#363 Packers Unscripted: View of the Vikings

football from US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The Packers third consecutive road game that will be in prime time, which I don't know if that's ever happened before, but New England, Seattle, now Minneapolis. So let's take a closer look at this Vikings team. They're just one game ahead of the Packers

at five four and one. Packers are four five and one, both teams right now trailing the Chicago Bears in the NFL See North, and the Vikings coming off of a primetime loss to those first place Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago last Sunday Night, a game in which Minnesota's offense really struggled to get anything going against that Chicago defense. Well, it goes back to what I've always said, Michael, with this game, you never know how it's going to play

out at the beginning of the year. I think you and I could probably roll back, Marvin can bring up the past on scripted episodes. We thought it was gonna be the Packers and Vikings one too for the division and maybe the loser that being a wild card team. Uh. And you see how the season plays out. The Chicago Bears have really come on. I mean offensively, they're doing what they have to do to take care of business.

The Vikings are different in that watching them sort of struggle a little bit with this Kirk Cousins era has kind of caught me off guard a little bit. Their thirty feet right now against the UH with the with the run. Offensively, Uh, you're getting the performances you want to get out of you know, Stefon Diggs and Adam Feeland. But offensively it's then you know, kind of hit or miss for them. Defensively, that's the same defense. They're still

making plays. But I don't know if I don't want to say it's been a disappointment, because I wouldn't say that. We see how difficult it is to find solid quarterback play in the NFL. But I think if anything, this season has kind of showed that Kirk Cousins is human in that expectations for as sky high as they were

going in the season, they always have to be adjusted. Yeah, And I think the injury early in the season to Dalvin Cook, I think really changed the outlook for this offense because I think you and I were both thinking, you know, Dalvin Cook coming back from the injury from a year ago, he was really going to be a centerpiece of this offense. And nothing against Lottavius Murray who filled in right very well, but Dalvin Cook is more of that game breaker textually in the in the running

game that they haven't had. And I just I think if this Vikings offense gets Dalvin Cook going again like they had him going last year before he got hurt with case Keenum at quarterback, I think this Vikings offense could really take off. So you say, yes, their thirty one in the league against the run, It sounds kind of crazy, but I think one of the keys for the Packers is going to be to keep them there, to not let Dalvin Cook get going, because to me,

that's just gonna make Kirk cousins life so much easier. Well, and that's what kind of surprises me about the offense this year from Minnesota. I think there's a lot of people that would agree. I would hope most would agree that Kirk Cousins is an upgrade over the kind of quarterback triangle that they had last year. There. Uh, and yet you look at what they did with case Keenum in Latavius Murray in the offense in some ways is a little more effective with basically the same offensive line.

So it's weird how season to season there isn't always that consistency. There's still adjustments that happened in the game changes. That being said, Mike, if you would have told me at the beginning of the year, injuries, no injuries. Dalvin Cook has fifty carries for a hundred and ninety nine yards three point six yards per carry. Seventy of those came on one run, right, he had the one big seventy yards. Like, it's incredible that he did have that

one breakthrough run. But yet the yards per carrey are that low. As you said, though, when you pointed out perfectly, the Packers can't rest on their laurels there. He's still going to be a supreme matchup for them, and Mary still gives them a really good change of pace, and it adds to a pretty on paper, a pretty balanced offense when they're taking care of the football. Yeah. I think was the Digs in their receiving corps who missed a game or two somewhere recently. I can't remember exactly

which which games he missed. It was the Detroit game. Yeah, So I mean with him being back, I saw him catching a lot of underneath balls against the Bears in that game last Sunday night. He put up a pretty good game, but didn't have any of those game breaking type of plays, and I think a lot of that was because they just could not get the running game going against that Chicago front. The Bears. The Bears defensive line, really defensive front set the tone in that game. You

