The Vikings and Packers square off in Minneapolis this weekend, which makes me thirsty for some Coors Banquets and some history. So, naturally, I grabbed some cold ones, fired up YouTube and re-watched the 2012 Week 17 border battle that put the Vikings in the playoffs.
As you know, I’m 24 and single so I rewatch sporting events from the past to help kill time until I fix my love life. With that, here’s what stood out to me as I watched back the game.
1. Just 8 players remain
Only eight players from the 2012 roster are currently on this year’s Vikings team: Brian Robison, Everson Griffen, Joe Berger, Marcus Sherels, Jarius Wright, Andrew Sendejo, Harrison Smith and Kyle Rudolph.
Smith was a rookie in 2012 while Rudolph was in his second season. Each played big roles. Sherels was returning punts like he still is and Griffen had a big game, getting to Aaron Rodgers for a career-high three sacks. Wright hauled in three catches for 90 yards, including a 65-yard strike that set up a Vikings touchdown.
2. Ponder played so well his arm broke
Christian Ponder’s 2012 season is the “best” season he had in his career and the Week 17 win was by far his best game.
Ponder completed 16-of-28 passes for 234 yards with three touchdowns and zero turnovers. His 120.2 passer rating was the highest of the 38 games he appeared in during his career.
Fox analyst Troy Aikman kept praising Ponder for his ability to “get out of the pocket,” which was about the only nice thing he said about him the entire game. That’s especially humorous because Vikings fans know all about Ponder’s pocket presence, AKA, running for his life.
Ponder played so well that even his arm couldn’t believe it, so it broke.
“Christian never used me like that before or after,” his stunned arm recently said. “I’ll never forget that special night.”
Technically, Ponder “bruised” his bicep, proving him unfit to start in the playoffs, which led to the Joe Webb game at Lambeau Field the next week. RIP 2012 season.
https://twitter.com/ShariStrib/status/288340017007452160
3. Peterson just missed the record
This was peak Adrian. He needed just over 200 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards. He was fed the ball 34 flipping times and for 199 yards and two touchdowns.
AD finished the season with 2,097 yards.
The Week 17 tilt was also the one-year anniversary of Peterson’s ACL tear in Washington, D.C. The fact Adrian was able to come back in nine months en route to an MVP season was remarkable, and will forever be considered one of the all-time great individual seasons, regardless of sport.
Why you should watch?
For starters, Vikings fans love watching the Packers lose. Second, Christian Ponder wore No. 7 and so does Case Keenum – who will probably start this Sunday. If I were Keenum, I’d be watching the tape from this one on how to beat the Packers. Ponder knows.
