Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings Make for Must-See TV This Sunday
If the NFL needs a surefire story line game this week, look no further than the Green Bay Packers' (6-3) trip to Minnesota to take on the Vikings (3-6).
The Packers and Vikings heated border rivalry is always reason enough to tune in, but this Sunday, there are more than a few interesting subplots that make this game must-see television.
From starting quarterbacks to injury lists to head coaches and seasons on the brink, there is plenty to be excited and nervous about for both fanbases.
Here are some of the best reasons to make sure your television is turned to FOX this coming Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers Vs. Brett Favre
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While the Favre-Rodgers matchup is the most obvious, it's still an interesting plot to look at.
With Favre stating that 2010 will in fact be his last season (yeah, we'll believe it when we see it!), Sunday could be the final matchup between the two quarterbacks.
Rodgers is 1-2 against the man he studied under for three seasons, and he'll get the chance to even the score at the Metrodome—a place where Rodgers has never won.
And I know this is a huge reach, but something tells me this game will be decided by which quarterback plays better. Will Favre continue turning the ball over? Will the Metrodome continue to give Rodgers nightmares?
Who Is Going To Catch Favre's Passes?
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The Vikings' receiving core has been a hobbled squad all season long, and that doesn't figure to change this Sunday.
Both Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian left their game against Chicago and didn't return, but Minnesota might finally get back Pro Bowler Sidney Rice.
Many thought Rice was going to play in Chicago, but he ultimately decided to sit out his ninth straight game this season. Considering it was Rice who decided he wasn't ready, it's clear he doesn't want to throw himself into the fire during a contract year without being 100 percent.
Either way, you'd have to figure that Rice would be limited come Sunday, and the story with Berrian and Harvin doesn't sound promising, either.
Berrian apparently pulled himself out of the game after warm-ups with a groin injury, and his status still isn't known. There are differing accounts of what happened, depending on whether you talk to Berrian, Favre or coach Brad Childress (more drama in Minnesota?), so we might not know until game time if he'll play or not.
Harvin hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter, and he'll be reevaluated come Wednesday. Harvin has missed considerable practice time throughout this season due to various ailments, so he's probably the best bet to play Sunday, even if he missed the entire week of practice.
Chances are good, however, that the Packers won't see the Vikings' receiving core at anything near full strength on Sunday.
Will Sunday Be the Vikings' 2010 Super Bowl?
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If the Minnesota Vikings still have any fight left in them, Sunday will probably be the most motivated Vikings team we've seen in 2010.
At 3-6, they are far from being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but another loss would put their playoff hopes on life support.
Losing to another NFC North rival would put the division title out of reach, and falling to 3-7 would mean that only a six-game winning streak could possibly salvage a playoff trip.
With their season seemingly at stake Sunday, you'd have to believe that the Vikings would be ready to play their best game. However, Packers fans were saying the same thing two weeks ago when the reeling Dallas Cowboys came into Lambeau Field, and we all know how that turned out for them.
So will the Vikings put forth their best effort of 2010 and keep their season alive? Or will they roll over and die like the Cowboys did for the Packers?
Sunday will answer those questions.
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Packers Need To Win To Keep Up in Race for Division, NFC
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While the Vikings' season might be on the brink, the Packers' season is alive and well. After a 3-3 start, Green Bay has rolled off three straight wins and sits tied with the Chicago Bears atop the NFC North.
But the winning must continue for the Packers, and it must continue Sunday in Minnesota.
The Packers still must face the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots away from Lambeau Field, and the New York Giants and Bears occupy the Packers' last two games on their home schedule.
That leaves Sunday's game against the 3-6 Vikings, a trip to 2-7 Detroit and a home game against the 3-6 49ers as the Packers only remaining games against sub-.500 teams.
It's a daunting final seven games, and the Packers can't afford any slip-ups against teams that they should beat. And Minnesota is a team the Packers should beat on Sunday.
The Bears face the Dolphins on Thursday night this week, and with the Dolphins' top two quarterbacks out of action, it's very possible the Bears will finish Week 11 7-3.