mentioned Minnesota's offensive line. I think this is a unit that is going to be out for a little bit of redemption here against the Packers, because that's the unit that's taking a lot of he in the Minneapolis media right now for the let down at Soldier Field and and how it took the offense until the fourth quarter when they were kind of in desperation mode before they really started to move the ball with any consistency. So this Vikings offensive line, they're going to be back home,

you know, in their own elements. And uh Packers. The Packers defensive front, yes, they're banged up. Mike Daniels is not in there. This isn't the same defensive front that the Bears have. But that's where the Packers have to

try to control this ball game. You have to because I mean, you've seen in the past what what you know Cook can do when he's healthy and be effective against teams, And honestly, the Mattavious Murray has been doing it for the last five six years, whether it goes back to his time with the Raiders or now in

the second part of his career with the Vikings. Both of those guys have the capabilities of breaking it and also moving the chains just down in distance and doing the small things to be effective out of the backfield. The biggest thing I think that plays into, though, the desire to need to stop them, is because it does somewhat limit the downfield passing game. Then of the Vikings, we've seen it against the Packers in the past two when they're able to move the ball and get those

favorable second and third down situations. That's when you start to see digs go on, Margo routes, That's when you start to see at field having the deep crossers. So you have to be on your your game from that regard and and you know otherwise, you know, it kind of reminds me, Mike a little bit um your baseball guy.

I used to be a baseball guy where you know, you'd play a certain team, let's just say the Cardinals, for example, and you could kind of visualize who's gonna be at first, who's gonna be at second, who's going to be the outfield. It's such a consistent group, and you know where they're going to be in the batting order. I look at the Vikings in the very similar light. Offensive and defensive. You know you're gonna have to deal

with Kyle Rudolph and just the multitude of options they have. Now, again, is there you know that Tyreek Hill or just a guy that completely strikes fearing you. Maybe yes, maybe no. It's a lot of possession receivers in that offense. But that being said, you can't allow them to get go on because a feeling two has had some really big games against this team. Yeah, well, Theeland had was at eight consecutive games to start the year with one yards.

He's cooled off a little bit. You know, obviously he can't keep that up forever. He's cooled off a little bit production wise, but as you said, he's had some big games against the Packers. You know, he and Diggs both made huge plays in the fourth quarter at lambeau Field when when the Vikings made that come back to get the game here in Week two into overtime, which

which ultimately ended in a tie. UM Feeling is a feeling is a guy that that's earned a ton of respect, uh, not only around the league, but certainly within the NFC North and UH and the games he's had against Green Bay, the Packers are gonna have to They're gonna have to clamp down on him better than they have. The one thing I like about the Packers secondary this though, it's almost a different group than what they saw in that

week too game. You know. You also, depending on if Bishop Brillan is available, he's now in their Devon Houses on injury reserve. I really really want to see that matchup between if it works out to e Gyr Alexander against Adam Feeland, because I mean, there had there's been some flexibility that they've had to do. You know, Alexander said, in a perfect world, he enjoys playing the slot more. He's fine doing either. He feels he can be a Pro Bowl type player at either spot, but he just

enjoys being involved in the game. Weren't getting a chance to make some plays. As Tremont Williams always likes to say, we're near on a boundary, it kind of gets lonely out there. Alexander likes the action, and I just think seeing him in Cineland could be really I think it's gonna be a really good matchup for years to come. But if you could get that, if you get enough guys healthy to have that potentially play out in this game,

I think that'd be really big for Mike Petten's defense. Well, we saw in the Week two game here at lambeau Field when the Packers had Kevin King on stefanigs how the Packers defense was really really tough that day for about three quarters. And then when Kevin King left the game and they had to start shuffling some things around in the secondary, suddenly Minnesota's offense took off. So we'll see as the week goes on. What what the word is with Kevin King in his ability to stay step

for step with Digs in that game. I thought it was so key. I mean, it's still out of all, like if I took the top ten passes, defense or interceptions for the year so far, even though it wasn't a pick that that play where he goes stride for stride with him down the far sideline with no help whatsoever over the top, it's just go, there's your man, Go make a play and unfortunately end up pulling out of that with a groin injury shortly after that. But

