Minnesota Vikings: Beating Packers would prove they’re ready for playoffs
By Luke Sims
The Minnesota Vikings took a tough loss at home last time they played the Green Bay Packers, but getting a win in Week 17 in Lambeau would prove they’re ready for the rigors of the playoffs.
13-30 is an ugly score, especially one at home. That November game against the Green Bay Packers has left a sour taste in the mouths of Minnesota Vikings fans and in the mouths of the players and coaches.
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Head coach Mike Zimmer didn’t come to the Vikings to punch the Packers in the nose twice a year. He came to the Vikings to build a team that can win consistently, regardless of the opponent. As noted by ESPN, he’s done that…but the 2015 season will still come down to one big game against the division rival.
More than other Vikings coaches in the past, it’s clear that Zimmer has a healthy respect for the work that Mike McCarthy has done in creating a juggernaut out of the Packers. He’s basically said as much, and it’s clear that he would like to see the Vikings achieve the same status during his (hopefully long) tenure.
As we look to the Week 17 game against the Packers, we may be viewing a fight between two juggernauts. One that is firmly established, and one that is just starting to find its feet. McCarthy has had a decade to build around his stud quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre, and keep things running smoothly, meanwhile, Zimmer is just getting started.
Dec 20, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) rushes as Chicago Bears linebacker John Timu (53) tackles him in the first quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
They’re two franchises at different places in their development and this game could give us a strong indicator of whether the Minnesota Vikings are ready to be in the same consideration as perennial contenders like the Packers, New England Patriots, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Winning the division is the first step, and that comes down to beating the Packers in Week 17.
Just a month ago, the Packers seemed to show they were superior. After a number of strong weeks from the Vikings, we could be looking at a different outcome, even on the Packers’ home turf. Sure, the Vikings haven’t won in Lambeau Field since Brett Favre was leading the purple and gold, but this team could compete with that one toe-to-toe and its defense and rushing attack will be huge advantages.
The Vikings haven’t won the NFC North division since 2009, making this game a big deal. It’s for all the marbles, so to speak. It should be treated like a playoff game and its high-pressure atmosphere in a hostile environment will certainly make it seem so.
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Winning in Lambeau, in the cold, in a high-pressure game would send a message to the NFL that this Vikings unit is ready for anything. It’ll prove they’re ready for the playoffs.