There’s more than a few folks who believe the Green Bay Packers should think about buying some lottery tickets, they’ve been awfully lucky this year. In winning a third straight NFC North Division title and ascending to the NFC’s number one seed for the second consecutive year, the 12-3 record would suggest this Packer team is pretty good too.
Lady luck probably did shine when Aaron Rodgers drove the Pack into field goal range in the final :42 in Arizona where Mason Crosby knocked off the last unbeaten team. Crosby was finally able to find the range in the comical five straight field goal misses afternoon in Cincinnati. More recently, the Packers knocked off the Ravens in Baltimore without their former MVP quarterback, getting a two point conversion stop in the closing seconds. Last week, Rasul Douglas might have gotten away with a tug before pilfering his fifth pass of the year to seal the win against the Browns.
Now they’re even catching a few COVID-19 breaks just days away from their rematch with the Minnesota Vikings, the only North Division team to get the better of the Pack since Matt LaFleur arrived and one of only three teams to knock them off this season. The worst outbreak of the year hit the team over the past two weeks, sending as many as 17 players from the active roster or practice squad to the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Team outbreaks around the league forced three games to get postponed in week 15 and it could be argued the virus might have derailed playoff hopes in Cleveland and Baltimore.
Earlier this week, the NFL relaxed rules allowing positive cases back in to active duty after five, rather than 10 days if symptoms have subsided. That got Marquez Valdes-Scantling back on the active roster after missing last week’s game. Today, a handful of players who went on the reserve list either Saturday or as recently as Monday, were brought back onto the roster. That list includes Kevin King, Amari Rodgers, Shemar Jean-Charles, Tipa Galeai, Henry Black and La’Darius Hamilton on the practice squad. Two practice squad players tested positive at week’s end however with kicker J.J. Molson and linebacker Richard Wilborn being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
That’s nothing like what happened in Minneapolis where starting quarterback Kirk Cousins tested positive on Friday. He landed on the reserve list and as an unvaccinated player, he will not be available for Sunday’s game. A very tough break for the Vikings and the Packers may have just caught another. Seven year veteran Sean Mannion will make his third career start at Lambeau Field Sunday night.
Successful teams take advantage of good fortune and a little more is coming Green Bay’s way.
The Packers wrapped up their practice week today and Aaron Rodgers joined them for the first time. He tossed the ball during individual drills and LaFleur said he looked great running the team two minute period at the end of practice. Randall Cobb worked again just weeks after his core muscle surgery but hasn’t been designated to return off injured reserve just yet.
On the final injury report, the Packers ruled out Jaire Alexander, David Bakhtiari and Billy Turner while Tyler Lancaster returned to practice with a sore back and was listed as questionable.
A victory Sunday night will almost certainly eliminate the Vikings and if the Packers get a little help from Arizona over Dallas, the number one seed will be secured. So let’s match it up.
When the Packers have the ball.
Mike Zimmer cut his teeth as a celebrated defensive coordinator but he must be gnashing his teeth over his unit’s overall performance this year. The Vikings rank 29th in the NFL in yards allowed per game. They gave up 31 points to the Packers in the first meeting five weeks ago and 30 to the Los Angeles Rams in a loss last week at home. The one thing they have done well despite losing two key pass rushers, is get to the quarterback. They have 44 sacks even with Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen on injured reserve. If the offensive line, second and third stringers all, can hold up in protection, Rodgers and the playmakers should be able to move the ball. It will be bitterly cold by kickoff, forecasters are calling for single digits and sub-zero wind chills. Time for the 1-2 punch in the backfield to start delivering bone-chilling body blows. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon will figure prominently in the game plan. Don’t be surprised to see a lot of between the tackle power runs with the top two blocking tight ends sidelined. Marcedes Lewis and of course, Robert Tonyan won’t be around to seal edges for outside zone runs. Minnesota is equipped to chase those down with Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith behind the front four. Rodgers, the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Month, has been terrific in the passing game with Davante Adams nearly uncoverable. Look for Adams to line up in various locations, even the slot, to create winning matchups.
When the Vikings have the ball.
Even with the league’s 4th highest rated passer and a Pro Bowl wide receiver out of the lineup, the Vikings still have two dangerous weapons. Cousins has been sidelined with COVID while Adam Thielen had his season come to and end after undergoing ankle surgery earlier this week. Here comes Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson. Cook is just coming off the COVID list after missing last week’s game. He singlehandedly destroyed the Packer defense at Lambeau Field in last year’s 28-22 Viking victory. Jefferson did the damage earlier this year at U.S. Bank stadium. It’ll be easier for Mannion to hand it off to Cook than deliver the ball downfield to Jefferson on a frigid night. The Packer front seven got stung by Nick Chubb and Cleveland’s ground attack last Saturday. They’ll have to be much more stout in shedding blocks and making tackles against the dangerous Cook. Extra coverage attention on Jefferson will force Mannion to take more time to locate second or third targets and the Packer pass rush of late is giving quarterbacks less time to find those targets. They’re coming off a five sack effort of Baker Mayfield. I find it hard to believe Mannion will be able to operate Minnesota’s offense efficiently enough to spring the upset.
The bottom line.
The Packers have never apologized for their good fortune and they’re not about to start. They only care about being the better team today. Come Sunday, they’ll be the better team again and continue their march to home field advantage.
I like the Pack 27-17.