I've been saying it since day one. When you look at King's size and his speed MIC and the fact that he can play the boundary position against some really tall, lengthy athletic receivers, he is exactly what you need in two thousand and eighteen to to be able to defend against them. Yeah, alrighty, well quickly West a little sponsored business the powerful noise canceling technology that helps NFL coaches block out eighty tho screaming fans can get you closer

to the music you love. Learn more at www dot bos dot com. Slash Packers Bows the official headphones of the Green Bay Packers. Okay, defensive side of the ball for the Minnesota Vikings, they've had some guys in and out. Everson Griffin is back in now after are missing a lot of time for some personal reasons. Anthony Barr. It sounds like maybe he's coming back this week after missing um some games. You know, your mainstays in there, Kendrick's,

Harrison Smith, Davier Rhodes. I mean this this is still a pretty darn good unit. And the guy who's really the kind of striking fear and everybody is that pass rusher Daniel Hunter. What's he up to now? Eleven and a hal half second most right now? Yeah, I mean he's he's been racking him up this year. Um, interesting story behind him, just because he's a guy who came into the NFL without a whole lot of fanfare, but yet he's developed into quite the productive pass rusher. Yeah.

And this is what I've always respected about Mike Patton's defense, whether excuse me, Mike Zimmer's defense, although I do respect Pattens too, going back to either whether it was with his time with Cincinnati or now these last four or five years with Minnesota, it's never just one guy. Certainly Everson Griffin's been on a good run and when everything's right, you know, he's a very effective player. But it's not

just one guy. He always has somebody else that's EPs up, and Hunters really became that player over the last two and a half seasons. And as you mentioned, I don't know if there was a lot of fanfare with him. He wasn't one of these, you know, Harrison Smith, you know, first round all eyes on him type prospects. But what he's been able to do and the impact he's been

able to make has been pretty incredible. And especially Mike when you say the eleven and a half sacks, much like Feeland, I mean he had this first six or seven games, seven games with at least one sack, and then had three and a half against Detroit in that day. I believe Matthew Stafford got taken down ten times. Ten times. Yeah, that was a new, a new Vikings record. They sack

Stafford ten times. When you think about back to the days of the Purple People leaders and all that, I know, sacks maybe weren't an official statistic back then, but to think that this Vikings defense set the franchise record for sacks in one game with ten. That that's saying something. It was something else. And And like I said, to be able to a third round pick in two thousand fifteen, six ft five, two sixty pounds, be able to get

that kind of impact a very really critical thing. And you know, because you're gonna get your first round picks. But being able to find these type of guys, being able to find the Adam feelings of the world, as we've seen with some of these Packer teams in the past that have really excelled. It's those type of players

that can put a defense or an offense over the top. Yeah, and when you're talking pass rush, we all know that the pass rush for a team playing at home, when the defense is at home is always different than on the road. And U and the Packers offensive line obviously is going to have his hands full. You get the noise going, the offense has to go to the silent count.

Those pass rushers just they have that I wouldn't even say it's a half a second, it's a it's a fraction of a half of a second that they get a little bit of a jump that you don't necessarily get when you're playing on the road as a pass rusher, and uh and it it makes it makes the task of protecting a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers that much tougher. Yeah, and it's gonna be interesting to the thing. I'm looking forward to watching this matchup. So obviously Trey Wayne Xavior

