Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 13 - Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

If you don't know by now I'm talkin' 'bout Chi-town...

Well hello again, football fans!  Welcome to Ten & Six: Week 13!

We hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving, especially those of you in Wisconsin.  Hey, at least the Packers held the Lions to 40.

With the Lions putting a nail in the coffin of the Packers NFC North hopes, the focus now shifts to beautiful Minneapolis.  The Bears and their 32nd ranked run defense come to town to face off against Adrian Peterson, the greatest running back on the face of the Earth, needing a win to keep pace with Detroit.

Mikey, tell us all about it.

CHICAGO BEARS (6-5) at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-8-1)

Now that Tie-gate is nearly a week in the rear view mirror I find myself more disappointed in the outcome than ever before. Granted, the Lions absolute destruction of the Packers made me feel momentarily sane once again, (in a "sporting world" sense) but it also made me realize just how bad the Vikings defense played against Matt Flynn in the 4th quarter last week. Matt Flynn is not good at football, and the Vikings secondary made him look like a young Joey Montana by the end of last week. The Packers had no business coming back to send that game into overtime, yet somehow they did.

The worst part about all of this? You can't blame any of it on Christian Ponder! That's no way to live. He's my favorite Purple scapegoat. Well what's done is done and lets thank god for that. Let's look at some positive(s) and negatives from last week.

As always, the positive(s) first.

Positive(s):

-Audie Cole  I've been begging for this coaching staff to give him some playing time ever since he picked off the Bills twice (taking one to the house) in his first pre-season. He never saw regular season action until last week and he made the most of it, tallying a sack and a couple of beautiful hits on the QB. He did exactly what a young MLB is supposed to do, run downhill towards the football with reckless abandon, making a couple plays in the backfield in the process. Something Erin Henderson's drunk ass has failed to do all year. Have another drink, Erin, I hope you never start at MLB again. 

-Cordarrelle Patterson  He has been seeing increased playing time week by week and tallied a career high in receptions against the Packers with 5 catches in 9 targets. I would have liked to see him make one more important catch late in the game, on a deep ball that was perfectly placed by Ponder (hard to believe, but it's true). Those ball skills will come with time, but it's great to see the rookie wideout get more involved as time goes on.

Negatives:

-Late Game Defense  This Vikings defense has been epically bad all year in the final quarter when an opposing team decides the only way to get back in the game is through the air. It seems like every week the Vikings defensive players and coaches are finding a new way to screw the pooch and piss away a close game. Watching this shit was terrible the first time, the fact that it has happened time and time again is indescribably terrible. Week after week, the one thing you can count on is the Vikings defense choking away a close game.

Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:

Key #1:  Hit Them Hard, Hit Them Early

Last week the Rams blew out the Bears by getting early turnovers and turning them into touchdowns. The Bears are defensively depleted after a series of injuries to starters and their ability to protect a short field is practically non-existent. Force them into early turnovers and make them pay and the offense won't have the firepower to come back.

Key #2:  Josh McCown Sucks, Remind Him Of That

A man's confidence is only as strong as the last time he was horribly maimed. Harass him, and make sure every time he drops back he is fearing for his pathetic life. The Vikings owe McCown payback for 2003 at Sun Devil stadium, when he and a pathetic Cardinals team knocked the Vikings out of the playoffs with their win. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and this one is nearly frozen. Time to teach McCown an important lesson: that he's a worthless fuck.

Key #3:  Contain Matt Forte

The Bears offense will go as he goes. The passing game only has a chance to get going if Forte can find some room on the ground. Stop him in his tracks and the Bears will suddenly become very one dimensional. The Vikings secondary is really bad, and the only chance they have is to know exactly what's coming. The only way to accomplish that is by making any yardage gained on the ground hard earned and painful.

Two Matchups To Watch:

Matchup #1:  Audie Cole vs. The Pressure Of His Second Start

Audie had a good game last week and now faces the pressure of having expectations placed upon him for the first time in his very young career. Sometimes a bit of pressure is enough to throw a young man's game. He stops playing and starts thinking too much. Football isn't a thinking man's game, so let's hope he just keeps hitting things hard.

Matchup #2:  Cordarrelle Patterson vs. The Depleted Bears Secondary

No Peanut Tillman and the rookie looks primed for a break out game. This could be the perfect recipe for his first hundred yard receiving game and let's hope he finds the endzone once or twice.

Mike's All-Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week

You guessed it!  Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver, YOUR Minnesota Vikings

He has to break through at some point right? Why not Sunday! 110 Yards/1 TD

Final Takes

The Bears are easily my second least favorite team, and they typically have a bad time when they come to the Dome. No Cutler, no Tillman, no win for the Bears.

The Vikings were on the doorstep of a divisional victory last week and I think they will finish the job off on Sunday. The Bears are down, and they're about to be out. Look for big games from AP, Cordarrelle and another solid performance from rookie LB Audie Cole. It all adds up to a Vikings victory.

Final Score

Chicago Bears: 23
Minnesota Vikings: 27

There you have it, folks!  The Vikings nearly played spoiler in Green Bay last week and they complete the task this week!

For more Mike Otto be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@SwervinTaters).  The line between sad & entertaining runs awfully thin on a Sunday.  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry contributing to our Trendsetting column.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.        

Ten & Six With Mike Otto - Week 13 (Thanksgiving Spectacular!)

I miss Pat Summerall...

Well hello again, turkey fans!  Welcome to Ten & Six!

