It’s rare to get a rematch with a division foe before you’ve met either of the other two NFC North rivals but that’s what awaits the Green Bay Packers this weekend as they welcome the Minnesota Vikings to Lambeau Field for a 12:00 PM kickoff Sunday. The Lions and Bears can wait, the Packers can polish off a second straight sweep of the Vikings with a victory.
You can also tell we’re reaching the mid-point of the season as injuries and illnesses, including the raging pandemic, have hit both teams.
The Packers listed 19 players on their injury report this week and two have already been ruled out. Kevin King will miss another week with a quad injury and Aaron Jones will not play for a second straight game dealing with a calf injury. Another seven Packers are questionable, David Bakhtiari, Mason Crosby, Tyler Ervin, Raven Greene, Tyler Lancaster, Darnell Savage and John Lovett. Crosby’s calf and back problems could become a real issue for the special teams if he misses the first game of his career. As of Friday, the Packers don’t have another kicker, even on their practice squad.
As for the Vikings, already decimated by injury in their 1-5 start, they ruled out both young corners Holton Hill and Mike Hughes. A second Vikings player tested positive for Covid-19 this week. Veteran linebacker Todd Davis was placed on the Reserve/Covid list two days after defensive back Camron Dantzler went on the list.
So what can we expect when the top and bottom of the division get together on what’s forecast to be a brisk, extremely windy afternoon?
When the Packers have the ball.
With Jones sidelined again, the run game will fall on Jamaal Williams and rookie A.J. Dillon again. Williams hammered the Houston front 19 times last week with Dillon spotting him. The Vikings front four is almost unrecognizable without the likes of Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter and Yannick Ngakoue no longer there. Griffen left in the off-season, Hunter’s on IR and Ngakoue was traded to Baltimore just a month after he was acquired from Jacksonville in a trade. I have a sneaky suspicion this will be Dillon’s coming out party at least in rushing attempts.
As for the passing game, Mike Zimmer’s scheme is all about disguise, fitting on this Halloween weekend. However, with an already young and now depleted secondary, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams could unmask that disguised effort again. The combined for 14 receptions and a pair of scores in the season opening 43-34 victory. Adams is coming off a 13 catch game in Houston. Another double-digit day could be in the offing. If standout safeties Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris are kept busy shading toward Adams, a collection of other Rodgers targets should find plenty of opportunities.
If Bakhtiari sits out another game, the tackle tandem of Billy Turner and Rick Wagner should be able to hold up but beware of combination pressures, especially on third down, a Zimmer favorite.
I’m not sure they’ll hit 40 again but the Packers should pile up plenty of points again.
When the Vikings have the ball.
With talented two-way running back Dalvin Cook still fighting through a groin injury, ruled questionable on Friday, the Pack’s focus should be Kirk Cousins. He’s thrown 11 passes to his guys in the end zone, but 10 to the other guys all over the field. The interceptions have derailed the offense time and again. If Cook is limited, the wide receivers will play an important role. Josh Jackson will start for King and he will be kept busy. Over the past three games, fewer and fewer passes are challenging Jaire Alexander on his side of the field. Adam Thielen remains steady and top draft pick Justin Jefferson has really come on of late, averaging almost 20 yards a catch.
The Packer defense is trending up in two key categories, pressure on the passer and in the red zone. After failing to get Tom Brady uncomfortable, the rush produced 13 pressures on the more mobile Deshaun Watson. A duplicate effort could force Cousins to increase the already high pick count.
Two key red zone stops forced Houston to settle for field goals last week and never let them back in the game. Remember in the opener at US Bank Stadium, the Packers roared away from the Vikes but the defense allowed 4 straight touchdown drives in the second half to keep their rally hopes alive.
Special Teams
The Packers are hoping Crosby can play, otherwise they may have to turn to rookie free agent Nick Vogel who’s waiting in the wings after a tryout this week.
The kicking game both ways will be challenged by the winds, forecast to be a steady 20-30 miles an hour from the northwest, gusting up to 40 plus at times.
The Bottom Line.
The Packers say next Thursday’s trip to San Francisco had nothing to do with keeping King and Jones down this week, or possibly sidelining some of the other questionable players. That game has more motivational meaning (after the two disasters last year) and bigger implications in the NFC standings but only if the Packers take care of business against the Vikes this week. They should in the third empty stadium home game of the year.
I like the Pack, 27-17.
A sad post-script.
Packer legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Herb Adderley has passed away at the age of 81. He was drafted by Vince Lombardi as a running back out of Michigan State in 1961. Lombardi moved him to defensive back where he became an All-Pro six times, intercepting 39 passes and returning seven of them for touchdowns. He was a huge part of all five Green Bay NFL titles in the 1960’s and finished his career with Dallas where he was a part of a third Super Bowl victory before his retirement. Adderley was inducted in Canton in 1980.
I had the pleasure of meeting Adderley several times over the years, he even appeared on one of my pre-game shows back in the day. Growing up during the Glory Years, he was one of my favorites and without question, one of the best defensive backs ever.
