Vikings Begin Trash-Talking Packers

There's no doubt that the rivalry between Minnesota and Green Bay is one of the better ones in the NFL. After a few non-descript seasons in the 1980s and 1990s, when one or both teams sucked, things have heated up nicely in recent years.

It probably all started when Randy Moss stomped all over the Packers defense on a Monday night in 1998. Since then, the intensity has been amped up quite a bit.

Since Mike McCarthy took over in Green Bay, the Packers are 4-0 against Minnesota. This is probably not taken well by Vikings fans, players, or coaches.

For evidence of this, I invite you to join me after the jump, as we present the comments of Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams.

Michael Silver innocently started the whole thing by simply asking Williams about the Brett Favre saga.

"Damn, that's their problem," Williams said. "They're going through all that as a team, trying to figure out if Favre or (Aaron) Rodgers was the man, while we've got the same team we had all offseason. I'm glad they got all that darn press, 'cause when we go down there it'll be the kid's first start and his first damn loss."

... "They had a nice year last year, but they don't understand that Brett made those guys better than they were," Williams said. "He has the game all figured out, and you've got to factor all that into the equation. Brett Favre would throw the ball when the receivers hadn't even made their cut yet, and it would be there waiting for them. Those guys had it good.

"People think it's the system, but it ain't no damn system. Brett Favre just knows where his guys are going to be at all times, and I don't think Aaron Rodgers has got that yet."

On one hand, give Williams credit for not giving a crap about bulletin boards or anything like that.

On the other, is Williams out of his mind?

The last time Minnesota faced Green Bay, the Packers won 34-0. Ryan Grant went over 100 yards. Favre threw a free interception to Darren Sharper that Sharper and a teammate inexplicably turned into a Packers touchdown. The Vikings did nothing offensively all day long, even when the game's outcome was decided and the Packers were cycling reserves on the field.

The Packers were not 13-3 last season by accident, or because of Favre and no one else. They did it by being a very good team.

This mentality has taken over the sports media during the Favre drama, to the point where the Packers have been practically dismissed because Favre is no longer there. And while I hate to speak for the Packers, this has to drive them nuts.

Favre has nothing to do with the continued development of young defenders like Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brady Poppinga, Atari Bigby, Johnny Jolly, or Cullen Jenkins, to name a few. Favre had nothing to do with Al Harris going to the Pro Bowl, or Charles Woodson having an even better year than Harris without the Hawai'i trip. It wasn't Favre's doing that Aaron Kampman developed into an All-Pro player who is one of the best all-around defensive linemen in the game.

Then again, Pat Williams doesn't have to deal with the Packers' defense. He probably doesn't know much about them. And while he's a really, really good player (so are a lot of the Vikings), he'll learn soon enough that the Packers weren't all about Brett Favre.

In fact, there are 80 guys in Green Bay's training camp who are really anxious for a chance to prove guys like Williams wrong. I'd scream and holler at the stupidity of a guy who gives his big rival easy bulletin-board fodder, but I don't think Williams said anything that wasn't already on the board.

If nothing else, this should add to the fun leading up to the September 8 meeting in Green Bay.

(Thanks, PFT!)