The Packers defense pitched their first shutout of the season as the Green Bay Packers get the win over the Minnesota Vikings with a score of 34-0 to improve to 8-1. Mike McCarthy said in his post game interview that this game was probably the most complete game of the season, and the team as a whole probably played the best they have all season, and it is hard to argue with that. In fact, you could add that this was McCarthy's best game of his career with the Packers.

The defense got off to a hot start, forcing the Vikings to go 3 and out after Brady Popinga made a great play, stopping Peterson for no gain on a third and one. The Vikings punted and then the Packers took over and never looked back, going 82 yards in 12 plays and taking 5:32 to do it. The first drive was a killer, and was due in large part Mike McCarthy's play calling which kept the Vikings defense guessing.

The Vikings D was really keying off the pass. It was no secret the Packers were going to pass, and the Vikings came with heat, blitzing or send 5 guys to start the game. McCarthy countered with a lot of delays and swing passes, even shovel passes in the middle. McCarthy let the pressure come, and then dropped the ball just over the defenses head. The Vikings brought more pressure, and when McCarthy saw the Vikings were totally selling out against the pass, he decided to run.

And run they did. Ryan Grant had 119 yards and a touchdown in 25 carries including a 30 yard run for a touchdown to cap the first Packers drive. After that Grant continued to run the ball well deep into the second quarter when the Vikings decided to switch back to a run defense they had played so well all year.

McCarthy saw the change, and countered with a guy named Brett Favre and his friends Driver, Jennings, Jones, Robinson, Lee, and Martin. For the game Favre had was 33/46 for 351 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. With the Vikings unable to stop the run to start the game, Favre was able to open up and the Packers went into the half up 13-0 and pretty much owning the game.

MVP of the game goes to Ryan Grant. McCarthy did a great job of play calling to get Grant the ball, but Grant's running in the first half was sweet. He had good holes, but he was making the first defender miss and then delivering the blows to the defense. I don't know if there was a single time he went backwards, he always seemed to be going forward.

It was not quite the 37 I had predicted earlier this week, but it was a damn good game. In fact, 37 was way to aggressive, as good as the Packers are I don't look for them to score even 34 again this season.