You already knew he was a waffler.

This was a complete game by the Vikings. The defense held the high-flying Steelers to thirteen points. Three in the second half. The Steelers had been averaging near 300 yards passing per game. The Vikings held Big "WWE" Ben to 147. It was a defensive struggle all the way, with the only major defensive lapse being the forty yard touchdown to Mike "who the heck are you" Wallace at the end of the first half.

The Vikings did all the big things right. They dominated on defense, got a return TD on special teams without allowing Pittsburgh any damaging returns of their own, and though their offense struggled in the beginning, they found a groove on several drives. The big picture didn't cost them, the big plays did. The Steelers defense scored more points than the Vikings offense, because of two fourth quarter turnovers. Both by, though not necessarily caused, by our man Brett. Both in, or very close, to the red zone.

The first play should not have happened. On the preceding play, Jeff Dugan's cut block was called a trip, negating Sidney "#1" Rice's ten yard touchdown catch. Instead of a seventeen to thirteen lead, Favre was stripped by Brett, the Keisel version. LaMarr Woodley picked up the ball, and played James Harrison by returning the ball into the Vikings end zone.

Any defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter would normally spell game over, but Percy Harvin played The Man for the Vikings yet again, running over a weak tackle from the kicker to the endzone. He might have saved the day for the Vikings, who forced a punt. That left over three minutes for Our Man Brett to construct a game winning drive.

He needed some help, and he got it from Adrian Peterson. All Day finally included himself in the two minute drill, taking a screen on third-and-five nigh thirty yards to put the Vikings in tying field goal range yet again. Yet again, the Steelers would outscore the Vikings on their own drive. This time there was no one to blame except Chester Taylor and Brett Favre, who failed to complete a middle screen. Taylor got his hands on the football, but could not control it, deflecting the ball to Keyaron Fox, who also mimicked James Harrison by scoring the dagger-in-the-heart touchdown.

Neither of the deciding plays were guys trying to do too much. Good effort by Keisel caused the fumble, and bad concentration by the Vikings gave the ball to Pittsburgh on the last significant play of the game. Two plays. That's all that lost the Vikings this game. Reductive projections are always dangerous, but in this case we know the Refs cost the Vikings a touchdown. If the Refs had their heads on straight? Vikings win. That's how narrowly this game escaped the Vikings grasp.

Just like last week's win asked more questions, this week's loss answered all of them. This is a strong football team. As long as they avoid costly turnovers, hell as long as they avoid the other team scoring on costly turnovers, they can hang with anyone in the NFL. On to Green Bay.