Green Bay Packers 2018 Opponent Preview: Minnesota Vikings
After the Minnesota Vikings won the NFC North in 2017, the Green Bay Packers look to recapture the crown and get revenge for an Anthony Barr hit. How will 2018 play out for the two NFC North rivals?
The Green Bay Packers start out the 2018 regular season facing two NFC North rivals in the first two weeks. That’s nothing out of the ordinary.
However, the Packers will get an early shot at the team that pretty much ruined their 2017 season, the Minnesota Vikings.
Continuing our look at Green Bay’s opponents in the 2018 season, we take a look at what the defending divisional champions bring to the table.
Week 2: @ Lambeau Field
For the second time in three years, the Packers will face the Vikings in Week 2 of the NFL regular season. This time, the marquee matchup will be played at Lambeau Field. Sans a pitiful Brett Hundley led performance, the Packers have been pretty successful against the Vikings at Lambeau Field.
Since 2008, the Vikings have defeated the Packers at Lambeau just three times. One of those times was with Hundley at quarterback. Obviously, you can’t look at win-loss stats alone to determine how the future of this rivalry will be determined, but it does prove that the Vikings do have a hard time winning at Lambeau Field when Aaron Rodgers is the quarterback.
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However, the Vikings are the best they have ever been in the Rodgers era. After acquiring Kirk Cousins in the offseason, you can argue that they finally have a complete team. Add that to the fact that they will be getting back running back Dalvin Cook, and this team looks very scary on paper.
This game comes at a good time for the Packers. Week 2 may still be a bit early for the Vikings to have team chemistry down, especially on offense. Points will come at a premium here. The Vikings defense is top three in the league, and the Packers D is on the rise and looks promising. I think the crowd plays just enough of a factor in this game, though. Rodgers leads the Packers on one of his famous game-ending drives to win it
Prediction: Packers win, 17-13
Week 12 @ US Bank Stadium
For the Green Bay Packers, returning to US Bank Stadium is one of the matchups they have circled on their schedule. Last season, it was where Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone and where the season pretty much ended.
Rodgers and co. look to go into this game looking for a win at the very least. A blowout is surely what they want to see happen. However, playing in the Vikings new stadium has caused a lot of trouble for the Green and Gold. They have yet to win there in the two matchups they have had.
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The Vikings will certainly be a different team in Week 12 compared to Week 1. will have had more time to adjust to his new team. Combined with the environment and the way the Vikings will surely be playing by Week 12, this game will be very tough for the Packers to win. The defenses will once again reign supreme. The Vikings D is top notch, as stated earlier. It’s an even tougher unit when you have to play them in Minnesota.
It’s been a rough start playing at US Bank Stadium and it doesn’t get any easier after this one.
Prediction: Packers lose, 20-13