Rohads they're the one too. They've been that way for a number of years. But they lost my cues for this season. Yeah, so seen exactly how they match up there. I had to be honest with you, I'm not is it mostly been Mackenzie Alexander handling the slot. I'm not even entirely. I know he's been playing a lot more obviously since Hughes went out, but I don't know they

handle that sub package. But anyway, Hughes, that was kind of seen as that was going to be his spot, and he was looking pretty good there early on this season, and he was drafted in the first round specifically to be that guy for them this season, to to add add that one extra top line you know, cover corner

type guy. Yeah. So whereas in the past, you know, they've been so deep at so many positions, they still are relatively speaking, but they've had to really at at all three major spots, have had to dig a little bit deeper into that depth chart than they have the

past few seasons, at least to the naked eye. Yeah, and for all the disappointment in some ways that is surrounding the Vikings because they did come in with Super Bowl hopes and yet here they are at five four and one, there in second place in their own division, Minnesota is still looking at this, at least I would imagine they are from Mike Zimmer's point of view as, Hey,

we're right in this thing. You beat the Packers, get to six four and one, you have another shot at the Bears because the Bears are coming to your place in December, all that kind of stuff. The Vikings are looking at it is, Hey, we still have everything right in front of us. Who cares about these four losses in one tie. Let's let's take care of business at home and get rolling and get ourselves another shot in

the playoffs like last year. So as much as they're disappointed with what happened on Sunday night at Soldier Field, this is a team that is going to be fired up and ready to go especially want to defend their home turf after losing two games. They're already this season. They only lost one last year up until obviously you know, the final stretch. But uh, that being said, I I

just I look right now, Michael, at this thing. Uh you know, they had the inexcusable loss to Buffalo, but otherwise they're in a very similar boat to the Packers, and that you know, a close loss in l A. You lose a close one to Chicago. Uh, you know, they they They've had some very competitive games over the course the season, ten point lost to New Orleans. They just have not been able to get over the hump

in those. So yeah, this is a I always am nervous, and I don't like saying must win games, but I think you can pretty much agree the Packers are in that scenario right now. Considering this as a division opponent, you're this close in the race. I think the win like this is really going to be able to cut catapult either team into that fourth quarter of the season. Yeah, you're right, it is. It's kind of a potential launching pad,

so to speak, for either team. Because from Minnesota's point of view, as I said, if they get to six four and one, and they know that Chicago is coming to their place later in the season. They'll feel like they're right where they want to be from the Packers point of view. Win and get to five five and one, and you have two home games coming up after all of these wrote, you know, four road games in five

weeks and and all the struggles on the road. If you can snap those struggles on the road and get a win and you're coming back home for two games, then you feel like you can thrust yourself right back into the conversation. So, um, one other thing, Um, Actually I should take care of some sponsor business. Let's do that, all right at Homer Here in the stands, we all know that Green Bay fans give it their all and that takes a lot of energy. So grab a warm

bowl of Campbell's Chunky Soup. It's meaty goodness fuels the greatness of Packers fans everywhere tried the delicious classic chicken noodle soup. Just visit your local supermarket and ask for Campbell's Chunky Soup, Official sup partner of the Green Bay Packers. Okay, before we go today, I do want to preview a little bit the Turkey Day of Football Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving Triple Header a really interesting slate of games in that all three games are not only NFC strictly NFC teams,

but they're all division matchups. You have the Chicago Bears going to Detroit in the early game, you have the Washington Redskins going to Dallas for the late afternoon game. And then I forget the location, but it's Falcons and Saints. It's in New Orleans, Okay, Falcons at Saints in the

NFC South for the night game. All these have really interesting narratives because the Bears obviously in first place in the North, but they just played a Sunday night football game and they have to kick it off at eleven thirties Central Time in Detroit on Thursday. Actually did the math there. Their turnaround time from end of game to start of next game is about twelve hours shorter than what the Packers had for the after the Miami from

the Miami to Seattle. So they didn't have to take a cross country No, they don't have to take a cross they don't have to take a cross country flight, but twelve hours is twelve hours. And then you have the Redskins, who are down to their backup quarterback now with the horrible injury to Alex Smith unfortunately, and I'm not laughing about that. I'm laughing more about the Cowboys suddenly being in the middle of that division race. Yeah. Well, the Cowboys were two weeks ago, they were three and