It's Thanksgiving week, which means that Mike's usual Thursday Kickoff has been expanded to belt-busting proportions this week.  There's big games in Detroit & Baltimore, giving fans in those cities to take a day off from... um... not working.  There's also a not so big game in Dallas, which provides a fine opportunity to take a trytophan-induced nap.

Mikey, what do we have to look forward to this year?

The Vikings are just trolling everyone at this point. They managed to play a pathetic Packers team to a tie, completely fucking over their draft position and giving Packer fans a glimmer of hope for the playoffs in the process. All in all, the worst possible outcome.

With a loss the Vikings would have currently owned the 1st overall pick in next year's draft, with a win they would still be picking 4th overall, which they are now after the tie. A TIE. A FUCKING TIE. No satisfaction, no bragging rights, and no honor of being the team to dagger the Packers playoff hopes. Fat, dumb Packer fans were only kind of sad as a result of this game, as opposed to jumping out the second story of their Po Barns, as I was hoping for.

I'm still seeing red as a result of that game, and although their were some positives to take away from that new and inventive complete fucking disaster, I'm going to wait to examine the in-depth details until I've decompressed a bit more.

For now let's focus on an NFL tradition! You guessed it, we have some Turkey Day football to dissect! Let's hope the Lions stop playing like turkeys and decide to carve the Packers up like one instead. Megatron! Stafford! Flynn! Lacy! Terrible!

Green Bay (5-5-1) at Detroit (6-5)

There may be a turkey shortage in America but there won't be one in Detroit come Thursday! How many more turkey jokes do you think I can squeeze into these 3 picks? Take a guess! Closest guess wins my unwavering disdain.

The Lions typically break out their best game on Thanksgiving, they puff out their chests, display their great throwback plumage, and strut around Ford Field like cock of the walk. Now, granted, usually their "best game" is only good enough for a 3 or 4 point loss. Hopefully this year is different. CLUCK NOT FUCK! CLUCK NOT FUCK!

Stafford, you're not really going to let a "Matt Flynn" come into your bankrupt house and tell you to collect the trash more than once a month, are you? Sure, Detroit only has 23 operational ambulances, (sadly, that's not a joke) and sure there are a few abandoned schools and hospitals here and there, (who needs learning and medical care anyway?) but Detroit and the urban goats that own control of downtown D still have their pride OK? They aren't gonna let a bunch of hayseeds come into town with their "electricity" and "social order" and show up their goddamn football team on the day of Thanksgiving! Urban goat power! Not as good as urban electrical power mind you, but hey, at least when the rest of this country goes in the shitter, the residents of Detroit will have a head start on how to handle the dismal, bleak Hell-scape that will be all our realities. The Lions win one for the goats on Turkey Day, 31-24.

Oakland (4-7) at Dallas (6-5)

The Cowboys can be thankful for this cupcake opponent in this years Dallas-based shitshow. It will more than likely be a Matt McGloin-led Raiders team that heads into Dallas, and here I always thought the McGloin was a part of the turkey you cut off and discarded before the meal. Turns out, it's actually this year's best option at quarterback for the Raiders. This year it's a "Matt McGloin," next year it's a "Chad Wishbone" (The only wish he won't be able to grant is a competent passing game).

The Cowboys will make this game more difficult than it needs to be because they always do. Last week, Dez Bryant was dropping the football on the ground like he was a vegan carrying a turkey with sabotage on the mind. Dez gets over his droppsies and maybe one day gets a name with 4 letters. Cowboys win, 23-16.

Pittsburgh (5-6) at Baltimore (5-6)

Suddenly this unnecessary third Thanksgiving Day game has some meaning! Both teams are 5-6 and it's still hard to believe Joe Flacco is the highest paid QB in the NFL. That dufus really cashed in on the gravy train and now seems content to go back to being undeniably average.

Ben Broethlisberger (see what I did there) has his team on a hot streak that seems unlikely yet is still occurring. Never bet against a Mike Tomlin-led squad's ability to find a way to win games. Even when you're the oldest, slowest, ugliest turkeys left in the yard you have something going for you: nobody wants to kill and eat you anymore. (Obligatory pause to pat myself on the back for that stellar Pittsburgh-Steelers-are-old-unwanted-turkeys-that-no-one-wants-to-kill metaphor).

This might be the most competitive and compelling game of the day and of course the only one you will need a hundred-dollar-a-month cable package to watch. Who's the turkey now? Gobble Gobble. Steelers keep it going and get the "W", 26-24.

If you guessed 8 turkey jokes in 3 picks, good job!  Don't worry about that whole unwavering disdain thing, you probably already had that anyway. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY! Talk to all 15 of you on Saturday when I get back to the sad task of talking Vikings football. Until then stay safe and don't forget to feed your local urban goat.

There you have it, folks!  Three games less exciting than your aunt's candied yams!  Happy Thanksgiving, America!  Remember, as tough as things may seem, all but one of you can be thankful you're not Mike McCarthy.

For more Mike Otto be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@SwervinTaters).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry contributing to our Trendsetting column.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.       

Songs Of The Week #67: TCDroogsma

Aura, Herman Jones, Mind & Matter, Walter Lewis & The Blue Stars, & The Style Band...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #67!

For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

This week provide two unique challenges.  First (and most importantly), MinneSarah took the week off.  Unfortunately that means all you're left with is the ramblings of TCDroogsma.  Again, we apologize.

