(Photo: Clutchpoints)
NFC Game Of The Week
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Packers: After dropping the game to the Detroit Lions, they’ve bounced back nicely as winners of their last two. Their showdown in Seattle was an important game for both teams and if anyone knows, playing in front of the 12’s in Seattle is never easy. Still, they were able to get back into the win column and win a huge game on the road and last night at home against the Saints, they took over and never let their foot off the gas pedal. They were perfect on their first three possessions when they had the football and they scored on their first three drives. For as dominant as they were offensively, they were just as strong on the defensive side of the football and held New Orleans scoreless which would be the first shutout pitched during this 2024 NFL season. With the win, the Packers clinched yet another playoff spot guaranteeing they will be playing January for the fourth time under Matt LaFleur. Staying on the topic of the coach, this has been Matt’s best job this up to date. He was without Jordan Love for a few games and still managed to keep his team afloat and most importantly, I look at what he’s been able to do after a certain Quarterback was traded to the Jets. The NFC has been so much fun to watch and keep up with. There’s the Detroit Lions, the Eagles are still atop of their division and fighting for the top seed in the conference and you have these Packers who can get it going and can be a tough out when all is clicking. Then, you have the team they face on Sunday in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Vikings.
Vikings: In all my years of watching this sport. I’ve never seen a team with 13 wins go under the radar as much as they have. Don’t even say it’s where they play because that’s far from it! I think they’re perfectly fine with how they are perceived and they’re just focused on handling business. When they got off to the undefeated start, I think everyone was anticipating for them to drop back to reality and they just continued to win football games and get stronger. Even when they struggled against teams such as the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and even the Chicago Bears, on paper, those are blowout victories, but again, you don’t win football games on paper, and at the end of the day, you still have to step on the field and play, regardless of the opponent. If you had to make a checklist for the Minnesota Vikings, they would make many boxes. Do you need the offense to make a clutch play? Check! Do you need the defense to shut you down and play hard-nosed football? Check! Sam Darnold has impressed me so much this year and has grown up along with coming into his own, Aaron Jones has been the perfect fit for this team and the system and of course, I can’t leave out Justin Jefferson and what he means to this offense. It’s the fact defenses elect to play him in single-man coverage without help and he wins the battle each time. The Vikings have a good offensive line and the defense is a tone-setter. This is a good football team and Kevin O’Connell has done a fantastic job this year. On Sunday, they return home for a huge divisional showdown against the Green Bay Packers.
Packers X-Factor: Edgerrin Cooper– He may be a rookie, but he plays as if he has been in the league for over five years. It’s tough to play Linebacker in the NFL today, especially as a young player because teams attack you left and right, they will run misdirections and counterattacks to throw you off. That doesn’t appear to bother Edgerrin as he plays fast and fearless out there on the field. This is a complete Linebacker the Packers have as he can tackle, get after the Quarterback, and defend the pass or deflect a pass. Edgerrin is always looking to make the best play possible.
Vikings X-Factor: T.J. Hockenson– I still remember when Minnesota acquired him from the divisional rival Detroit Lions. Yes, they have Jordan Addison and of course, Justin Jefferson, but T.J. is an important piece of this offensive puzzle in Minnesota. T.J. can get open over the middle, take screen passes, and moves well in space with the football in his hands. Anytime he is in single coverage with a Linebacker or a Safety, know he’s getting the football. T.J. is a reliable target in the flat or working the seam up the middle.
Final Thoughts: I previewed their first meeting in week four. It was Aaron Jones’ first game against the Packers since signing with the Vikings and Jordan Love returned after missing a few games with a knee injury. Months later, here we are for a huge showdown in the NFC North. Each team has something to play for. At this moment, the Packers are locked into the sixth seed in the NFC Playoffs and the Vikings control their destiny meaning they will have to handle business this Sunday at home, then win a huge game next weekend against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. If they win, they clinch the top seed in the NFC Playoffs, and the road to the Super Bowl in the conference will travel through Minneapolis. Both teams enter this game hot as the Vikings have won eight in a row and the Packers have won five of their last six. I can’t wait to see what Brian Flores will throw at Jordan Love. Turnovers have been a thorn in Jordan’s side and this is the one defense you don’t want to face when you’re prone to turning the ball over. If the Packers are to have a chance in this game Sunday, it’ll be tough running the ball as this Vikings defense is ranked second in the league against run allowing 87 yards per game. Sam Darnold has been playing lights out as of late. The difference in this game is the Vikings’ defense causing more issues for Love than the Packers’ defense causing issues for Darnold. I like the Vikings to sweep their division rivals for the first time since 2017.
Prediction: Vikings 34, Packers 28
