Haiti Viking (Alan Page) vs. Hong Kong Packer (Donnie Anderson)

Electric football and the NFL have been licensing partners for over half a century now, but it wasn’t until Tudor created their miniature NFL that the game really started to capture our imaginations. And it allowed many of us move beyond our own mediocre home teams and become “involved” with a team whose season wasn’t over by the time football cards went on sale in our local 5 & 10 store. Being the late 60’s, some of us took the Vikings.

Alan Page and Donnie Anderson tangle in 1969.

So this weeks matchup of the Vikings and Packers is a compelling one for a couple of reasons. First, the Vikings need a win to guarantee a playoff spot. If they win, they’re in, no ifs, ands, or buts. And second, Adrian Peterson has chance to break the NFL’s single season rushing record. All he needs is 207 yards to move past Erik Dickerson’s 2,105 season total. That prospect, in and of itself, is amazing. Throw in that Peterson is coming back from ACL surgery…and it ranks as a possible “all-time” NFL moment.

Outside in Minnesota….

The Vikings are home, too, so it will be a loud and emotional afternoon against a long time divisional rival…who happens to be on a major roll and can secure a home playoff game with a win. The Packers will also not want to be the team to be associated with Peterson setting a rushing record. So it will be a battle fitting of the division that was once knows as “the black and blue” division. If only the game were going to be played outside.

Earl & Roddy