MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-6) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-0)
Monday, 8:30 P.M. ET, ESPN, Sirius (MIN 92, GB 93), Westwood One Radio
Why Watch
Because the Packers are the lone unbeaten team standing. The defending Super Bowl champion should be looking over their shoulders. The Chicago Bears did them a huge favor crushing the Detroit Lions yesterday, but now the peaking Bears are casting hungry eyes on the Pack. Chicago and Detroit are two-and-a-half games back of the Pack going into tonight’s game. A win tonight extends Green Bay’s division lead to three games with seven to go.
The Packers must look West to see their next threat. The 8-1 San Francisco 49ers are breathing down the Packers’ necks for playoff home field advantage. Green Bay would love playoff opponents to visit them in snowy Wisconsin in January and cannot afford to slip against weak opponents like the Vikings.
San Francisco has games scheduled with tough AFC North teams and five remaining with NFC West division-mates who have a pathetic combined won-loss record of 8-19. Green Bay has the tougher road with contests against the Buccaneers, Chiefs and division leaders Giants and Raiders. Then they close the season against rugged rivals Lions (twice) and Bears.
Pressure from the ‘Niners means that the Packers cannot look past a weaker opponent like the Vikings. Green Bay cannot afford to lose until San Francisco does. It’s tough to be the Packers.
What To Watch
ESPN’s Jon Gruden points out that every NFC North team has a first-round quarterback under center. Make that five first-rounders if you count Donovan McNabb for the Vikings. The NFC North will be a premier division for the next several seasons. Tonight’s contest matches the excellence of Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers to the development of Minnesota’s Christian Ponder.
The Vikings were late to realize they could not squeeze another playoff run from their current players. Once they did, the Vikings benched Rent-a-QB McNabb for rookie Ponder. McNabb remains the Vikings’ leading quarterback for stats based on longevity, starting five games to Ponder’s three. McNabb has three games with over 200 passing yards, but only one win. Ponder matched the win total in three games and threw for over 200 yards in two of them.
The game that Ponder most wants to improve on is his last start vs Green Bay, three weeks ago. He threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 33-27 loss.
The Vikings player who can damage the Packers most is RB Adrian Peterson who rushed for 175 yards and a score in these teams’ last matchup. He is the player the Packers are most likely to “spy,” tying up a defender to let Ponder find an open man elsewhere. Green Bay has the third-ranked run defense and the 28th-ranked pass defense. The Vikings can make the game interesting if Peterson and Ponder can exploit the Packers defense. Green Bay is favored by 14.5
Who Will Win
Aaron Rodgers is playing at a high level and Green Bay has never trailed in the fourth quarter this season. That may hurt them in a playoff game. The post-season is the wrong time to gain that experience. But, one just cannot figure the Vikings to teach any lessons tonight. Green Bay.
