Vikings vs. Packers: TV Schedule, Live Streaming, Radio, Game Time and More

The NFC North might be the best division in the NFL right now, and it will take center stage on Monday Night Football when the defending champion Green Bay Packers host the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings have struggled this season, as evidenced by their 2-6 record, but they have played better since inserting rookie quarterback Christian Ponder into the starting lineup. Even though they may not be a playoff team, they can build some positive momentum with a win over the best team in the NFL.

The Packers have been by far the best and most consistent team in the league this season. They still have a long way to go, but there seems to be growing sentiment that this team could go undefeated. Considering how well Aaron Rodgers has played, you would be hard pressed to bet against them.

Where: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin

When: Monday, Nov. 14 at 8:30 p.m. EDT

Watch: ESPN

Listen: KFAN/KTLK Radio, Sirius Channel 92 (Minnesota); Sirius Channel 93

Live Streaming Audio: NFL.com Audio Pass ($29.99 for year, $27.99 team specific, $9.99 a month)

Betting Line: Green Bay (-14)

What’s At Stake?

Perfection. No matter how much we roll our eyes when the subject is brought up when the season is only halfway done, the fact remains that it is a feat so extraordinary that, whenever the possibility exists, we get excited.

The Packers probably won’t go undefeated, because it is such a difficult thing to do, but they have been so dominant this season that you can certainly see it happening.

In addition to that, the Packers also have to worry about the 6-2 Detroit Lions and 5-3 Chicago Bears in the division. They may be undefeated, but they have by no means wrapped up the NFC North yet.

Minnesota Injury Report

Out: G Anthony Herrera (Knee)

Questionable: CB Antoine Winfield (Neck)

Green Bay Injury Report

Out: RB Alex Green (Knee), LB Frank Zombo

Fantasy Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em, Sleeper

Start ‘Em: Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers

There is nothing that I can say that you don’t already know. Rodgers is having an historic season, one of the best that we have ever seen. He is completing over 72 percent of his passes and has a 24-3 TD-INT ratio so far this season.

Rodgers is the clear-cut choice for the MVP through the halfway point in the season, and it will take an epic collapse over the next eight games to dethrone him.

Sit ‘Em: Minnesota Vikings WR Percy Harvin

This was supposed to be the year that Harvin broke out. He was the No. 1 receiver after Sidney Rice signed with Seattle in the offseason, but he has failed to take hold of the position.

To date, Harvin has just 31 receptions for 334 yards and one rushing touchdown. There is still game-changing potential with him, so don’t completely give up on him, but to expect anything at this point would be foolish.

Sleeper: Minnesota Vikings WR Michael Jenkins

With Percy Harvin having such a disappointing season, Jenkins has stepped up nicely in recent weeks to become a solid fantasy contributor.

The first time that the Vikings played the Packers this season, Jenkins had 111 yards and one touchdown on just three receptions. While he likely won’t duplicate those numbers in this game, Christian Ponder needs someone to throw to.

What They Are Saying

The Minnesota Vikings were depending on Percy Harvin to become a dominant force in the passing game this season, but it has not worked out the way that they were hoping. 

Still, that does not mean the team does not recognize his value to them and respects what he has done this year despite battling injuries virtually all year.

Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder, in particular, said that he is in awe of the things that Harvin is able to do. 

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"The guy is unbelievable,'' Ponder said. ``He's tough. He's one of the toughest guys on the team, not only physically but mentally. I think the biggest play of the game (against Carolina) was him catching that flat—it was a hot route—on the last drive and making a guy miss and getting the first down. He's got tremendous heart, and he's a tremendous player."

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Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has won the last two coin tosses and chosen to defer, allowing his defense to take the field to start the game right away. When asked about that strategy by Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he said there is a reason but did not offer an explanation. 

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"I really don't want to get into specifics, not that we have some magic formula based on why we defer and why we don't defer," McCarthy said. "Some of it's pulse, some of it's gut feeling based on the information that's applied."

McCarthy said he really likes the ball at the start of the second half as well. In both games, the Packers scored at the end of the first and then scored again to start the second.

"If you use yesterday's game as an example, there's a 10-point difference between the last time San Diego had the ball in the first half and the first time they had it in the second half," he said.

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The point being that if the Packers win the coin toss this week, odds are good they will defer to the second half. 

Minnesota Player To Watch: RB Adrian Peterson

The most exciting and dominant running back in the NFL, Peterson has had great success this season despite the Vikings having virtually no passing game to speak of. He has to carry the load—literally and figuratively—for the team to have a chance in this game.

Peterson had a huge game against Green Bay in Week 7 with 175 yards and a touchdown, and the Vikings lost by just six points.

Green Bay Player To Watch: QB Aaron Rodgers

The Packers offense is loaded with talent, but Rodgers is clearly head and shoulders above the rest. In fact, he is so far beyond anyone else in the NFL right now that air traffic controllers are reporting seeing something green wearing a No. 12 jersey floating around.

Rodgers is having one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history and has shown no signs of slowing down. This team goes as he goes. When he plays great, the team looks great. When he looks average, the team looks average.

Key Matchup: Minnesota QB Christian Ponder vs. Green Bay Defensive Line

Adrian Peterson is a great running back, but there is only so much he can do. If the Packers are able to score on the Vikings defense, which they will, because they score on everyone, then it will be incumbent upon Ponder to make plays.

When these teams played three weeks ago, Ponder was able to make those plays and the Vikings were able to keep the game close. Even though he did not finish with great numbers overall, he did enough.

Prediction

Since they won’t have the benefit of home field advantage in this game, the Vikings will be picked apart by the powerful Packers offense.

Packers 34, Vikings 14