NFL
By: Steve Rogers
What: Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
When: Sunday, Sept. 11, 3:25 pm CST
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium Minneapolis, MN
Coverage: Fox
Finally, the NFL season is upon us, and week one is going to be filled with firework-style matchups around the league. Starting with the opening game on Thursday with the reigning Super Bowl L.A. Rams getting rolled by this year’s Super Bowl favorites the Buffalo Bills. There are also a handful of critical divisional matchups, but none will be bigger or better than the Minnesota Vikings versus the Green Bay Packers. This first game will go a long way toward determining who wins the NFC North this year. Here is my complete preview of this massive matchup.
The border rival Green Bay Packers are coming to town to start the 2022 season. This is the 124th border battle. Well what a way to show all the fans that the regular season is here, and pre-season is over these games are official now and count. If you want to win your division you have to win your divisional games. This NFC North is going to be a two-team race. These two teams to be exact. Yes, the Packers are the reigning division champions. Yes, they still have the three-time and back-to-back MVP Aaron Rodgers. The Packers still have one of the game’s best cornerbacks in Jaire Alexander, who is coming back from injury. They have the best defense in this division statistically. However, that was with linebacker Za’Darius Smith and slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan. Both of whom joined the Vikings this off-season. The Packers on offense also lost their second biggest star in wide receiver Davante Adams who went to the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. Since that has been Rodgers favorite and go-to target during both their time in Green Bay it will be interesting to see how the offense works this year without that duo.
Injury report for the Packers Doubtful: WR Allen Lazard Ankle
Questionable: OT David Bakhtiari Knee, G/T Elgton Jenkins Pectoral/Knee
Now to the purple side of things. Coming into this game at home the Vikings are poised to make noise this year. Starting here in week one against the reigning division winners. For whatever reason, the Vikings at home are labeled as the underdog. I can’t agree with that assessment, the Minnesota home crowd is definitely a factor at every home game. Don’t believe me just ask Rodgers, he’ll tell you just how loud and disruptive the US Bank stadium gets. Look up his history playing in Minnesota in 14 games he’s seven and seven good for a .500 record on the road. Recently Rodgers was asked by Pat Macafee where the loudest place he ever played was or is and he said the old Minneapolis HHH Metrodome. I think that the US Bank is even louder. This is the first chance that fans and other NFL teams will get a look at what this “New look” offense is going to look like. The combination of the elite skill position players and this new offensive passing-minded offense is exciting as an idea but in a few days, it finally opens to nationwide audiences. Dalvin Cook as the lead running back heading into his sixth season primed healthy and motivated wearing his long-time family tradition number four. Then you have possibly the best wide receiver room in all of the NFL starting with Justin Jefferson who has done nothing but continue to improve week in and week out. Not only was he a breakout star as a rookie but he climbed even higher in year two. I expect him to jump again in year three. Then you have the hometown veteran Adam Thielen who is also in great shape and looking to prove he’s still at pro bowl level form. After that is K.J. Osborn who established himself last year as the 3rd receiver for this offense with seven touchdown grabs last season. Not done there the Vikings last week just made a move and added 2020 first-round pick, Jalen Reagor, to the roster. That’s two 2020 first-round talents along with two other established weapons, so the Vikings can line up four wide and all can catch run and hurt any team in a flash, first downs, to touchdowns. Plus multiple running backs to gash through holes in defenses trying to stop the pass. After Cook is Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu who is also the kick returner, plus rookie Ty Chandler made the 53-man roster. Kirk Cousins has ample weapons at his disposal, now he has to deliver.
The Vikings defense also made a lot of changes after bringing in new Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell and switching to a three-four front and moving Danielle Hunter to outside linebacker they added Za’Darius Sith from the Packers. Smith has come out and said a motivating factor in signing with the Vikings was the ability to play his former team twice a year, as he feels as though they mistreated him when he got hurt last year. Is there nothing more motivating than a chip on ones shoulder? He’s out to prove that not only is he healthy but a top-notch pro-bowl level dominant force in the pass rush game. Cornerback Chandon Sullivan is also coming over from the Packers. I imagine the wealth of knowledge those two bring to the clubhouse is going to pay dividends, especially this week. Eric Kendricks the teams middle linebacker says he has another level he can achieve this year. This defense is set to make improvements on a very poor season last year.
Injury report for the Vikings Questionable: S Luis Cine Knee, DL Jonathan Bullard Biceps
The experts give the Green Bay Packers a slight edge with a 1.5 spread. I feel like that is giving just a bit too much credit to Rodgers presence. I feel like this game is set up to be the coming out party for the purple offense and Cousins to look like Rodgers and Rodgers (not his fault) will look like Blake Bortles. It’s being labeled almost a 50/50 game but frankly, I don’t see it that way. This has the potential for being a blowout. This has some interesting storylines going into this game from Smith out for revenge, how will Rodgers live without Adams, and just how scary good is this new purple offense going to be this year? We will start to find out on Sunday, September 11th at 3:25 pm CST. As good as the Packers have been on defense I don’t think they’re ready for all these weapons that the Vikings have to attack with. It’s like a Swiss Army Knife, here’s a regular knife, here’s a saw, here’s a pair of scissors, here’s a screwdriver, here’s a corkscrew, etc. this team is set to blow the doors off defenses. Not only that but they have created depth across the roster allowing for rotations of players all game long keeping guys fresher longer. This is possibly the best-constructed team in Minnesota. My official call for the game is a Vikings Win with a score of 34-17. Yes, that does mean I’m taking the over on 46 as well. As always SKOL MN! Stay fresh in all your Vikings gear.
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