EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – After winning five straight games and pulling ahead of Green Bay in the NFC North on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings have arrived at their biggest game with their rival in three seasons. That’s what the Packers have done to the Vikings this decade. And opposite Rhodes, Terence Newman is enjoying a renaissance season – he was far and away Vikings Territory’s pick for Player of the Game. “You’ve got to continue to grind even harder”.
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The Green Bay Packers started the season red hot, capping off a 6-0 start before heading into the bye.
But it’s a nice kickoff to Packers week; something to do between now and when the 7-2 Vikings host the 6-3 Packers at TCF Bank Stadium on Sunday. Stopping Aaron Rodgers and beating the Green Bay Packers will only tilt the odds in their favor. “He’s a very good quarterback, elite quarterback and in this league, you want to play against the best”, he said. “If we’re not impressive and we keep winning, more power to us”. “That’s what we need”. The Lions were coming off a 45-10 loss to sub-.500 Kansas City a week earlier.
When Matthews was growing up in a large, multi-generational football family that includes his father, uncle and brother (Casey, now a Viking), he got off easy with the Thanksgiving cleaning.
Still, many on the outside are wondering about the psyche of the face of the franchise.
“On offense, they’re doing a good job of old-school football – running and putting the clock in their corner”.
“Me”, Zimmer said before taking a few more unrelated questions. “We needed 19 points to win”. The victory came by a 37-34 score at home in 2012.
-PASSING OFFENSE: D. Granted, Aaron Rodgers set career highs with 35 completions and 61 pass attempts, the latter tying a team record, and threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. They were underdogs in this one and yet, they managed to come out on top. “If you stop the run, you can play more coverage”.
“Coach has already talked to the scout team guys about extending plays”, Munnerlyn said. The offensive line struggled in pass protection for the second straight game, leading to seven hits and three sacks of Rodgers.
It has not been the type of season Eddie Lacy envisioned for himself. Starks failed to capitalize on the starting opportunity from a rushing perspective. Through nine games, he’s yet to rush for 100 yards and he only has 2 TDs. Perhaps a game against the Vikings is just what the doctor ordered.
“I think our players will know this is a big game”. Missed tackles by cornerback Sam Shields and safety Morgan Burnett sent Tate on his way to a 43-yard gain down to the Green Bay 5-yard line. During their last five games, the Vikings gave up 95.0 rushing yards per game.
While this game is huge in determining who will win the NFC North, it doesn’t automatically knock the other team out of the playoffs. The avid golfer topped his tee shot, er, 52-yard field goal.
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When asked who made the shirts, coach Mike Zimmer said, “Me”. Bridgewater played a turnover-free game, returning from a concussion.
