Ravens @ Vikings Second Half & Recap: Favre Heroics Prevent Shocker After Wild Fourth Quarter

Brad Childress must have said something to the Vikings offense at halftime. Minnesota had twice as many runs as passes on first drive, prompting some to think that they were getting back to their team identity as a run-first team. Their next possession quickly exposed that as bull when Favre hit Sidney Rice on a short slant for a huge gain after the catch. Despite having first and goal inside the five, the Vikings passed three times and couldn't get into the end zone, settling for a Ryan Longwell field goal. A 39-yard pass interference penalty got the Vikings to first and goal inside the 5 during the third quarter, and the trend continued with another TD pass to Shiancoe after two failed runs.

Despite getting down 30-17 and averaging 1.1 yards per rush, the Ravens refused to quit, setting up the run with the pass. Ray Rice rushed well in the second half behind Flacco's arm, scoring Baltimore's first touchdown on a short scamper and later having a long run to set up their third score. To cap it all off, Rice went untouched into the endzone for the game-tying, 43-yard score after Flacco brought it closer with a bombed pass to Mark Clayton.

Vikings Verdict - First nine minutes made the difference: Despite starting hot with TD's on their first two possessions, the Minnesota offense fizzled out for the remainder of the first quarter and didn't look anywhere near as potent for the rest of the game despite getting two more scores. Adrian Peterson faced more of the same against the Ravens D, grinding out a tough game after not reaching the 100-yard benchmark since he gashed the hopeless Cleveland Browns. Sobering news may be in store for Vikings fans, though, as Peterson was shaken up on a tackle by a Ravens defender and Percy Harvin appeared to reinjure his sore left shoulder.

In the end, it was Brett Favre who carried the day again, essentially assuring the win with a deep shot to Sidney Rice that set up Longwell's game-winning field goal. But Baltimore did expose chinks in the Vikings' armor as the Minnesota defence collapsed in the fourth quarter, giving up 24 points and the lead. If that persists, it seems unlikely that their winning streak will persist much longer, especially if Peterson and Harvin end up missing time.

Ravens Verdict - Missed chances and big plays ail underachieving Ravens: The Ravens run defence still looks stout despite having allowed a 100-yard rusher in three consecutive games. Led by Ray Lewis and their ferocious front seven, Baltimore slowed down Adrian Peterson as well as any NFL defense can hope to do for three quarters before he broke open a 58-yard run with minutes to go. But their weakness over the past few years comes against the pass, where they have been repeatedly exposed by New England, Cincinnati, and now the Vikings. Their secondary is not lacking in star power with Ed Reed, Dawan Landry and Fabian Washington, but they need to fix their problems against the pass if they hope to survive against the pass-happy playoff-bound teams such as the Colts and Saints.

On offense, the Ravens looked magnificent through the air, but their line looked overmatched at times by the dominating Vikings defensive front. Jared Allen and Pat and Kevin Williams made Joe Flacco's day miserable, knocking him down repeatedly and stepping on his foot several times (an experience that hurts like hell, especially when the guy stepping on you weighs more than 260 pounds). Even though he had some great passes, Flacco looks like he misses mammoth offensive tackle Jared Gaither, who sustained a neck injury against the Bengals and missed this game.

Ravens @ Vikings Halftime Report

Most NFL teams dream about moving the ball as easily as the Vikings did on their first two drives; after Adrian Peterson had a 26-yard run on the second play from scrimmage, Brett Favre carried them the rest of the way with a pass to Sidney Rice and the opening score to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. Their next drive produced more of the same, ending in a TD pass to Bernard Berrian. Meanwhile, the Ravens passed early and often as their first two possessions ended in three-and-outs.

The first nine minutes aside, the biggest plays of the first half were the ones that didn't happen. Derrick Mason was within inches of what would have been an easy touchdown (he was at least ten yards wide open) from Joe Flacco on a pattern that went 60 yards downfield. Later in the second quarter, instant replay overturned an incorrectly called play that was initially judged by referee Mike Carey to be a fumble when Flacco's arm was clearly going forward while he had possession. The "fumble" was then returned for a touchdown by Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson, but was wisely challenged by Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and proved to be an incomplete pass.

The Baltimore showed signs of life when the Minnesota defence let up after the two minute warning, driving down the field on a penalty-ridden drive that brought them into the red zone. The half ended on a positive note for the Ravens with a Steve Hauschka field goal.

In the other matchup of the week between two NFC heavyweights, the New Orleans Saints are currently leading the New York Giants by a score of 27-14, bolstered by three Drew Brees touchdown passes.