Turnovers have been a season-long problem for the Vikings and that will be a main story line to follow again Sunday against the Packers.

The Vikings rank last in the NFL in turnover margin at minus 11 and they have 23 turnovers. On the other side, the Packers lead the NFL in points off turnovers with 80. They have scored 11 touchdowns off their 19 takeaways.

Green Bay uses pressure to force teams into mistakes. The Packers are tied for first in the NFL in sacks (28) and are second in interceptions (14).

They intercepted Brett Favre three times in the first meeting, all coming in the second half. Opposing quarterbacks have an average passer rating of 68.3 against Green Bay, which leads the NFL.

Considering those stats, it's not surprising that Green Bay also leads the league in points allowed per game (15.9).

Favre said the key Sunday will be whether the Vikings offense can handle the Packers pressure and different blitz packages.

"When they switched to the 3-4 I think they, as a lot of these teams that are switching to the 3-4 or have run the 3-4, it seems to make the schemes or the teams better, just because of the combination of pressures or one-on-one matchups that you get," Favre said. "I think they have done a great job of creating matchups, allowing their playmakers to make plays. Dating back to last year, they were able to generate a lot of turnovers, were able to get to the quarterback a bunch. This year really hasnt been a whole lot different. Its not a simple scheme to prepare for. They play it well. I think thats the key, regardless of your scheme, is playing it very well.

"[Defensive coordinator Dom Capers] has done an excellent job, especially plugging in guys after injuries. Theyve had a ton of injuries over the last two years and theyve been able to plug guys in and still be able to play the scheme very well and also make a lot of big plays. I think the combination of the scheme and the way that their guys are playing has made them so much better."

The Most Important Game Of The Season
Posted by cjsiewert on November 18, 2010 7:12 am

Without a doubt, Sunday afternoons matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Mall of America Field is the most important game of the season for both teams.

With a Vikings win, the Purple would move into 2 games of the Packers in the divisional standings and the same with the Chicago Bears if they lose to Miami tonight. But if Green Bay comes out victorious, the Packers would jump 4 games ahead of the Vikings with 6 to play, and those numbers dont bode well for Minnesota reaching the postseason.

History shows that the Vikings home-field advantage has done the same justice as a neutral site would, with the Minnesota-Green Bay rivalry posting a 5-5 record at Mall of America Field over the past decade. But the Vikings have won the last 2 contests at home against the Packers, and will need to extend that streak to 3 if they want to extend their playoff aspirations.

And if playing at home with your backs against the wall and the season dangling by a thread isnt enough motivation to pull out all the stops, how about playing your former team of 16 seasons for most likely the last time in your career for added incentive?

No, I havent really, Vikings QB Brett Favre replied when asked if he had any thoughts on playing the Packers for a final time. We obviously need a win. Thats my focus and hopefully our teams focus is winning this football game, as it was last week and the week before. We cant be concerned about anything else but winning the football game. Theres no time to think about those types of things.

The 20-year veterans response to such a question speaks volumes to how a player should approach any game on a week-to-week basis, and the wills of each players character will be tested during Sundays pivotal NFC North showdown.

Ultimately youve got to want to play for yourself, Favre said. All of those qualities that are expected of you really are even more important at this point. Your true character can show. Hopefully our guys will take that approach. I think they will and have. Weve just got to get a win.

Oh, and by the way, Sundays battle between the Vikings and Packers will mark the 100th meeting between the 2 teams in their storied rivalry, and former Vikings DE John Randle will be awarded his Hall of Fame Ring during halftime. And I cant imagine Mr. Randle wanting to see anything less than a Vikings victory over a team he collected 14.0 sacks against in 11 seasons with the franchise.

If Rodgers is sharp like was the last game we should put their lights out.

"warhawk" wrote:

Hey, does anyone even know it's Packer week? Me either. With all the turmoil that's gone on this year, and with the 3-6 record, it's tough to get motivated to get my level of hate up to the required level. Let me try...nope, ain't happening.

BUT IT'S TIME TO BRING THE HAAAAAAAAATE!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope, that didn't do it either. Sigh...I hate the 2010 season. I almost want to blind myself with a stick so I don't have to watch the last half of the season, but then I could never watch German niche porn again. So I endure, for you, the fine people of DN.

Well, we still have 7 games to talk about, and this is our most bitter rival, and it is, more than likely, Brett Favre's last appearance against his old team. So with that in mind, here's five questions with the Acme Packing Company. One of the writers over there, texwestern, was gracious enough to exchange a Q and A and not to be too smug about it. My answers to his questions will be posted over there.

Star-divide

DN: The Packers have dealt with one injury after another, yet they are are 6-3 and in the thick of the NFC North race. How have they done it, and who has stepped up and filled in for an injured starter that's made you take notice?


The key has been the defense, and on defense, the biggest factor in my mind is the scheme. Dom Capers has designed his defense around Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson, who mercifully have missed only one game between them (Matthews was out for the loss against the Dolphins). If the players around them play solidly within their roles and let those two do their job and make impact plays, the D will be effective. When players like new starters ILB Desmond Bishop and SS Charlie Peprah make big plays as well, it's icing on the cake. Those two have impressed immensely since taking over for injured starters, and they're a big reason for the defense's recent success.

DN: How do you see the second half of the season playing out for Green Bay? The schedule seems tougher, and injuries are still hurting your team (Mark Tauscher, for example). Can they hang in until the end, or will a tougher schedule and lack of roster depth catch up to them in the second half?


