News
Week 12 Preview: Packers at Vikings
Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Minnesota Vikings (4-6)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn. – TV: FOX
*TV announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
*Keys to the game: With RBs Matt Asiata (concussion) and Jerick McKinnon (lower back) sitting out practice midweek, the Vikings wasted little time signing Ben Tate after his release by the Browns. Minnesota knows the importance of controlling the ball after watching QB Aaron Rodgers lead the Packers to a 42-10 victory over the Vikings in October and Green Bay scoring 50-plus points in each of its past two outings.
Tate is a physical back at 5-10, 220 pounds, although it remains to be seen how many carries he can log with two practices in the offensive system before Sunday’s game. Whoever is in the backfield must help QB Teddy Bridgewater control the clock and keep Rodgers on the sideline.
Rodgers is 10-4 with 31 touchdown passes and just four interceptions in 438 career pass attempts against the Vikings, and enters TCF Bank Stadium as the hottest quarterback on the planet. RB Eddie Lacy ripped off 105 yards on just 13 carries in the last meeting, so it’s not as if the Vikings can singularly focus on containing Rodgers. What will be interesting to watch is how aggressive Minnesota is in its blitz packages, with a big edge in the turnover battle likely being the Vikings’ only hope of competing.
*Matchup to watch – Lacy vs. Vikings OLB Anthony Barr: Barr and friends can’t get after Rodgers unless they first stop Lacy. Barr, a rookie out of UCLA, had a team-high five missed tackles last week and has 19 on the season.
*Player spotlight – Vikings CB Josh Robinson: The team’s No. 3 cornerback was abused by Chicago’s Jay Cutler, who targeted him on two touchdown passes and another 34-yard completion. That won’t be lost on Rodgers during film review.
*Fast facts: The Packers are the second team in NFL history (1950 Rams) to score 53-plus points in consecutive games. … Bridgewater has a 62.3 passer rating with one touchdown and three interceptions on his first 10 pass attempts of games.
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
While the Vikings have been answering questions about Adrian Peterson, the Packers have been devising ways to break more NFL offensive records.
*Our pick: Packers 34-23
News
Buccaneers admit mistake, boot Aguayo
Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk
Powered by WPeMatico
News
Did Bucs put too much pressure on Aguayo?
Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk
Powered by WPeMatico
News
Broncos holding their breath on Derek Wolfe
Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk
Powered by WPeMatico