Second, this week's batch of songs all come courtesy of the new Twin Cities Soul & Funk compilation Purple Snow: Forecasting The Minneapolis Sound.  It's an interesting artifact released by Numero Group that charts just what the Twin Cities music scene sounded like in the days before Prince.
 
Once you've given each song a spin or two feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

So... Droogsy... thoughts?

01.  Aura - Taste Of Love



TCDroogsma:

     Alright, first things first:  As I've mentioned just about every time I've been asked to review a funk and/or soul song here for SOTW I've prefaced my review by stating that I almost never listen to this style of music in my free time.  As such, I think almost all of the songs are great.  Imagine if you'd never been on a rollercoaster before and then rode the coaster at Mall Of America.  You'd think it was the greatest rollercoaster ever, right?  Well, that's how I feel about funk & soul tunes.  So take just about everything I write this week with a grain of salt.

     Now that that's out of the way, let's get into this.

     "Taste Of Love" was probably my favorite of these songs.  It's an ode to those first few weeks (months?) of being genuinely, obsessively in love.  Despite it's alluring title, the song has a pure, sexuality-free innocence to it.  While the bass & chka-chka guitar definitely give this song a funky flavor, at its core "Taste Of Love" is a pop song (complete with a horn-based hook in the chorus that sounds like it would fit right at home as a jingle for a car commercial).  With group vocals ending the song singing, "the more I taste it, the more I love it..." the song sounds like it could soundtrack a montage of a young, hip couple playing with dogs and trying on hats.

Final Score: 4/5

02.  Herman Jones - I Love You

TCDroogsma:

     "I Love You" continues along the same innocent lines as "Taste Of Love."  The songs reflects on a love that dates all the way back "from childhood to high school."  The backing vocalists play off the innocene of the song with some "do-do-dooo's" that, were this a slicked up record, would likely have been mixed much more smoothly.  As such, they have a ragged, charmingly amateur-ish sound, making "I Love You" sound less like a song for the masses and more like a demo recorded by Herman Jones specifically for the ears of his life-long love.

Final Score: 3/5

03.  Mind & Matter - Sunshine Lady

TCDroogsma:

     "Sunshine Lady" opens with a rumble of thunder that makes it wound like something Tim Meadows would have played when he was hosting The Quiet Storm.  The song quickly takes a turn toward the more pleasant, bouncing along until we reach the chorus in which we're informed that the titular lady was given her name because, "You're the one who made me grow..."  With that bit of knowledge the song almost seems like a sequel to "I Love You,"  the innocence of youth has passed, the complications of the twenties were faced hand in hand (symbolized by the opening thunder clap), and our couple is standing at the precipice of the next chapter with a love stronger than 

Final Score: 3/5

04  Walter Lewis & The Blue Stars - I Have Love At Home




TCDroogsma:

      At this point in the narrative arc or our couple the first moments of new love from "Taste Of Love" have passed, the mutual affection of "I Love You" has been established, and that love has pushed through the trials and tribulations of early adulthood during "Sunshine Lady."

     So now, as the couple ages, it's time to slow things down a little bit.  The Blue Stars find a nice, easy groove while Walter Lewis, with his warm, weathered voice addresses nobody in particular (a friend, an easy-going bartender, a flirtatious bar patron) that he has love at home.  The song's easy groove suggests an uncluttered mind as he echo Mind & Matter singing, "She is my sunshine when I'm down in the dark..."

     Lewis cedes a verse to his female counterpart who tells Lewis, "When other people talk about me, spread my name up and down the street, you make me feel like I'm a queen all over the world..."  Lewis returns one last time, validation in hand, to remind us all that he has love at home.  With his story told, Lewis gives the impression that he's leaving his audience (again, in my mind, a bartender) and hailing a cab with the line, "Take me home..."

Final Score: 4/5

05.  The Style Band - If You Love Me



TCDroogsma:

     The Style Band ends our narrative, but that's OK considering my narrative is completely made up and entirely dependent on the sequencing of these tracks within the podcast.

     Where the rest of the songs sounded like artifacts from a Minneapolis I've never seen in person, The Style Band rides a wobbly synth line that actually brings to mind some of Prince's better work.  That gives "If You Love Me" a more modern sound that my brain is not going to romanticize by constructing a fake narrative.  Rather, "If You Love Me" abandons the innocence of the songs above for a hook of, "If you love me give me your love all night..."

     An unfortunate side effect of the song being somewhat recognizable is that, rather than calling to mind a fictionalized 70's, it takes me back to the roots of a sound that we've all seen develop into the "Minneapolis Sound" that defined the 80's.  In much the same way that listening to early hip-hop and early rock n roll seems incredibly simplistic and basic compared to what we've grown accustomed to, "If You Love Me" sounds like a nice building block, but not much more.

Final Score: 2/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio









For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Your Name Is Wild: Week #8

What a bunch of hosers...

Well hello again, Wild fans!  Welcome to Your Name Is Wild: Week #8!

For those of you who are new to the column, here's the scoop:  The NHL season is a long, tedious journey.  We decided that this season we would ask TCDroogsma of the blog Wildly Biased to stop by each week and give us an update on our local squad.

Droogsy, what'd we miss?

Well hello again, Wild fans!  Welcome to Week #8 of Your Name Is Wild!  As always, I know you could have chosen any Wild blog in the world, but you're here with me and I appreciate that.