Green Bay will need to follow suit Sunday by knocking off the reeling Vikings.
Is This Favre's Last Chance As the Vikings' Starting Quarterback?
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To say the magic has worn off for the Vikings and Brett Favre this season would be an understatement. Favre has been far from the quarterback he was in 2009, and in my opinion, this should be his last shot as starting quarterback for the Vikings.
Need evidence?
Here are the bottom-five quarterbacks in the NFL in passer rating: Alex Smith (75.0), Brett Favre (72.2), Derek Anderson (68.1), Matt Moore (55.6) and Jimmy Clausen (53.8). What has happened to all these quarterbacks besides Favre?
They've been benched multiple times this season.
So why hasn't Favre? He leads the NFL in interceptions with 16, and if he remains in the top five of interceptions, it will mark Favre's 11th NFL season in the top five.
I don't care how much you're paying him, that he's the NFL's iron man, all that jazz. No matter what it says on the back of his jersey, he's not winning football games, and he's not playing well.
That equals benching in the NFL, and the Vikings would be wise to turn this over to Tarvaris Jackson if this continues even a game longer.
Which begs the next question, could Sunday be Brett Favre's last NFL start ever?
Another Injury Comes Up for Favre After Big Loss?
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Reports after the Vikings' loss in Chicago were that Favre was experiencing pain in his surgically repaired right shoulder before Minnesota took the field against the Bears.
Is anyone else getting tired of this happening week after week? Look, I understand that Favre does have these ailments. He's not making them up.
The ankle after the NFC Championship game loss had visual evidence. He had surgery on it in the offseason.
The broken bones in his foot/ankle after the Vikings' loss in Lambeau were real. I'd hope they wouldn't fabricate that.
The bloody chin/possible concussion after a loss to the Pats was real. He's been getting walloped all season.
Now the shoulder/bicep, which also served as a nice excuse for his 2008 collapse. Here's a bit of advice, Brett. With all these injuries, do yourself and your team a favor. Sit. Don't play. Forget about your record and miss a game.
I'm not even saying miss Sunday's game against the Packers, because I want Favre to play. But considering how bad he's played and all the injuries he's dealing with, it's time to put your money where your mouth is.
Because Favre was the one who said he wouldn't just "play to play" and that he wouldn't go out there if he thought he was "hurting the team." That might be exactly what Favre's actually doing.
Could Sunday Be the Last Game for Brad Childress?
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As much as Favre has hurt the Vikings this season, coach Brad Childress is more to blame.
Whether it's sending three players to Mississippi to get Favre, consistently lying to the media or trading for Randy Moss, 2010 has been a constant circus for Childress.
To make matters worse, several Vikings told a Chicago newspaper that they "hated Childress"—confirming what we've thought all along: Childress has lost the Vikings' locker room.
It was also reported that owner Zygi Wilf considered firing Childress if he lost against the Cardinals two weeks ago, but the Vikings' fourth-quarter comeback seemingly saved his job.
So now, after a loss in Chicago, could a loss at home against the Packers force Wilf to pull the trigger?
It'd make sense, and they have a head-coach-ready replacement in defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. Just like the Cowboys, Minnesota would get a chance to see if Frazier is the right fit for the job, and a change in head coach could help point the Vikings' ship in the right direction heading into 2011.
The Packers get the chance to possibly put the axe to head coaches in two consecutive games, but will the Vikings do enough to save Childress' job again?
Conclusion
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Don't get me wrong, the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings always provide a must-see game in my eyes. But has there ever been a game between the two with more intrigue and subplots than this coming Sunday?
You could argue Favre vs. Rodgers last season, and I'd be hard-pressed to disagree with you, but the plots somewhat ended there.
This season, there's still Favre vs. Rodgers, but so much more from the Vikings' side to keep this rivalry as heated as ever.
There's no doubt, a lot is on the line Sunday. Will the Vikings save their season and upset the trending Packers? Or will Green Bay send another head coach and former quarterback to the chopping block?
So make sure you tune in Sunday, because this might be another stretch—but you're going to want to find out.
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