Surging Minnesota Vikings Won't Underestimate Struggling Packers

The Green Bay Packers have lost three straight games with Aaron Rodgers healthy for the first time since 2008, but the Minnesota Vikings—who've used their five-game winning streak to jump Green Bay in the standings—won't be underestimating the franchise's biggest rival when the Packers take on the Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday.

The respect level is still very high for the four-time defending NFC North champions at Winter Park. 

"I don’t really worry too much about them as far as what’s happened to them or anything else," head coach Mike Zimmer said. "I just watch the tape and see the type of team they are—the explosiveness, the quarterback, the receivers that they have, their offensive line; defensively, [Julius] Peppers and [Clay] Matthews, they don’t change. They’ve got great coaches."

The Vikings (7-2) are in sole possession of first place in the NFC North, but it will take a win over the Packers (6-3) on Sunday to stay there. Victories against Green Bay have been hard to come by for the Vikings, especially in recent years. Since 2010, the Vikings have one win (in 2012) and one tie (in 2013, with Rodgers out) in 11 games with the Packers. 

There seems to be no better time than now to reverse the trend. Green Bay started the season 6-0 but has lost in each of the last three weeks, including the unexpected home upset at the hands of the Detroit Lions last time out. If the Lions can win in the state of Wisconsin for the first time in almost a quarter of a century, the Vikings can certainly get their first win in six tries against the Packers on Sunday.

	GB 3-game Losing Streak	MIN 5-game Wining Streak
PPG	18.3	23.6
Opp. PPG	28.0	16.2
Rushing/Game	69.3	155.8
Opp. Yards/Game	404.7	319.6

On paper, Green Bay looks very vulnerable. The Packers are averaging just 18.3 points per game over the last three weeks, while Rodgers—typically a Vikings killer—has been starting slow and uncharacteristically inefficient in recent games.

Zimmer and his staff don't seem to agree. Asked whether he thought anything looked different with Rodgers, Zimmer gave a quick response: "Same guy to me—great movement in the pocket, great vision, throws the ball anywhere at any time, gets the guys in the right protections. I have the utmost respect for him."

Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards felt the same. 

"There is no doubt the respect that we have for this guy and his ability," Edwards said on Thursday. "He can make every throw and the thing that’s so impressive about him is his mobility in the pocket, where he can run it or throw it. He’s still getting the ball at the point."

Over 14 career games against the Vikings, Rodgers has thrown 31 touchdowns and just four interceptions, recording a blistering passer rating of 119.0. Last season, he threw five touchdowns without an interception as the Packers scored 66 combined points and won both games. 

	Rodgers
Games	14
Comp. %	71.2
Passing Yards	3490
Yards/Attempt	8.7
Touchdowns	31
Interceptions	4
Passer Rating	119.0

Yet since the Packers came out of bye in Week 8, Rodgers has completed 56.5 percent of his passes and averaged 5.9 yards per attempt. His 86.0 passer rating is almost 20 points beneath his career mark.

The Denver Broncos held him to just 77 passing yards and 10 points in a decisive win on Nov. 1. A week later, Rodgers needed a furious rally in the fourth quarter to even have a chance at tying the Carolina Panthers on the road. Last time out, the Packers had just three points through the first 55 minutes of Detroit's upset.

The one on display in the last three games simply hasn't looked like the Rodgers' offense.

While a million different reasons might be at play in Green Bay, one in particular appears to stand out for Minnesota. Opposing defenses are rushing smartly and keeping Rodgers in the pocket.

"I think most every team understands when he gets out of the pocket, a lot of bad things happen,"  Zimmer said. "That’s not just the last three games, it’s the last 10 years probably. You have to be smart in how you rush him."

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Locked inside the pocket, Rodgers hasn't been able to create plays on the move. Without the extra time and movement to create passing windows for receivers, Green Bay's passing game has lacked rhythm and often looked stale.

"For us, we know what type of quarterback and respect we have going in for the game with the things he’s able to do," Edwards said. "Whether he’s moving in the pocket to throw it or whether he decides if you’re matched up in coverage, we’ve got to do a good job as far as our rush lanes, knowing exactly what our rush plan is this week."

Rodgers' game isn't the only thing that's gone haywire for Green Bay. Count the defense as another reason for the Packers' slide.

Despite a better effort against Detroit, Green Bay has looked fairly average against quarterbacks such as Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Cam Newton. The San Diego Chargers, Broncos and Panthers combined to score 86 points against Dom Capers' defense. 

There's still plenty of respect for the unit from Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner, who called the Green Bay defense "outstanding" and went on to say:

"

I see them very much as we saw a year ago, as they’ve played over the last few years, they’re very talented in all areas, very multiple in their scheme, they present a lot of problems in preparation and then want you to identify who and where and how you have to go about blocking them and protecting the quarterback against them. Then you’ve got to do it physically because they’re very talented.

"

The Packers forced four turnovers and held Minnesota to just 31 total points in two games last season. 

Then again, Green Bay didn't have to deal with running back Adrian Peterson, who currently leads the NFL in rushing. If Rodgers is a pain in the Vikings' rear, Peterson is a thorn in the Packers' heel. 

Date	Score	Att	Yards	TD
12/2/2012	14-23	21	210	1
12/30/2012	37-34	34	199	1
10/27/2013	31-44	13	60	1
11/24/2013	26-26	32	146	1

Over his last four games against Green Bay, Peterson has gained 615 rushing yards and scored five touchdowns. Overall, he has eight career games with at least 100 yards rushing against Minnesota's biggest rival.

"Adrian is so strong and so physical and he’s fresh right now," Turner said. 

Another big game from Peterson could help get Zimmer one of his biggest wins as Vikings head coach. A victory over the Packers would give Minnesota a two-game lead—plus a head-to-head tiebreaker—with just six games to play. The Vikings and Packers play again in Week 17 at Lambeau Field. 

If Minnesota loses Sunday, a lack of respect won't be why. The Vikings understand Zimmer is trying to build something in Minnesota that resembles what head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson have already constructed in Green Bay.

"Their organization is one of the top organizations in sports and honestly we’re just trying to get in the mix with these guys," Zimmer said. "They’re the top level and we’re just trying to get into the mix."

The Packers have won their respect. The Vikings can grab a big chunk of their own with a victory over their longtime rival on Sunday.

Zach Kruse covers the Vikings for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2