All of the points came from kicker Longwell, but Vikings win in OT.

The fight didn't seem as close as the score. Both teams pressed down the field, only coming close enough for three field goals and one touchdown each. In all, the game held few spectacular plays, and a few disappointing

We did experience a few penalties that seemed to make little sense. I know rules need to be followed, but sometimes the spirit of the play needs to be considered, too. With like 12 seconds to go in the first half, the Vikings take over the ball deep into their own territory, they decide to take a knee and fight in the second half. Everyone lines up, and at the snap, no one really moves 'cept the quarterback and some token shuffling on the line. Then the flag comes out. One of the Viking linemen was not lined up correctly; five yards, repeat first down. With only six seconds to go, the Vikings decide to take a knee... In the spirit of the play at hand, did the half-step out of place really matter? Did the ref just feel that the Vikings needed a few more yards of penalties? What's up with that?

Later, as the Vikings punt the ball, one of them screams past the Raven who's not in the right spot to catch it. He makes a diving try to stop the ball in the one or two yard line, but misses, and the ball bounces over his flying body into the endzone resulting in a touchback. A flag comes out; apparently the Viking had stepped out of bounds as he raced around the Raven, making him ineligible to touch the ball first. The penalty for this offense? Automatic touchback. Sure, yeah, OK, the Viking needed to be told he'd stepped out of bounds. Again, the resulting play was the same, but some stats book now shows yet another Viking penalty for another twenty yards.

In what turned out to be the dumbest play anyone around me had seen, #30 for the Ravens pitched the punt that he'd caught and was starting to return to another player. The other player either wasn't expecting it, or just sucked at catching, 'cause he fumbled, and the Vikings recovered the bouncing ball very near their own red zone.

This resulted in the only Vikings touchdown. The touchdown was unexpected, too, in another weird play. The Vikings failed to move the ball any closer than the 16-yard line. They lined up for a field-goal, even though they were down by 10 at the time. Obviously the play was planned, 'cause the holder pitched the ball to the punter who passed it to Owens who managed to just barely squeak in for the touchdown.

Longwell also made the three field goals during the game, and the final winner in OT. He is responsible for all of the Vikings' points, which, sadly, is not terribly uncommon, but usually the points gained by kickers don't include touchdowns.

The division standings aren't as rosy for the Vikings as the could be.

The Bears also won, embarrassing the Lions with a 24 point lead in the end (34-10). Didn't they read my blog? This lifts, as you can see, the Bears to 2-0 and drops the Lions to 0-2.

The Packers lost to the Saints, 34-27. This was welcome, as it keeps the Pack at the bottom of the division a little longer. I do almost feel bad for Brett Favre; although he's the legend of our rival, and we dislike him in a friendly sportsman-like way, we do give him props for being a good athlete and seemingly good guy all 'round. The post-game discussion on the radio argued that Favre has carried the Packers his entire career, having few great receivers on the team, he's been making all of the plays by his talent. Makes you wonder how he could have excelled if he'd been given some excellent receivers, a blessing which the Vikings have had to use to offset arguable quarterbacks.

Looking ahead, the Vikings next host the Bears. The winner will be alone in first place at 3-0. The losers alone in second place at 2-1. The Bears took the division last year, and will probably turn out to be favored, but looking at this year, they've beat the Lions (yawn) and Green Bay (stretch and yawn). Sure, in both games they dominated, but the Lions were also beat by the weak Seahawks, and the Pack by weaker Saints. This year the Bears haven't had a challenge. The Vikings, however, are coming off two tough games, and have to perform for a third tough game in a row. This might prove to be a benefit for the Bears. The Vikings have faced two top-notch teams and barely won both of the games by single field goals each, but they were in the game the whole time.

Additionally, should the Vikings lose to the Bears, this'd put them tied for second in the division, as the Bears would be 3-0 against division opponents, while everyone else would be 0-1. Well, that's not quite right...

The Lions next face the Packers. One of them will move to 1-2, while the other will fall to 0-3. Divisionally one will be 1-1, while the other will be 0-2. This means with a Bear victory that the Vikings would be in third place against division opponents! Sure, the overall record keeps them safe in second place for real, but the tie-breakers come into play far too often.

The outcomes are pretty much the same. At some level it doesn't matter who wins the Lions/Packers game, as far as the Vikings standings go. After the Bears, though, the Vikings play Buffalo and then the Lions. Additionally, the border battle has us wanting to see the Packers put down.

It does matter greatly whether the Vikings win. Both for overall and division opponent standings.

It's a little fun that the division will be 3-0, 2-1, 1-2, 0-3 after next week. Somehow that's a little fun. Trust me.