Vikings at Packers -- Week 13
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisc. (grass, outdoors)
When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Spread: Packers by 8.5
Forecast: Mid-40s and light wind
Records: Vikings (Overall: 6-5, NFC North: 2-1); Packers (Overall: 7-4, NFC North: 2-0)
Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Nov. 14, 2011: Packers 45, Vikings 7; Oct. 23. 2011: Packers 33, Vikings 27. Series record: Packers lead 53-48-1.
What matters: Both the Vikings and Packers suffered embarrassing losses last weekend -- the Vikings could do very little to stop the struggling Bears in Chicago, while the Packers were trounced by the New York Giants on national television. The Vikings have a huge opportunity to gain ground in the NFC North with a win, but the Packers will be equally as intent to keep pace with the Bears. The play of quarterbacks Christian Ponder and Aaron Rodgers will have the biggest impact on the game, and Rodgers will get his favorite target, WR Greg Jennings, back from injury, while Ponder’s primary receiver, WR Percy Harvin, may still be out another week with a sprained ankle.
Who matters: The Vikings scored only 10 points last week in Chicago, and only because the defense set them up with short fields. They will have to do better against the Packers, who average 24.8 points per game. Green Bay should have all of its top receivers back, too, as Jennings will team with red-hot Randall Cobb and a healthy Jordy Nelson.The Vikings may find themselves in a shootout, and will need to keep pace with Rodgers and Co. NFL rushing leader Adrian Peterson should find room to roam against a defense that gives up 103.8 rushing yards per game, but Minnesota will need a quicker-strike offense and a lot of production from the passing game. If Harvin is unable to go, Ponder will have to continue spreading the ball around to his receivers, who all need to catch the passes this week. Last week, the group combined for eight drops.
Key matchups: The greatest way for the Vikings to affect the outcome is to slow down Rodgers. The Packers offense is ranked 23rd in the league in rushing (100.7 ypg), so the Vikings should be able to stop the run. But after a game in which the Vikings defensive line recorded only one sack (a gift sack when Bears QB Jay Cutler tripped at the line), it needs to have its best game of the season and be in Rodgers’ face. If the line cannot disrupt Rodgers and slow down his passing rhythm, it will be an even longer afternoon in Lambeau Field for the Vikings than it was in Chicago at Soldier Field.
Injuries of note: On Wednesday, Harvin tested his sprained ankle at practice and did not look smooth in his route running. He was held out of practice on Thursday and coach Leslie Frazier put it bluntly: “He’s definitely not there yet.” The Vikings need a healthy Harvin in Lambeau, if for nothing else to grab the attention of the Packers’ secondary.
Inside stuff: Despite missing two games with an ankle sprain, Harvin is still among the league leaders in some categories: He is 12th in the NFL with 62 receptions, and first in the NFL in kickoff return average with a 35.9-yard mark.
Connections: For the first time since 2005, when former Packers S Darren Sharper joined the team, the Vikings don’t have any former Packers on their roster. QB Brett Favre and K Ryan Longwell, even former Packers assistant coach and former Vikings head coach Brad Childress are gone. Earlier in this season, Packers practice squad WR Tori Gurley was on the Vikings practice squad. Perhaps now the two teams’ fan bases can go back to guiltlessly hating the opposition with no cross loyalties messing up their emotions.
Stat you should know: LB Chad Greenway is second in the NFL in tackles with 107 and tied for the NFL lead since 2007 with 10 fumble recoveries, according to NFL stats. Greenway had another fumble recovery against the Bears in Week 12.
Record watch: Peterson has five consecutive games of 100-plus yards for the first time in his career, which is tied with Robert Smith for the team record. “If he can stay healthy, Peterson will have all the records,” Smith tweeted on Thursday.
K Blair Walsh has the sixth-most points scored in the NFL with 94. Walsh is poised to break the Vikings rookie scoring record of 106 points held by Randy Moss.
Looking ahead: The Vikings’ schedule doesn't get any easier as they head back home to play the Bears for the second time in three weeks.
Prediction: Packers 31, Vikings 21
For more Vikings news and notes, follow Joe Oberle on Twitter @CBSVikings and @joeoberle.
