So, the NFC North champion will have to be decided by a winner-take-all primetime matchup in the final week of the regular season.
The Green Bay Packers couldn’t secure the division crown on Sunday as they were dealt one of their heaviest, most humiliating losses in recent memory at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals. They’ll have to erase that game from their collective memory as they host the Minnesota Vikings, who were on the polar opposite end of a blowout on Sunday night against the New York Giants.
Read on below for our comprehensive preview of the marquee game in NFL Week 17. Also, don’t forget to check out some other Week 17 games with playoff implications, namely the Steelers vs. Browns and Jaguars vs. Texans.
[sc:Football ]
Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers Preview
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay
When: Sunday, January 3, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Minnesota Vikings (+3.5) at Green Bay Packers (-3.5); total 48.0 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: NBC
Betting on the Minnesota Vikings (10-5)
Teddy Bridgewater didn’t produce the impressive numbers he had for the last couple of weeks on Sunday night against the Giants. He was just 15-of-25 for 168 yards. But he didn’t really need to do too much, as the two big strengths of this Vikings team – Adrian Peterson and the defense – rose up to the occasion in their huge 49-17 win.
[sc:NFL250 ]After a string of disappointing outings, Peterson came through with a more vintage performance as he rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Meanwhile, the defense picked off Eli Manning three times – one resulted in a pick-six, and another to set up Peterson’s touchdown – and sacked him four times.
Thankfully for the Vikes, Peterson showed no ill-effects of an ankle injury against the Giants. With AP seemingly healthy, look for him to make up for his disappointing 45-yard performance in his first meeting against Green Bay this season. Peterson remains the league’s leading rusher with 1,418 yards.
The Vikings benefited greatly from the return of three of their top defensive players – nose tackle Linval Joseph, linebacker Anthony Barr and safety Harrison Smith – from injury. Don’t be too shocked if the finally healthy Vikings can produce the same dominating defensive performance against a struggling Packers offense and an O-line decimated by injury.
Since losing their first game of the season at San Francisco, the Vikings have gone a very impressive 6-0 ATS on the road (4-2 SU).
The Packers’ 38-8 loss to the Arizona Cardinals is every bit as bad as – possibly even worse than – the score indicates. Green Bay was simply dominated on both sides of the ball. The banged up Packers O-line bears the brunt of the responsibility, as it allowed Aaron Rodgers to get sacked eight times. Rodgers, as a result, was also accountable for three of the team’s five fumbles, which resulted in three turnovers.
No quarterback can be successful with such poor blocking; even the reigning MVP is no exception. It doesn’t figure to get much better for Rodgers, with Bryan Bulaga suffering an ankle injury and the team’s backup tackles struggling mightily.
With the passing game in shambles, the Packers offense will need its ground game to be very effective against Minnesota. Thankfully, the Vikings haven’t been particularly good at defending the run this season. They were ranked No. 20 per DVOA heading into Week 16. Green Bay rushed for 124 yards in its 30-13 win over Minnesota in Week 11.
The Packers defense was a helpless bystander against Arizona as the Green Bay offense committed four turnovers which resulted in two defensive touchdowns. But it should be able to make its presence felt more against a Vikings line that has struggled in pass protection. Green Bay had six sacks on Teddy Bridgewater in their first meeting this season.
The Packers have a terrific record against the Vikings at Lambeau. They’re 8-1-1 (7-3 ATS) in their last 10 meetings. Their tie in 2013 – the only home game against Minnesota they haven’t won in the last six years – was without Rodgers, who was injured.
Writer’s Prediction
The Packers regroup in time to beat the Vikings at Lambeau again. Green Bay wins, 24-21, but the Vikings (+3.5) cover.