The Wild entered Week #8 coming off a three game homestand in which they won all three games by one manner or other.  Winning at home is a huge key to success in the NHL, so with those points in the bank the Wild spent last week traveling Central Canada.  They embarked on a three game road trip hoping to steal points from Eastern Conference opponents (Montreal & Ottawa) before heading to division-rival Ottawa for a Saturday matinee showdown with the Jets.

Let's get into it...

The Week That Was

Tuesday 11/19 - Montreal: 6  Wild: 2

Good freakin' god...  the less said about this game the better.

As I mentioned above, the Wild headed to Montreal riding a wave of confidence after an unbeaten homestand.  The Habs (perhaps still a little bit upset that they left St. Paul without a point on November 1st) made sure to put a stamp on this game.

The Wild and Canadiens played a relatively even first period (with Montreal leading 9-7 in shots), but that was as long as this one would remain competitive.  The floodgates sprung a leak at the 2:57 mark of the second period when Max Pacioretty snuck his first goal of the night past Josh Harding.  They began to strain when Pacioretty netted his second of the game at the 10:06 mark.  They were officially broken when Pacioretty finished off the natural hat trick at 13:36.

That goal brought with it the end of Josh Harding's night.  With the Wild heading to Ottawa to face the Senators the next night (and Niklas Backstrom sidelined with concussion issues), Harding gave way to Darcy Kuemper.  Sadly, young Kuemper didn't fair any better, allowing a Michael Bournival deflection to sneak past him.  By the end of the second period the Wild were being outshot 20-15 but trailed 4-0 on the scoreboard.

The third period brought with it the expected "when it rains, it pours" goals from the Habs (courtesy of Daniel Briere & Alex Galchenuyk) with a couple of Wild goals in between (Nino Niederreiter at 5:30 and Dany Heatley, trolling Wild fans by scoring at 19::58 of the third).  By the period didn't even feature any of the typical feistiness that accompanies a blowout.  The Wild were beaten, badly, and knew it.  The sooner they could get out of Quebec the better.

Wild Player Of The Game:  Darcy Kuemper - Now, make no mistake, Kuemper did not play well.  Goalies pride themselves on being ready "whenever your number gets called," but after stopping only 6 of the 9 shots he faced, it was clear Kuemper wasn't ready.  So why name him Wild Player Of The Game?  Because, for his second straight appearance, Kuemper was not put in a position to succeed.  That's a theme I've come back to several times and I'm granting Kuemper the same benefit of the doubt.  Not only were the Wild clearly off their game, but by the time Keumper assumed his post between the pipes, they'd quit expending even that lackluster effort.  Mike Yeo could have put Dominik Hasek out behind this night's version of the Wild and he would have allowed at least three.

Impression Of The Game:  Despite being absolutely slaughtered, there was a positive to take away from this one.  The Canadiens play an inherently Eastern Conference style of hockey.  Very physical, strong on the forecheck, lots of extra-curriculars...  While disappointing, it's no entirely surprising that the Wild weren't able to match that style.  Fortunately, the Wild's season hardly hinges on their ability to play that style.  Theirs is a puck-possession, speed, & sound defense style that, at least to this point in the season, has proven to be pretty effective in the Western Conference race.

Wednesday 11/20 - Wild: 4  Ottawa: 3

 The Wild may have been soundly beaten by the Habs on Tuesday night, but Wednesday provided a good test:  Would the Wild limp into Ottawa and continue on one of their typical Canadian-road-trip death spirals or would they show some resolve and put the previous night's embarrassment behind them?

The answer: resolve.  Despite being outshot 2-1 in the first period (and outshot 18-6), the Wild stuck to Mike Yeo's speed/puck possession/mobile defense style and it paid off.  Jonas Brodin notched his third goal of the season at the 3:00 mark of the second period.  Just 3:15 later Ottawa's favorite villain Dany Heatley snuck a garbage goal past Craig Andreson to give the Wild a 3-2 lead.

That successful period gave way to a tense third period.  Mika Zibanejad scored early to tie the game up.  With the fans behind them, the Senators took control of the game for stretches of the third.  However, Josh Harding stood tall in net and, just as we were all preparing for this one to go to OT, Mikko Koivu buried a shot from the circles to give the Wild a 4-3 lead with only 2:57 to play.  The Wild held their ground and took the victory in regulation.

Wild Player Of The Game:  Mikko Koivu - The Assassin may have signed his name on this one by scoring the winner late in the third, but his line was a force all night.  Koivu and linemates Zach Parise & Charlie Coyle combined for one goal, five assists, and eight shots on goal over the course of the game.  Despite the varying shot totals each period, that first line was a threat whenever they were on the ice.  The took a team licking its wounds and put it on their backs. leading to two big road points and a suddenly .500 road trip.

Impression Of The Game:  The Senators have struggled to play up to expectations this season.  My theory?  Unlike division rivals Montreal, Toronto, & Boston, they play a Western Conference style of hockey.  The Wild were helpless against the physical Canadiens, but against against a Sens team that was trying to beat them at their own game they stepped up and delivered.  As a Wild fan I've pretty much been trained to expect that,when the opposing team ties the game in the third period it's only a matter of time before they score the winner.  I'm sure I'm overreacting to the Wild beating a struggling team in November, but the fact that the Wild fought back instead of rolling over says a lot about the character of this year's squad.

Saturday 11/23 - Wild: 3  Winnipeg: 2 (SO)

With their foray into the Eastern Conference redeemed the Wild returned to the Central Division Saturday afternoon when they visited Winnipeg for the first time this season.

