Each week, BringMeTheNews will analyze the Vikings’ upcoming game from both sides, and give you “5 key reasons the Vikings should be worried.” It’s Border Battle Take Two this week as the Packers head into TCF Bank Stadium.
For 5 key reasons the Vikings will win, click here.
5. No ‘Dome Field’ Advantage this time
The Metrodome is no more, and while construction of the Vikings’ new indoor home is underway, Sunday’s game against the Packers will be back in the elements.
Yes, the same Packers who notoriously play on “the frozen tundra” of Lambeau Field.
“I liked the Metrodome,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy told ESPN. “I thought it was a great environment. It definitely leads the away games for taking Advil after it. The crowd noise, real and not so real, I thought really beats you up by the end of the day. But the environment in there was incredible.”
While Sunday’s matchup will have plenty of fire, it won’t be as loud in the open-air TCF Bank Stadium.
“We had a lot of great battles there, a lot of good memories,” said Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the dome. “I look forward to that being a road dome game at some point again.”
4. Patterson isn’t having any fun
It has been a disappointing season up to this point for Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. His production hasn’t lived up to the great expectations that were predicted for the second-year receiver.
The Pioneer Press notes that since recording a season-high eight catches for 86 yards in the Vikings victory over Tampa Bay, Patterson has caught just three passes for a total of 35 yards.
“They’re disappointing,” Patterson told reporters about his numbers. “I know I’m letting a lot of people down. It’s very tough out here. It’s a struggle sometimes. (I’ve) just got to find that groove and get it going.”
In addition to his struggles as a receiver, Patterson has been equally disappointing as a kick returner. He is averaging just 21.4 yards per return this season after averaging more than 32.4 yards a kick last year.
On a team that desperately needs playmakers on offense, the Vikings could really benefit from Patterson figuring it out.
3. Closure on Peterson
The big news of the week around the Vikings has been about off-field issues surrounding suspended running back Adrian Peterson.
The NFL suspended Peterson Tuesday for the remainder of the season, ending his season and maybe even his Vikings career.
The news was taken hard in the Vikings locker room.
Fullback Jerome Felton, who shared the backfield with Peterson, said he thinks the NFL should have allowed Peterson to return after missing nine games while his legal issues were sorted out. Peterson’s court case ended when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault, following his indictment on child abuse allegations in Texas.
When the Pioneer Press asked him about Peterson’s plea bargain, Felton replied: “I don’t know if he regrets it. I would. I’m sure if he knew this would have been the outcome, he probably would have fought it to the end. I don’t know.”
Needless to say, Peterson could have been a shot in the arm for the struggling Vikings offense. Without him it seems unrealistic that a playoff run might be on the horizon.
2. Big problems along the Vikings front
https://twitter.com/NFLNow/status/534072687501791232
The last time the Vikings and Packers played, Green Bay sacked Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder six times.
While the Vikings offensive line has been improving, Teddy Bridgewater was still under heavy pressure against the Chicago Bears – despite only being sacked twice.
One of those sacks came from former Viking, Jared Allen, who ran right around left tackle Matt Kalil.
1. Relax – Packers offense has been red hot
It was September 21st when the Green Bay Packers dropped to 1-2 on the season following a 19-7 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Fans were wondering what was wrong with the Packers offense, or if the team’s slow start was an indicator of what was to come.
Aaron Rodgers had a message to the media, teammates and fans by telling everyone to just relax.
Since then, the Packers have won six of their last seven games and have climbed back into a tie for first place in the NFC North.
Green Bay has turned it up a notch in the last couple of weeks, scoring 55 and 53 points in the two games since their Week 9 bye.
There aren’t many teams that can say they have done that in NFL history. According to the Pioneer Press, 0nly the 1950 Los Angeles Rams, 1950 New York Giants, 2012 Seattle Seahawks and 2013 Denver Broncos have accomplished the feat.
Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards doesn’t want the Packers to become the first team to do it in three straight games.
“We want to be able to stop the run and then the passing game,” said Edwards to reporters on Thursday. “We want to not give up the big plays in the early downs, and want to be able to get off the field on third down. That’s what we’re going to try to concentrate on and focus on rather than getting enamored with everything that they do offensively, because they do a lot of things offensively.”
