Packers at Vikings Monday Night Football Preview and Prediction

The stage could not be set for a bigger game on a Monday Night where Brett Favre will face his old team, the Green Bay Packers wearing the purple number 4 jersey of the Minnesota Vikings. Not only are these two teams bitter division rivals but with all the media attention Brett Favre has attained after retiring from the Packers two years ago, this is a story of epic proportions.

Minnesota is off to a tremendous start going 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS to open the season. They did beat up on two of the weakest teams in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions in week’s 1 and 2, but they earned a huge home victory last Sunday on a late Favre touchdown pass to beat the San Francisco 49ers in dramatic Favre-like fashion. However, this year Favre has a luxury he has never had before: Adrian Peterson. 

Peterson is undoubtedly the best back in football and the Vikings are averaging over 143 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry on the ground this season. This will be a big test for a Packer defense that has struggled thus far stopping the run in 2009. In their first three games, the Packers are giving up an average of 128.7 yards per game and almost 4 yards per carry. That will likely be a big key to this game. The Packers are going to have to commit 8 guys to the run in order to control Peterson which should loosen up the secondary for Favre and receivers like Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian.

Meanwhile, the Packers will rely on Aaron Rodgers to make big plays down the field. They have struggled to run the ball and the offensive line is having problems opening up running lanes for Ryan Grant. When you throw in the fact that the Vikings probably have one of the best defensive lines in football, I do not see the Packers winning this game by running the football. Rodgers has already thrown for over 700 yards and 4 TDs in just three games but I expect Minnesota to bring a lot of pressure to force Rodgers into making mistakes. With the strength of the defensive line, they may be able to get pressure just rushing four and dropping seven in coverage. If they can do that, it could be a long night for the Packers.

If the Packers have any chance in winning this game they have to stop the run. Adrian Peterson is capable of running on any defense but this Packer front seven has not shown the ability to slow down the opposing team’s running attack. They will have to get a lot better. Secondly, they will have to protectAaron Rodgers because this Minnesota defense is one of the best in the NFC. They are only giving up an average of 260 total yards per game thus far. If they are able to get pressure on Rodgers while stoppingRyan Grant, I do not see the Packers winning this ball game. The home crowd will also be a huge factor as they have rallied around Favre and will be behind him 100% in his first game against the team he once ruled.

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