PACKERS @ VIKINGS
Jason Barbin
As the playoffs draw nearer, several teams find themselves in a battle for a spot in the final 5 weeks of the season, whether it be battling to be division champion or for 1 of 2 wild card spots, teams will be playing their hearts out for a shot at a coveted Superbowl trophy. Week 11 brings us many crucial matchups. One of those takes place between two fierce NFC North division rivals. The Minnesota Viking (4-6) play host to the red hot Green Bay Packers (7-3) in what looms to be a ferocious contest. These two sides have a rivalry that goes way back and that rivalry became more intense when legendary Green Bay Quarterback Brett Favre did the unthinkable and crossed enemy lines to finish his career with the Vikings. The Packers have a new Quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and some would say that he is every bit as good as Favre himself.
The key to stopping the Packers is through the secondary. Last week Rodgers torched the Eagles through the air for 341 yards and 3 tds. After losing to Jay Cutler and the Bears in Week 10, the Vikings secondary will have a much tougher assignment. It isn’t all doom and gloom for Minnesota however. Their passing defense ranks 8th in the NFL, only giving up 225.2 yards per game and free safety Harrison Smith has 4 interceptions for the season (ranked 3rd). If the likes of Everson Griffen (9 sacks) and Tom Johnson (5.5 sacks) can put pressure on Rodgers early and force an interception, it will go a long way in their attempt to knock off their division rivals.
But even if the defense wins the battle, their offense needs to win the war, something
they have struggled to do all season. The Vikings rank 30th in yards per game (309.1) and rookie Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater only has 4 touchdown passes on the season. Rookie running back Jerick McKinnon has filled in admirably in Adrian Peterson's absence and red zone runner Matt Asiata leads the team in tds. All three need to step up if the Vikings are a chance to win.
But to put this game in perspective, the Vikings have 17 total touchdowns this season, both on offense and defense. Aaron Rodgers has passed for 28 touchdowns this season by himself. This Packers offense is unbelievable. Though they rank 8th in passing yards (267.3), Rodgers is equal second with 28 tds. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are both staring down the barrel of 1,000 yard seasons and with 19 touchdowns between them, are a force to be reckoned with. Add in up and coming running back Eddie Lacy (547 yards) and you have a top 3 offence.
The defense is no pushover either, though they give up a lot of yards (377.4 per game), the secondary has been top notch, intercepting 14 passes on the season. With gun pass rushers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers leading the team in sacks with 9.5 between them, this defense is not one to be taken lightly.
Though some might see this as a potential danger game for the Packers, I just can’t see the Vikings scoring enough points to win this one.
GREEN BAY by 24.