Coming into the game the Wild were 2-0-0 against the Jets, having won both games in St. Paul.  The Jets have cobbled together a disappointing season thus far, occupying the cellar of the Central and nearly playing themselves out of the playoff picture before December.

Fortunately for the Jets they were dealt two breaks before the game.  First off, Mike Yeo announced that Mikael Granlund would miss the game with an upper-body injury, thus jumbling the Wild's top six forwards.  As if that wasn't enough, goaltender Josh Harding left pre-game warmups with a lower-body injury.  He was ruled out for the game, which meant that Niklas Backstrom (himself returning from a concussion) would get the start despite only one practice in the previous two weeks.

Saturday's game won't go down as the prettiest game of the season by any stretch of the imagination, but it may go down as an important one.  The Wild did not play well during the first two periods.  They weren't completely hapless (as they were in Montreal), but they weren't able to mount any offensive attack, instead relying on Backstrom to prop them up until they found their game.  Backstrom, surprisingly, was up to the task.  He stopped 24 of 25 shots through the first two periods.  When Nino Niederreiter tied the game just over 3:00 into the third it was all because Backstrom had stood his ground at the other end of the rink.

The Jets turned the tide back their way just a couple of minutes later when Matt Halischuk scored at 5:35 to give the Jets a 2-1 lead.  The Wild weren't able to mount much of an attack for the majority of the period and, when Marco Scandella took a hooking penalty with four minutes remaining, a Jets victory seemed all but certain.

But then a funny thing happened.  With the Wild on the penalty kill Mikko Koivu gathered the puck.  He and Zach Parise, who've played so well over the last couple of weeks, put the team on their backs yet again, finishing off a two-on-two rush with Parise burying a one-timer while falling down.  Tie game.  Silent MTS Centre.

The Wild and Jets traded opportunities in the overtime period before heading to the shootout.  Backstrom, notoriously bad during shootouts, came shining through, stopping 3 out of 4 Jets attempts before Charlie Coyle won the game on his first career shootout goal.

Wild Player Of The Game:  Niklas Backstrom - As much as I'd like to give this one to Nino Niederreiter (who responded to an in-game benching by scoring a goal while getting under the skin of the Jets), The Scientist was the story of the game.  Backstrom had played 11 minutes in the last two weeks (the amount of time before Nazem Kadri concussed him) and had one practice under his belt.  Not unlike Josh Harding stepping in for Backstrom during last year's playoffs, Backstrom not only stepped in, but elevated his game.  The Wild didn't play their best game, but they played well enough to beat a division rival thanks in no small part to Backstrom's ability to weather an early storm.

The Week Ahead

Monday 11/25 - Wild at St. Louis

As has been noted by just about every Wild blogger there is (all four of us), the Wild have put together solid start to this season primarily by fattening up on the bad teams in the league.  That all changes this week, beginning Monday night when the Wild head to St. Louis to face the Blues.  The Wild and Blues have been trading 2nd & 3rd place in the Central for the last couple of weeks, though the primary difference is that the Blues have a couple of games in hand and have beaten several quality opponents.

This Blues squad is scary good.  In addition to sporting the NHL's leading goal-scorer in Alex Steen they feature a balanced attack (led by captain, Minnesota-native, and dog adoption advocate David Backes), physical defense, and above-average goaltending.  Frankly, they play a rough-and-tumble style that has far more in common with the Eastern Conference than the rest of the Central.  Whether or not the Wild are able to stick to their own plan (speed & possession) or if they get goaded into the Blues physical style will be indicative of just how the Wild stack up against their division rivals.

Wednesday 11/27 - Phoenix at Wild

Much to the surprise of pretty much everybody, not only are the Coyotes still in Phoenix, but they've played their way to a playoff spot in the staggeringly competitive Pacific Division.

The Coyotes may lack star power, but it's important that the Wild don't overlook this one.  By the end of the season it's entirely possible that the Wild & Coyotes will be battling for one of the Western Conference's wild card playoff spots.  I realize it's awfully early to be thinking about four-point swings, but these things count in November just as much as they do come spring.

Friday 11/29 - Colorado at Wild

The day after Thanksgiving brings the surprising Avalanche to St. Paul for the first half of a weekend home-and-home series.  New coach Patrick Roy has, surprisingly, been just the man to assemble the talented pieces of the Avalanche into a cohesive team.  After beginning the season by rocketing to the top of the Central the Avs have come back to Earth a bit.  Much like the Coyotes, it's important the Wild don't underestimate this Avalanche team.  With the top 3 spots in each division guaranteed a playoff spot (and Chicago & St. Louis the presumptive favorites for two of those spots in the Central) it's paramount that the Wild take as many points as possible from the Avs.

Saturday 11/30 - Wild at Colorado

After Friday's game both teams will board flights and head out to Denver for the second half of this weekend series.  While it's sure to be exhausting for the players, it's an incredible amount of fun for us fans.  Any bad blood that arises during Friday's meeting is certain to continue the next night, setting the Wild and Avs, rivals for years in the Northwest Division, up for a new chapter in a long rivalry.

The Big Picture

Having watched the Wild start hot nearly every season I was fully prepared for them to begin struggling on this Canadian road trip.  While the Montreal game left me with that here-we-go-again feeling, my optimism was renewed with comeback victories in Ottawa & Winnipeg.

I've been skeptical that the Wild can actually keep pace with the Blues & Blackhawks, but those two victories lead me to believe that this Wild team is different from previous versions.  I've said that many times before and I've been wrong, but I feel good about this group.  Four tough games over the next seven days will tell us a lot about where this year's version stacks up.

