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Packers at Vikings: Game preview, odds, prediction

By Dan Schmelzer

Nov 22, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings preview

The Week 2 slate of the NFL season is here. In the always anticipated Sunday Night Football matchup, we have the Minnesota Vikings hosting the Green Bay Packers.

This is not only a major NFC North battle between close rivals, but it will also be the first regular season game in the Vikings’ brand new U.S Bank Stadium. This will be a fun and interesting matchup that could easily have postseason implications.

Both teams enter this game at 1-0 after successful Week 1 victories, but face a tough test this week. The Packers fought off the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars, taking home a 27-23 victory. Minnesota went on the road to defeat the Tennessee Titans by a score of 25-16.

Aaron Rodgers got back his number one target, as Jordy Nelson returned from his knee injury for Week 1. Nelson did not have a massive statistical impact on the game, but simply being on the field seemed to open up the Packers’ offense.

Rodgers, Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy form one of the most dangerous offensive powerhouses in the NFL. They can score at an elite level against anybody, but this Vikings’ defense is top-notch.

Last week, the Vikings shut down the Titans. However, with all due respect to Marcus Mariota and company, this is a whole different challenge.

The Vikings are loaded with defensive talent all over the field, and their two defensive touchdowns last week were awesome. That being said, Rodgers and company present a tough test for the team.

The battle between the Packers’ offense and the Vikings’ defense will likely represent the winner in this game.

That being said, there is still plenty of intrigue when the Vikings have the ball. First of all, who will start at quarterback for Minnesota? Will they throw out the solid, yet unspectacular Shaun Hill, or is Sam Bradford ready to take over the offense? This will certainly be an important story to watch as we lead up to the game.

Last week, Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson struggled to get anything going against the Titans. Peterson rushed for only 31 yards on 19 carries throughout the game, as the Titans’ defense continued to stack the box.

The Packers will undoubtedly put together a similar strategy to stop Peterson. That being said, the star back could easily get back on track this week.

Related Story: What we learned in GB vs JAX

The Packers were successful at holding the Jaguars’ running game down last week. They held starting back T.J. Yeldon to only 39 yards on 21 carries. Can they continue their success against Peterson and the Vikings? That will undoubtedly be one of the keys to this game.

Date: Sunday, September 18th, 2016
Start Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium
TV Info: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Betting Odds

The Packers are 2.5 point favorites for this game with the OVER/UNDER being set at 44 points. While Green Bay being the favorite certainly makes sense, this game could legitimately go either way — especially with the Vikings being at home.

Prediction

If Peterson is able to get back on track against the Packers, I like the Vikings’ chances in this game. Their defense should be able to hold Rodgers in check as well as any other unit in the NFL. That being said, it is tough to bet against the future Hall of Famer, especially with all of the quarterback uncertainty on the other sideline.

Pick: Green Bay Packers 24, Minnesota Vikings 20

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