safer and safer the closer he gets to the half.  I think there might be some kind of childhood issue at play here.  I know he likes playing dress-up more than a normal man.  Dude’s head is full of snakes.

6.  At first I was amused by Packer fan bitterness, but now I’m actually worried for them.  I live in Wisconsin, so I know how such emotions can quickly turn into destructiveness, especially when alcohol enters the mix.  The whole state needs therapy.

7.  Brian Robison hasn’t done much this year.  I’m afraid that, if we remember him for anything, it will be the fumble that let the Packers back into the game.  He is officially the third-biggest knucklehead on the defense, behind Benny Sapp and Ray Edwards.  And speaking of Benny Sapp:  yeah, he had a nice game again, made a huge play batting down a pass late; but would someone please get hold of that young man and tell him to stop almost getting in fights, especially when we’re winning?

8.  I have come to the conclusion that Asher Allen and Karl Paymah both suck equally.  Thankfully, I think Antoine Winfield will be back after the bye, certainly after the Lions game.  And that’s good, because the less Allen/Paymah get on the field, the better the defense will be.

9.  Do the Vikings need to consider rotating defensive linemen more to keep guys fresh?  I ask because it seems like Jared Allen and Kevin Williams are fading as the game goes on.  Oh, and while we’re on the subject of K-Will:  Is there a better lineman in the league when it comes to batting/tipping/deflecting balls?  Those plays are as big as sacks and run-stuffs in the backfield, if you ask me.

10. John Sullivan says it was his fault that ball got snapped before Favre was ready.  Did he really need to tell us?

Bonus: Johnny Jolly, I thank you for being an idiot.

By halftime, Favre had shut up the thousands of bitter cheeseheads by leading the Vikings to a 17-3 lead.  With a lot of help from Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin (whose long kick return set up the first TD) and a defense that had Packer QB Aaron Rodgers running for his life.

The Packers were not helped on the first Viking TD drive when, after Minnesota appeared to have been held to a field goal attempt, Johnny Jolly headbutted Chester Taylor, leading to a personal foul and more downs for the Vikes.  They would score a touchdown, rather than settle for the 3.

It could’ve been even more than 17-3.  The Vikes got the ball back at 14-3 with a little more than two minutes left and drove it down to scoring range, but Brad Childress, per his usual habit, took the foot off the gas and settled for the field goal.  This after Chilly, on the previous possession, gave away three points by going for it on 4th down and seeing Adrian Peterson get stuffed.

Viking fans know well the oddball tendencies of Mr. Chilly.