Until next Monday...

For more of TCDroogsma's hockey ramblings be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@WildlyBiased).  He can also be found writing about the Wild in greater detail on his hockey blog Wildly Biased.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems stopping by & giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 12 - Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (Plus Picks!)

Hello, Wisconsin!

Well hello again, football fans!  Welcome back to Ten & Six!

To the surprise of absolutely nobody with an IQ breaking 40 the Golden Gophers were thrashed by the Wisconsin Badgers at TCF Bank Stadium today.  But fear not, Minnesotans!  Christian Ponder will redeem our pride at Lambeau tomorrow!

Alright, that's probably not going to happen either.

Regardless!  It's Packers Week and that means it's time to check in with our old buddy Mike Otto to get his take on what happened in Seattle last week and what we have to look forward to this week.

Mikey, thoughts?

Did I say 27-24? I meant 47-24!

Welcome back football fans! The Vikings end Week 11 only 15 spots out of the final playoff spot. They are so in the hunt...for the number one pick next year. If the season ended today, our beloved Purple would own the 2nd overall pick in the 2014 draft. Johnny Football, you will be ours!

Last week the Vikings were thoroughly dismantled in Seattle. Percy Harvin only touched the ball twice, but both touches reminded Minnesota fans exactly how much talent they lost when he was traded away last year. The Vikings managed to hang with the Seahawks for nearly an entire two quarters. Unfortunately, the modern NFL game stretches a span of FOUR quarters. Screwed on some bullshit technicality again. 

Christian Ponder reminded us once again that he is in fact Christian Ponder.  Adrian Peterson has a groin strain that makes him questionable for Sunday against the Packers. My plea to AP: PLEASE DO NOT play if you aren't 100% healthy. The squad doesn't even need you to beat a Rodgers-less Packers team anyway. Let Toby get in there and pinball around for a week. Of course he is going to play, because he's AP and you can't make him sit if he wants to go.

As for who will play quarterback, I'm not entirely sure at this point and I don't think the team really is either. My educated guess would be Matt Cassel, if only because the Vikings don't want to start Josh Freeman in a hostile environment again. What does it matter? The Dome will be plenty hostile as soon as he airmails his first pass to a wide open receiver. I think Cassel is the guy.

(Editor's Note: Mikey wrote this column on Wednesday only to have professional internet troll/amateur football coach Leslie Frazier announce Christian Ponder as the starter at Lambeau.  Regardless, this paragraph is staying in because it remains a semi-valid point.)

One thing I am sure about, if Ponder doesn't get the nod in Green Bay, Seattle will be where his career as Vikings starting QB ended. Fitting, if you think about it, because you could point to last year's game against the Seahawks as the beginning of the end for young Mr. Ponder. Who says things don't come full circle? 

Anyway, enough with that talk, more on the Vikings and Packers week later, lets get into some league picks! Last week my picks went 9-6, as I stay mired in mediocrity. I'm the Arizona Cardinals of picking football games right now and I don't like that one bit, so watch me try to fix it, only to throw 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Lets go! 

Tampa Bay (2-8) at Detroit (6-4) 

The Bucs are on a surprising two game win streak, while the Lions played an uneven game in Pittsburgh last week which led to a loss. The Lions still hold the NFC North division lead, and, having already swept the season series against the Bears, they will hold the tiebreaker for the remainder of the year.

Don't let the last two wins fool you, Greg Schiano is still an idiot who likely will be gone at year's end. Darrelle Revis needs to consider locking down his hairline, as it continues to go deeper and deeper into his forehead. Eh? See what I did there? Lions win 26-17.

Jacksonville (1-9) at Houston (2-8)

I think it would be more entertaining if we took the 11 most depressed fans of these teams and made them play four quarters on Sunday. Give the professionals a week off, let them play some golf, rest their bones. Winners get to go out peacefully, losers get put in a giant iron box in the hot Texas sun.

All the Texans have at this point is JJ Watt and Andre Johnson. Too bad JJ can't play QB or CB as well as DE.

I'm rooting for the Jaguars to win, because I want my team to nab that #1 pick. That's right folks, it's come to rooting for the Jaguars. Dark Times. Rooting aside, I don't think the Texans can lose this one. A " Case Keenum" is better than a "Blaine Gabbert," right? What a terrible question. Texans win a close one, 20-17.

San Diego (4-6) at Kansas City (9-1)

I've never been more sure that the Chiefs will be a top AFC seed in the playoffs...that will lose in the divisional round. Defense used to win championships. Now only once-in-a-generation defenses win championships. You need the offensive firepower to go with it, and I'm sorry, Alex Smith, Dwayne Bowe, and Jamaal Charles isn't going to be enough. No matter how many times Dwayne Bowe goes puff, puff, pass reception, it won't get the job done. That being said, they will beat the Chargers this week. I mean, c'mon it's Phillip Rivers. Chiefs win, 23-16.

Carolina (7-3) at Miami (5-5)

The Panthers are looking like the surprise team of the year and I'm OK with this. I've been a Steve Smith fan for years. I love how he gets in opponents heads and gets them off their game as a result. That's called veteran savvy. "HA HA! Ice up son!" That was just fantastic. Aqib Talib, salt in your wounds. Cam Newton looks like he has returned to the form of his rookie year. The biggest thing for Killa Cam is playing with confidence and right now he has swag in abundance. The league should take notice. Panthers win, 31-21.

