Packers aim to go 2-0 in the standings and in the division!
The Green Bay Packers are 1-0 and looking for more on Sunday afternoon as they play host to another division rival, the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers are coming off their emotional 24-23 over the Chicago Bears, while the Vikings defeated the San Francisco 49ers 24-16 in Minnesota.
Aaron Rodgers came back from that gruesome knee injury to deliver a comeback for the ages vs the Bears last Sunday night, but that doesn’t guarantee that he will ready to play this Sunday. Although there is no official word on Rodgers, almost everyone expects him to play. In any case, DeShone Kizer needs to be ready on a moment’s notice, and ball security for him is my #1 key as he turned the ball over twice in the second quarter, putting the team into a deeper hole for Rodgers. A good running game is a quarterback’s best friend, especially an injured one, so Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery have to give them something in order to keep the pass rushers away from Rodgers. Jimmy Graham had a quiet first game with GB with only 2 catches for 8 yards, but they are definitely counting on him to make plays. Davante Adams and Randall Cobb will have their hands full with the Vikings’ DBs, so other receivers like Geronimo Allison need to be ready to contribute when called upon.
The Vikings cleaned house in the quarterback department and signed Kirk Cousins in the offseason. The knock on Cousins is that he doesn’t beat the good teams consistently, but he has better talent around him now than he ever did in Washington. Dalvin Cook is coming off an ACL injury and is still trying to get his running legs back, while Latavius Murray figures to get a big share of the carries as well. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen make up one of the better starting WR duos in the league, so the Packers need to ready from top to bottom on both offense and defense. In order to win this game, the Packers are probably going to have to force a few turnovers at least.
As we all know, Minnesota won the division last year almost by default as Aaron Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone during the Packers’ first meeting with the Vikings. It’s no wonder why many of us were thrilled when we saw the Vikings get crushed by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. As much as I detest them, this team does have a huge amount of talent and will not be easy to beat either at home or at Minnesota. The Packers cannot afford to fall behind 20-0 in this game.
The Packers survived last week and avoided falling to 0-1, but this is another huge game that will likely go a long way in determining the division winner. A loss in this game would almost force the Packers to have to win in Minnesota later in the season.
A lot of us were looking forward to another shot at the Vikings with Rodgers at quarterback, and I know that a bit of payback is on the minds of many of us, but the players need to stay focused on winning the game and winning their own individual matchup assignments. If they focus too much on revenge and not on the mission, they are playing right into the Vikings’ hands.
I really hate to call out players, but Clay Matthews was a huge disappointment on Sunday night. He was nowhere to be found all night until he committed an awful 15-yard penalty late in the game on fourth down that could have cost the Packers a win. I am challenging him to have a huge game on Sunday and prove to us all that he still has a lot left in the tank.
The win over Chicago was awesome, but that is now old news. The Packers are on a mission, and this Minnesota team is one of the main teams standing in their way. These first two games are no joke, but a 2-0 start to the season vs division rivals would be a major statement.
It’s another home game, but there is no waiting all day this time as kickoff is scheduled at Noon Central Time. Let’s get ready to cheer on the Pack as they aim to carry the momentum from that emotional win last week into this game and come away victorious once again.
Get Loud Lambeau!
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GetLoudLambeau #GregGoshaw @gg901
