Green Bay Packers: 5 Bold predictions for Week 8 vs. Vikings

3. Clark takes Cousins down twice

In the season-opening meeting between these two NFC North rivals, the Vikings pass-rush was unable to get to Aaron Rodgers in the game for a sack. However, Green Bay wasn’t necessarily a pressure-generating machine in their own right. They did bring down Kirk Cousins for two sacks on the day but registered only four QB hits on the day.

While that’s a solid day at the office for Green Bay’s defense, it’s not necessarily at the level they want to see that side of the ball play at, specifically in regards to getting after the quarterback. However, with Kenny Clark now back in the lineup after returning last week, expect the Packers to unleash him on a Vikings interior offensive line that has struggled mightily this season.

Clark got off to a slow start in his return against Houston, registering just one total tackle and nothing else in terms of the box score. But that’s to be expected. The All-Pro caliber nose tackle missed several weeks and was brought along a bit slowly as a result of that. In a divisional game in a favorable matchup for him, expect for him to take a jump forward.

There is no one on the Vikings offensive line that should scare Clark or, for that matter, the Packers defensive front. When Minnesota drops back, I expect Green Bay to have plenty of pressure dialed-up. The result will be Clark feasting, getting at least two sacks on the day.