Pittsburgh (4-6) at Cleveland (4-6)

The Steelers have looked like a better team in recent weeks. The offensive line is giving The Rapistberger a little time in the pocket and as a result the passing game is clicking. Antonio Brown is a top three receiver in the NFL at this moment and he carved up the Lions badly, eclipsing 100 yards and scoring 2 TD's in the first quarter. The Steelers, who looked lost at the beginning of the year, should easily dispatch the Browns in this one. Steelers win, 23-13.

Chicago (6-4) at St. Louis (4-6)

The Bears kept themselves in the thick of the division race with a nice win over the Ravens last week. What really hurts is the realization that Josh McCown would be the best quarterback on the Vikings roster. The Bears game was suspended for nearly 2 hours due to severe weather and the grass at Soldier Field looked more like mud after play resumed. The Bears handled the horrible field well, and got the "W" as a result. 

Honestly, from week to week, I forget the St. Louis Rams exist. Bears win, 22-21.

New York Jets (5-5) at Baltimore (4-6)

I'm begging the Ravens to throw some dirt on the Jets season. They have been thrown in the hole numerous times this year, only to climb out with a victory the following week. My sanity would greatly benefit from a three or four game Jets losing streak, and maybe Rex Ryan tearing an ACL while getting up to grab another plate at Old Country Buffet. That tattoo of a sexy woman in a Mark Sanchez jersey is probably scheduled to get removed in the offseason. Word to the wise Rex, never draft a USC QB and get his number tatted on you. Actually, just never draft a USC QB. C'MON RAVENS! Ravens win it (please, dear God) 26-21.

Tennessee (4-6) at Oakland (4-6)

The Jake Locker is upset with the "injury prone" designation he has been given. Shout out to Locker, you weren't just given that designation, you earned that shit.

Matt McGloin got the start last week for the Raiders and that sounds just about right doesn't it? McGloin! Stop jerking it and get back out on that field! You're due for another fumble. I hate to say this, but doesn't Christian Ponder look like a future Oakland Raiders back-up QB? He reminds me of a Bruce Gradkowski. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick has an admirable crazy beard, especially for a Stanford graduate. You'd be crazy too if you were Ryan Fitzpatrick. Titans get a win, 19-17.

Indianapolis (7-3) at Arizona (6-4)

The Cardinals are the quietest 6-4 team in the NFL. Michael Floyd finally did something in the NFL last week and has generally shown signs he is trending in the right direction this year. The Honey Badger looks to be a legitimate talent at safety. Things are going well right now for the Cardinals which means one thing: this can't last. The Colts come to town and if good Andrew Luck shows up the Cards will lose this one. I think good Andy comes to town and the Colts win, 27-24.

Dallas (5-5) at New York Giants (4-6)

The Cowboys are going to lose this game. I am almost positive about this one. My reasoning? It's almost December and Jerry Jones still has his icy cold hands all over "America's Team." That really is the best name for the Cowboys. They are wildly inconsistent, mildly dysfunctional, and have put too much power in the wrong people's hands. America's Team indeed. Tom Coughlin is a rotten old fuck too, don't get me wrong, but I think he's the rotten old fuck that comes out on top this week. Giants win 24-23.

Denver (9-1) at New England (7-3)

The Patriots think they got jobbed by the refs on Monday night. That's cute. Sorry, but the "Tuck Rule" karma combined with the "Spygate" karma means you don't get to say shit about anything until the year 2020. At least.

Seriously though, the audacity of Patriots fans to cry about that one. A kid born in Boston by the year 2000 has already lived to witness a total of 6 championships won by their city's teams. So do everyone else a favor, Patriots fans, and fuck off. Nobody cares about your whiny bullshit. Hey here's an idea, maybe Gronk should run a better route or Brady should throw a better pass in the final play of that game. Then you might have some ground to stand on. You fucks. Broncos win 33-31.

San Francisco (6-4) at Washington (3-7)

Washington fans have been complaining about the play of RG III. They wanted him benched in the last game in favor of Kirk Cousins. You've got to be fucking kidding me. Be grateful for what you have. This dude put your team on the map last year and he is your only hope for future success. He also continues to sacrifice his body and take a brutal beating week after week in an effort to make your miserable team worth anything. You dislike his play that much? The Vikings will give you Ponder for him, probably our 1st round pick too. No? Don't want to do that? Shut the fuck up then and put a team around you QB that does his numerous talents justice. Assholes. Niners win 26-20.

That's that! On to the main event! Christian Ponder is holding a press conference Wednesday afternoon, which is a sneaky tell that he will be starting at Lambeau field. Nothing makes sense to me anymore, but hey, fuck it. Let's break this mess down!

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-8) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-5)

I hate everything.

Leslie Frazier has decided that Christian Ponder gives the Vikings the "best chance to win." If that is the case, why even bother showing up? Well, because the Packers will be starting J.R.R. Tolkien at quarterback, or something like that. It's sure to be a terribly boring game that only the suckers from Minnesota and Wisconsin will be watching.

I want this one bad. My opinion is Matt Cassel would give the Vikings the best chance to win, but what do I know? I'd rather have Josh Freeman start. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? FUCKING JOSH FREEMAN! Diseased.

Before I get into the showdown at Lambeau lets look at some positive(s) and negatives from last week in Seattle. As always, the positive(s) first.

