NFL
By: Steve Rogers
Here we are, week 17 and the first games of the new year. The Vikings (12-3) have already won the division but still have their eyes on possibly the one seed. They need at least one more win to hold off the 49ers for the two-seed. To complicate things, both Vikings’ remaining games will be on the road and outdoors. Up first is the rematch between the Vikings and the Green Bay Packers. These two long-time rivals met back in week one, and it is the only game this year the Vikings won by more than one score. The Vikings got up 20-0 before the Packers put together a scoring drive. The final score was 23-7. This game on January 1 should be a much different encounter. The Vikings have made NFL history several times already this year and are chasing more. The Packers are finding their groove (maybe a bit too late) and have won three straight.
Green Bay Packers
Yes, the Packers are probably playing their best football of the year. But do these three wins mean the team has “Figured it out”? Count me as a member of the not-convinced club. After starting the year 3-1, they spiraled to five consecutive losses and seven out of eight. The Packer’s record is 7-8. The last time the Packers had a losing record was back in 2008 when they went 6-10. They’ve had a long run of being good to great. But all good things come to an end; this is the beginning of the end of their run. Not only do they need to win out their final two games, but they also have to look for other teams to stumble down the stretch to sneak into the playoffs as a seven-seed wild card. That means this Packers team would have to win five straight games. They haven’t shown us they are capable of that.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings keep doing the incredible, improbable, or is it impossible? They keep one-upping themselves each and every week. The Vikings are setting some records or making history every time they play. Yet, the doubt continues to swirl around the Vikings. The best part is they don’t hear it. This team that at this point, can be called historically good. It is so in tune with the new culture being instilled by first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell that no one on the team is paying any attention to the outside noise, good or bad. Instead, they lean on each other and work as a family towards the same goal of winning games. So, the Vikings keep chugging right along.
Greg Joseph drilled the 61-yard game-winner last week. In doing so, Joseph broke the franchise record for the longest kick. He was also named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week… Again! Joseph won the award in week four when he hit five field goals. That 61-yarder is the longest of his career, and the second-longest field goal made this season. On Tuesday, Joseph was a guest on Pat McAfee’s podcast, and he spoke about the team’s success coming from the new culture Kevin O’Connell is creating. Joseph said, “The atmosphere that Kevin O’Connell has created here is unbelievable, and it just makes us work harder for each other.” The players, above all, have all fully invested and bought into O’Connell’s new culture, which shows each game day.
The awards and accolades keep coming, as Kirk Cousins was named this year’s Bart Starr/ Athletes in Action award winner this week. Maybe even more remarkable was the way Cousins was informed. A zoom call from Cherry Starr notified cousins. There is a video of that call available on vikings.com. So, where will the award be given to Cousins? Oh, you know, just at the Super Bowl Breakfast on February 11, 2023! Maybe just maybe, Cousins will have his whole team with him that morning!?!
The biggest thing for the Vikings is to see continued improvement from the defense. They need to do a better job giving up fewer yards and first downs that lead to extended drives that tire out the defense. If the defense can get just one or two more three-and-outs, it would pay dividends all around. It’s not all bad on defense. The Viking’s defense is ranked tenth in opponent fourth-quarter points per game at (5.1). If the defense played the third quarter as well as they do in the fourth, maybe games wouldn’t be as close.
My Prediction
This game is labeled the “Border Battle.” This is the 125th time these two teams have played one another. The Packers are at home in a must-win situation. All the pressure is on the Green Bay side. That is an advantage for the Vikings. Now that we are here at the end of the season, I looked back at my five bold predictions from before the year started. My number one prediction was Kirk Cousins would throw for more yards and touchdowns than Aaron Rodgers. With two games left and this one, they face each other here’s where they stand: Cousins has 4117 yards and 27 touchdowns, and Rodgers has 3331 yards and 24 touchdowns. That won’t change this week as Cousins will continue to play at the high level he has been the last few weeks. The connection Cousins has with Justin Jefferson will continue to shine as Jefferson continues to chase the all-time receiving yards mark in 1964. Set by Calvin Johnson in 2012. Jefferson is just 208 yards away from that milestone.
All he does is break expectations and records. He might get it done this week! His confidence is that high. I wouldn’t be surprised. Jefferson torched the Packer’s defense in week one, but the weather will be a factor in Lambeau. The injury report from the Packers is troubling, running back Aaron Jones is questionable, cornerback Keisean Nixon did not participate, wide receiver Christain Watson did not participate, tackle David Bakhtiari is limited after an emergency appendectomy on December 2, Guard/tackle Elgton Jenkins is limited, tackle Yosh Nijman is limited. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is limited with several a thumb a rib cage and now has an issue with his right knee. I have no doubt Rodgers will play this game, but in what capacity? How will this offensive line look protecting him? Watson is his second and maybe best-receiving option. If he can’t play with a hip injury, that could be a big blow to this offense. I hope it’s another close game, but it might not be with all these injuries. I predict Kirk Cousins will drive the Vikings down to the 35-yard line, and Greg Joseph will hit another game-winning field goal as time expires! Cousins will break the record for game-winning drives with his ninth. The Packers will be eliminated from the playoffs. The Vikings will have a 12th one-score win. Final score 27-24.