The schedule certainly gets more difficult, with the games at Atlanta and New England and at home against the Giants being the toughest tests. The defense will need to continue forcing turnovers at big points in the game for this team to win those games against well-coached teams with talented defenses. The offense can function even without the key players it has lost, but it needs some help in the field-position game from the D and the special teams. I still feel that this is the best team in the division, and I expect the Packers to make the playoffs despite the tough schedule the rest of the way. Their success to this point speaks to the depth the team had at the start of the year...I just don't want to see that depth tested any further.


DN: Ted Thompson has been really brutalized by Green Bay fans because of his dogmatic philosophy to build the roster through the draft and not sign big free agents or make a trade for a position of need. With Green Bay's success in the post-Favre era, has he been vindicated, or can his philosophy only get the Packers so far?


There's only one way for Thompson to convince all Packers fans of his philosophy, and that's obviously for the Packers to win a Super Bowl under his watch. In general, I tend to support Thompson's overall philosophy, though I seem one of few Packers fans who feel that way. What really frustrates me is his unwillingness to tweak his tendencies when the situation dictates it--especially his lack of effort in trading for a running back once Ryan Grant went down. Overall though, he's made a number of great draft picks--Rodgers, Matthews, Jennings, and Raji, who's really been impressive this year--but draft picks take time to develop. The problem is that this team seems ready to make the big jump to being a Super Bowl-caliber team, and Ted needs to acknowledge that and look to improve the team in the short-term as well as the long-term.


DN: Clay Matthews has been the headliner on defense this year, wreaking havoc over most every team he has faced. What can the Vikings do to neutralize his impact on the game?


Sneak into his hotel room and give him some sleeping pills? Because he's been a beast against all kinds of offenses so far. Frankly, the Vikings seemed to do a reasonable job of containing him last game--he put pressure on Favre, but couldn't quite get to the QB quickly enough and ended up with one tackle and no sacks. The problem is that now when you double-team him, the defense is finally starting to get pressure from other players. One thought is to get him off his rhythm by using the running backs or tight ends to chip him at the line of scrimmage. That's easier said than done though, and it's no guarantee that he'll be ineffective.


DN: Aaron Rodgers has put up some impressive numbers as a starting QB. However, there's one number that baffles me, and that's zero (maybe one). And that refers to the number of fourth quarter come from behind wins he has engineered with the game on the line. Is that a big deal, (and possibly over-magnified considering his predecessor's knack for it), or is this something that you think is a legitimate problem?


I only found one, as he connected on a 50-yard catch and run to Jennings with a minute or so left in the first Bears game last year. (I don't count the second Bears game in 09, when he threw a TD to take a 21-14 lead with 12+ minutes to go). In 2008, his first year as a starter, I thought that Rodgers played very well late in games; the Packers' defense just couldn't hold it down for him. The Pittsburgh game last year was another instance where his defense couldn't hold up after he led a marvelous fourth quarter. The Pack trailed 24-14 entering the fourth and took a 36-30 lead with two minutes to go before Ben Roethlisberger's ridiculous touchdown to Mike Wallace stole the game. So in general, it hasn't been Rodgers that has failed late in close games so far in his career, it's been his defense. I believe that he has been good, and that I have no doubt that he'll rack up his share of comeback wins in the years to come.

Thanks to tex and ACP. We hate them, but maybe we can tap into it next year. I've just been beat down this year, and we're barely halfway through.

"warhawk" wrote:

Aaron Rodgers has never won a game at the Metrodome as a starting quarterback

Setting The Table For Green Bay
Posted by Mike Wobschall on November 17, 2010 10:42 am

The Setting The Table For [opponent's name] blog entry typically sets up the Vikings upcoming matchup by breaking down a bunch of important statistics and trends related to said opponent. We typically break down both the offense and defense and we even talk about special teams angles.

Thats not how its going to be this week, though. As I mentioned to Voice of the Vikings Radio Network Paul Allen today during his 9-noon show on KFAN, which is being broadcast as part of Winter Park Wednesday right here at Sports Authority Studios, analyzing this game is not about trends, statistics and personnel matchups.

Rather, this week is about the Vikings backs being up against the wall and needing to bite, crawl and scratch their way to a victory against a division rival at Mall of America Field. The Vikings are 17-3 at home in their last 20 games and theyve won 3 of the last 4 contests against Green Bay. A victory this weekend is crucial for the Vikings to keep hope alive for the 2010 season and Im confident the squad will put its best foot forward.

Keep in mind, Green Bay is 6-3 this season and theyre playing well despite tons of injuries to key players. Head coach Mike McCarthy has guided his team to 13 wins in the last 17 regular season games they went 7-1 in their last 8 games last year to earn a Wild Card berth in the playoffs. So Green Bay comes in hot this weekend and the Vikings have an opportunity to cool them down and start to get back in the NFC North race.

A key for the Vikings this week will be the injury report. Heres who Ill have my eye on and why

WR Percy Harvin He leads the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1,443 and he leads the Vikings in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs.

CB Asher Allen, S Eric Frampton and S Jamarca Sanford These guys are affiliated with the defense, but their more important roles may be on special teams. All 3 players are core special teamers and all 3 could be on this weeks injury report.

WR Sidney Rice Even if he plays, Im unsure of what his impact will be in his first game back. But, theres a chance its a great impact and theres no doubt he would command respect from the Green Bay defense.

WR Bernard Berrian Speedy WR had a great game the last time he played (against Arizona). If Rice doesnt go, his inclusion in the lineup is important. We saw how the pass offense looked last week with no Berrian or Rice.

C John Sullivan Last but not least is Sullivan. Theres no question to me that the offensive line is at its best when Sullivan is in the lineup, and the Vikings lost him early last week. Jon Cooper played well in Sullivans place, but its nice to have the starter in the middle.