Positive(s):

-Jarius Wright  He had a two TD game and looks like he really needs snaps to stay interested and be effective. He's not the kind of guy that can get five snaps a game and make something of it. Too bad the Vikings don't have a quarterback that can consistently handle 4-Wide sets. Going forward I'd like to see him get more spells of Greg Jennings so he can be on the field for t least 15-20 plays. It's not like Jennings is doing a whole hell of a lot anyway.

Negatives:

-Fucking Ponder!  "He had a great first half," people say. FUCK THAT. He threw what should have been a pick-six that hit a Seattle linebacker between the numbers in the first half. If dude catches that pathetic pass and takes it to the house say "bye bye" to that "great" first half. "But he stuck a touchdown on Richard Sherman," people say. FUCK THAT. That ball was underthrown and Jarius Wright had to stop running and wait for it, almost giving Sherman time to get back in the play and break it up. Even when Ponder plays his best (which involves an incredible amount of luck) he still fucking sucks. 

-The Coaching Staff  I have supported Leslie Frazier as long as I could. If he and his staff aren't gone at year's end I might fucking lose it. I can't write about Bill Musgrave game plans for another year. I want Johnny Football and I want Johnny Gruden to go with him. Two Johnnys a playoff team would make. No Johnnys my own life I may take. OK, I don't care that much but, God, I can't watch this shit much longer.

Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:

Key #1:  Destroy Tokien's Confidence Into A Million Little Pieces First Chance You Get

Seriously, fuck this guy. If the Vikings can't get some goddamn picks against this idiot noodle-armed rookie they couldn't intercept a pass from my Granny. Having watched a couple games of Tolkien passes I've come to the conclusion he has the football skills of a Hobbit without any of the heart that comes with being a Halfling. Sack him, strip him, destroy his life, I don't care what it takes but get in his head early and he will crumble. Send this little bitch back to the Shire then burn it down.

Key #2:  Stop Eddie Lacy

It seems like an unlikely proposition that this can happen. The Vikings D-Line is weak, their linebackers are slow and/or stupid and the secondary couldn't tackle a power back if their lives depended on it. That being said, stopping Eddie Lacy is imperative to having any chance of victory. Tolkien's only chance of getting going is if he has a run game working to make the play-action effective. It's all horribly connected and will probably make me want to murder things come Sunday. Fuck. 

Key #3:  Bench Ponder After His Inevitable First Quarter Interception

Getting Ponder out of the game as quickly as possible gives the Vikings their best chance to win. Let's all hope his first dropback goes for a touchdown to the wrong team and Leslie Frazier has the balls to yank him right then and there. Cassel can come back from being down 7 points, any more than that he will flounder miserably. I hate you, Christian Ponder. I don't want you to get hit by a bus or anything, but I actively root for your unquestionable failure. 

Two Matchups To Watch:

Matchup #1:  Jordy Nelson vs. Xavier Rhodes

Forget that "Jordy" is a better name for a dog than a person, he can be one of the best in the business. Surprise, he hasn't done much since Aaron Rodgers went down. He also hasn't faced a secondary quite this bad yet. Something has to give. The rookie corner has yet to get an interception in the NFL and I don't want this season to end without him nabbing one. Against the Packers rookie QB, he may have his best chance of the year. 

Matchup #2:  Eddy Lacy vs. The Vikings Linebackers

The Vikings LB's have been frequently taken advantage of like a freshman in college with a drinking problem. They are always a second late, a step slow, and it has shown game after game as opposing running backs easily pick up 5 or 6 yards with every touch. It has been incredibly frustrating to watch slightly above-average running backs do whatever they want. Unless a Vikings lineman breaks through and makes a play in the backfield, run plays are going for significant positive yardage. There have been very few 1 yard gains by opposing running backs. Historically, when the Vikings are having success, they hold teams under 100 yards rushing. That hasn't happened much this year. 

Mike's All-Purpose Flour Lock Of The Game

Marcus Sherels, cornerback/punt returner, YOUR Minnesota Vikings

Yes, it's come to this.  Tolkien is a shitty quarterback, there is no question about that. He is going to throw at least one pick, and I think Marcus Sherels is the guy to nab it. Also, in the event the Vikings force a punt out of the Packers, look for Marcus to make some noise. 4 tackles/1 Interception.

 Final Takes

This is going to be one clunker of a game. Cold weather, two shitty quarterbacks and two highly questionable defenses. Wouldn't be surprised if this one was low scoring.

I said last week Ponder wouldn't finish the game in Seattle and I was right. I'm sensing something very similar in this game. Whether he leaves the game because he gets hurt or simply because he starts being Christian Ponder at some point doesn't really matter.

I can't remember the last time I've been this apathetic about Packers Week. Yeah, I hope the Vikings win (and I will thoroughly taunt everything about this game), but if they lose I'm not going to cut my wrists. Or break a plate. Or scream at the TV. I'll probably just shrug my shoulders and walk away.

One thing I have become very passionate about is my belief that Leslie Frazier must go at year's end. He's a great guy, but a below average coach. He got to 10-6 last year with one of the most epic seasons by a running back in NFL history. That has never been more apparent than it is now. Close game, sloppy game, shitty result. 

Final Score

Minnesota Vikings: 17
Green Bay Packers: 20

There you have it, Vikings fans!  A prediction of disappointment and a promise of safe wrists.  That's what this year's Vikings season has come to.  Look on the bright side - at least you're not a poorly dressed fat ass with a lazy eye.

For more Mike Otto be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@SwervinTaters).  The line between sad & entertaining runs awfully thin on a Sunday.  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry contributing to our Trendsetting column.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.