five and everybody was writing them off. And all of a sudden, they've won back to back games. The Redskins lose their quarterback and Dallas has a chance to uh to tie them for first and then uh the night game the Atlanta Falcons, if they pick up their seventh loss, it's I mean, it's pretty much all over for them in terms of trying to make the postseason if if the best they can do is is nine and seven the way things look so and the New Orleans Saints are the team that nobody can seem to stay with

right now. Yeah, it's gonna be an exciting day of games. I am really you know, I'm hoping we'll break here early enough to get home and you know, throw down some turkey and check these games out, you know, personally. In addition, you know, the narrative for the North is going to be what it is in the the intrigue is going to be there because of the Packers and the implications of it. Was the main reason why I was saying last week, I think you're kind of hoping

for a Vikings win just based on the Bears. You know, even his short rest, they're still taking on a Detroit team that's trying to find themselves. How much how much do you think Detroit's I mean, Detroit got a pretty big win over Carolina at home on Sunday, a game a lot of people needed it. A lot of people thought Carolina would walk into four field and just kind

of keep rolling offensively, and that didn't happen. You know, Detroit, Detroit could really make life difficult for Chicago, and they could pull themselves back into it, because again, this thing isn't nobody's running away with it. A win over the Bears would put everybody within two games of each other with five to go. So there are a lot of

implications for that. Me personally, though, Michael, the game I'm most excited about is Washington and Dallas because, to be quite honest with you and I could end up being completely wrong. These next five weeks six weeks could go terrible. I've always quietly been a Coult McCoy fan. I actually have always been impressed with him. I don't think he ever got a fair shake with Cleveland. If you go back and see and look at some of the issues

that Cleveland has had, his stats actually bear out. Okay there, and he's been the backup in Washington for four seasons now and they paid him, you know, a significant amount of money to be there the last two years. So this is why you do it. I think a lot of people consider him one of the upper echelon backups in the league. Well, now, this is a chance to keep Washington in the playoff hunt. And conversely, you have a Dallas team that I think has given up the

fewest points in the NFC right now. Defensively, Yeah, that's the thing, Dallas. Dallas's defense is what has helped them turn the surround and stay in it because, yeah, while their offenses smoothed some things out, their offense hasn't suddenly exploded. It's their defense that has changed the tenor of certain games and gotten them back in this So does that tenor continue on Thursday night, I'm or Thursday afternoon. I think that's gonna be an excellent football game, very much

excited to watch it. And then New Orleans Atlanta's had to overcome a lot with their injuries on defense. This here, and now you've got this silver bullet train just heading right for you. Uh well, we'll see how they handle it. Yeah, I mean New Orleans. I remember when in twenty fourteen, was that when the Packers played a primetime game in

New Orleans. I remember doing research at that time, and I can't remember how exactly it shook out, But the New Orleans Saints have an absolutely ridiculous home winning streak in primetime games when it's nighttime down in the Big Easy and they fill that place with I mean, it's

it's like a playoff game. Anytime they play at night down there, it is crazy noisy, the Packers of Packers only two trips to New Orleans in my thirteen seasons covering the team have been night games, and they've been nightmares, quite frankly for the Packers. So as much as the Falcons are struggling and they are desperate for a win, it's really hard to see, it's really hard to see them being the ones to stop this. New Land's trainer the deck is stacked against them, probably as hard as anyone.

What's interesting is you and I will preview these games every single week, and it always seems like I don't just probably the way it worked out. It always seems like Atlanta is facing a really difficult opponent, whether it's at home or you know, facing a tough matchup on the road. And with New Orleans is at right now, I mean, I think pound for pound, you consider them the number one power ranking team in the league right now.

It doesn't get much more difficult than that. Yeah, alright, Well, with that, we are going to sign off on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers dot com on Twitter. He's at west Hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in, and happy Thanksgiving everybody. We'll see you next time.