The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers got it done in different ways in Week 4 as both teams played their best ball of the season en route to the victory. With his first win under his belt, rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater travels to Lambeau Field to take on Aaron Rodgers in Week 5 on Thursday Night Football.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers Betting Preview – Thursday Night Football
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay
When: Thursday, October 2, 2014, 8:25PM ET
Line: Minnesota Vikings (+9.5) at Green Bay Packers (-9.5); total 48.5 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Minnesota Vikings
No Adrian Peterson, no problem. The Minnesota Vikings have averaged 134.8 yards per game rushing this season, after Matt Asiata and rookie Jerick McKinnon racked up 213 yards on the ground against Atlanta in a 41-28 win last week.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The success running the ball opened things up for another rookie, highly-touted quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who threw 317 yards without a pick in his professional debut, while generally looking confident finding his receivers and making plays with his legs.
Bridgewater left the game with an ankle injury but his MRI came back negative and the young quarterback is expected to play against the Packers. His main task on Thursday will likely be handing the ball off to Asiata and McKinnon, as the Packers are allowing a league-worst 175.8 yards per game to opposing rushing attacks.
Minnesota’s passing defense will be in tough against the Packers, who were lethal in their matchup against Chicago on Sunday, moving the ball quickly and effectively all day long. Against Atlanta–one of the league’s most dynamic passing attacks–they allowed 298 yards and three touchdowns, but grabbed two interceptions including Harrison Smith’s crucial pick in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
The trick for Minnesota will be controlling the pace of the game and keeping their lethal running offense on the field. It goes without saying that Aaron Rodgers can take a defense apart, but if the Vikings’ stable of back up running backs can find the holes that others have against the Packers, Rodgers may not have many opportunities.
Minnesota is 2-2 against the spread over their first four games.
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Betting on the Green Bay Packers
Just when Aaron Rodgers’ doubters were starting to creep out, the Pro Bowl quarterback came out and delivered a near-perfect game against the Chicago Bears, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns as the Packers took over in the second half to seal a 38-17 victory.
Perhaps the most impressive element of the Green Bay offense in Week 4 was its speed. Rodgers regularly went no huddle on Sunday and got results, as the Pack scored on their first six possessions and racked up 358 total yards after gaining just 223 in a loss to the Lions in Week 3.
One major difference for Green Bay was the play of their offensive line. Rodgers had all kinds of time to work, after being harried by a gauntlet of strong pass rushes in the Jets, Lions, and Seahawks to start the season. Jared Allen was forced to miss the Bears’ loss with pneumonia, and Chicago clearly missed the impact of Julius Peppers, who now wears the green and gold.
Minnesota’s sack rate is league average, as their pass rush has gotten to the quarterback on 5.67% of passing plays so far this season for an average of two sacks per game. If they can harass Rodgers more than the Bears did, the Packers may not have the same ability to put up points.
Throughout the Packers’ ups and downs this season, Jordy Nelson has gotten his. Rodgers’ favorite target has a ridiculous 459 yards already this season, the most in the NFL, and seems capable of beating defenses in almost every phase of the passing game, whether it’s beating receivers one on one, picking up yards after the catch, or coming down with tough balls in the end zone.
Against the Bears, Nelson’s receiving counterpart Randall Cobb woke up at last, grabbing seven catches for 113 yards and his fourth and fifth touchdowns this season. On any day the Packers’ No. 1 and 2 receivers are on, Green Bay is tough to stop.
Defensively, the Packers need a full day of run stopping out of their pass-rush-focused duo of Clay Matthews and Peppers. The two have been effective in getting to quarterbacks this season, but need to lead a better effort in the run defense, which has been unable to stop anyone this season.
Given that Asiata, McKinnon, and Bridgewater will all be game planning for the run, defensive coordinator Dom Capers needs to produce a system that covers for the low talent level on this Packer defensive line.
Green Bay is 1-2-1 against the spread this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Aaron Rodgers does enough to win in a limited time on the field but the Vikings cover +9.5.
