No. 6 Vikings vs. No. 3 Packers -- wild-card round

Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisc. (grass, outdoors)

When: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Spread: Packers by 8

Forecast: A high of 27 degrees, winds at seven mph and 0 percent chance of snow.

Records: Vikings (10-6; NFC North 4-2); Packers (11-5, NFC North 5-1)

Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Dec. 30, 2012: Vikings 37, Packers 34; Dec. 2, 2012: Packers 23, Vikings 14. Series record: Packers lead 54-49-1.

What matters: In the two games played this season between the Packers and the Vikings, the home team has prevailed in two closely contested, back-and-forth games. Meeting for a third time in early January outdoors in Green Bay will certainly matter in this game. The Vikings have played four road games outside this season (the Reliant Stadium’s retractable roof was closed) and lost all four of them, including one at Lambeau. It's debatable who has the greater advantage in cold weather -- offense or defense, passing or running game -- but the Packers will hold a slight mental advantage since they are used to the conditions. If you like a grinding rushing attack in tough conditions, you have to like the Vikings with RB Adrian Peterson, who says it will be mind over matter.

“They're going to be cold just like us,” Peterson said. “You just got to mentally get through it. I already defeated that. Playing in the cold -- that’s done.”

Who matters: The game will come down to who can stop the opponents’ best player. The Vikings’ Peterson has rushed for 409 yards in two games this season vs;. the Packers, and Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns vs. the Vikings last Sunday. The game will likely have less scoring than the last one (which was 37-34, Vikings), but these two elite players -- one a reigning league MVP and the other a good bet to grab this year's MVP award -- will surely make their share of plays. The defense that does the better job of containment will have a good chance at coming out the winner.

Key matchups: The Vikings defensive line got Rodgers for five sacks in the Metrodome, three of them by DE Everson Griffen. Undaunted, Rodgers still threw for four touchdowns. The line will have to do even more to slow him this week. … The Vikings offensive line held Packers linebacker Clay Matthews to one sack (the only one recorded against Ponder), and they will have to be equally sound at Lambeau, where the Claymaker runs wild. ... The Vikings receiving corps had one of their best games of the season last week (13 receptions for 72 yards for WRs and TEs), but the Packers will counter with the return of DB Charles Woodson, who could take away some throws in the middle of the field. …Rodgers’ job vs. the Vikings secondary could be a little easier with S Harrison Smith (knee) and CB Antoine Winfield (hand) having missed practice time this week due to injury. Vikings CBs A.J. Jefferson and Marcus Sherels, who struggled last week, will be called on to make some plays against Rodgers. … While they are not matched up directly against each other, the game could come down to the kickers trying to perform in tough conditions. Packers K Mason Crosby is used to the weather, but he has struggled this season. The Vikings kicker, Florida-native Blair Walsh, is going to the Pro Bowl, but he has kicked in few cold-weather games.

Injuries of note: Winfield left the last Packers game after re-aggravating his broken hand and sat out of practice until Thursday, where he participated in practice but was limited. He was fitted for a harder cast at practice and said he would not miss this game on Saturday. Smith injured his knee early in the Packers game and missed practice on Tuesday. Frazier said he returned Wednesday and looked good. Smith said he was fine and that it was nothing that would hinder him on Saturday.

Inside stuff: The Vikings have played just one playoff game at Lambeau Field -- the 2004 wild-card game in which they beat the Packers. There are only three players remaining from that 2004 Vikings team: Winfield, DT Kevin Williams and LS Cullen Loeffler.

The Vikings are one of four teams in the 2012 playoff field that were not in the 2011 tournament. Washington, Indianapolis and Seattle are the other three.

Stat you should know: Vikings RB Peterson ranked 2nd in NFL history and led the NFL in 2012 with 2,097 rushing yards. Peterson’s rushing total ranked better than 24 NFL teams in 2012. The Vikings also ranked 1st in the NFL with 33 runs of 20+ yards and seven runs of 50+ yards.

LB Chad Greenway set a new career high in tackles with 148. Greenway has led the team in tackles five years in a row, which is 2nd only to Scott Studwell’s six straight seasons.

Record watch: It was a banner year for Vikings records, between Peterson and Walsh. But as a team, the Vikings racked up 2,634 rushing yards, which tied a franchise record set in 2007 for team rushing yards in a season. They did it on fewer carries, since the Vikings also set a new team record with 5.4 yards per carry.

With a +7 differential, the Vikings had their biggest jump in win totals from one season to the next in 2012, going from three to 10. From 1997 to 1998, the Vikings increased their wins +6.

If you are looking for a record to watch in the wild-card game, Eric Dickerson also holds the single-game postseason rushing record of 248 yards. Peterson came up short of Dickerson’s regular-season rushing record of 2,105 by eight yards. Perhaps he can get this one.

Looking ahead: If the Vikings win on Saturday, they will travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons in the Divisional Playoffs next weekend. If the Packers win, they'll play on the road against the second-seeded San Francisco 49ers.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Packers 21

For more Vikings news and notes, follow Joe Oberle on Twitter @CBSVikingsand@joeoberle.