The Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings both have
something to play for tonight at U.S. Bank Stadium. Thanks to the Rams loss
Saturday night, the Vikings are in the playoffs. All the Packers have to do is
beat the Lions next week and they win the division. The elements of this game
have certainly changed since late last week. Dalvin Cook will not play in this
game, and that may just help to apply pressure to Cousins. Who needs to play
their best tonight? We cover both teams here.
If the Packers are going to pull this off, they need vintage
Aaron Jones. In a perfect world, Jones will finish the night with 150+ combined
yards, and three trips to the end zone.
At times, it seems like the Packers have one receiver and a
bunch of “fourth” receivers who are
trying hard just to get separation, much less catch a pass from Rodgers.
Davante Adams is that one reliable receiver, and he is about as good as it gets
in the league. He has had some great matchups with Xavier Rhodes over the
years, but Rhodes is on the decline. Adams will need a big game if the Packers
are going to win.
The Packers two talented edge rushers, Preston and Za’Darius
Smith, will need to have to have a big game. If the front seven can stop
Alexander Mattison in the running game early, they can make the Vikings
one-dimensional. If they do that, the Smith’s can pin their ears back and go
after Cousins all night.
If the Vikings are going to win this game, they need the
All-Pro Xavier Rhodes to play as if he’s years younger. If they get the
declining version of Rhodes, Davante Adams is going to have a huge game. If
Rodgers and Adams get on the same page early, the Vikings could be in for a
long night.
Aaron Rodgers vs. Harrison Smith is a “thing.” Try and find
a better quarterback/safety matchup in the league. During Harrison Smith’s
first couple of years in the league, Rodgers took his lunch money twice a
season. But now, these two have settled into an amazing game of cat and mouse
each time these two teams play. Expect to see another one tonight.
The Vikings offensive tackles are going to have their hands
full with the Smith brothers tonight. The Vikings offensive line issues have
been well documented over the years, and at times, their offensive line has
been been “offensive” to Vikings fans.
How the Vikings Could Win - The Vikings could pull this
off if Alexander Mattison gets going
enough in the running game, and does just enough to keep the Packers front
seven honest. That’s all the Vikings are
trying to accomplish tonight in that aspect of the game. If that’s the case,
then Harrison Smith wins his cat and mouse matchup with Aaron Rodgers, holding
Rodgers to a minimal day. If Aaron Jones never find his footing and finishes
the day with 16 touches for 51 yards, then the Vikings might pull it off.
How the Packers could win- The Packers could win when Aaron
Jones does something no running back ever does against the Vikings, play a
punishing ground and air game. What’s the last pieces of this winning puzzle? DavanteAdams does his thing, goes for 100 yards receiving and a touchdown catch. Jake
Kumerow emerges as an unlikely hero, catching seven passes for 86 yards and two
touchdowns. That’s how our Packers win the game 38-24.