Vikings know gravity of game with Green Bay

On Monday, the Vikings had shirts hanging in their lockers at Winter Park with the words “Beat Green Bay” on the back.

Yahoo Sports made a decision for the Green Bay Packers, it is time for them to panic.

The Vikings are 7-2 and in first place in the NFC North-and they have the defense to thank. Green Bay did lose the games, but they are still 6-3 on the season and are in the playoff race. It’s a close call. Over their last five games, the Packers have a SU record of 2-3 and a 1-4 record ATS.

So first off, a 53.8% to 44.7% difference in odds is not huge.

Groin and ankle injuries have limited Lacy to 308 total yards and two touchdowns at a 3.7 yards per carry clip this season, far behind the two straight 1,000-plus yard seasons to open his career. While the offensive line has struggled, if Rodgers can get rid of the ball quicker and deliver quick passes like he did a year ago, the Packers’ offensive line will be just as good as they were a year ago and so will the offense.

“I think defensively we’ve got to do a better job with a few of our coverage concepts and techniques and fundamentals”, the coach said, X’s and O’s no doubt dancing before his eyes. Minnesota had its highest-rated win of the year against Oakland this week, but the Vikings still are just 17th in weighted DVOA.

Three seasons ago, the Vikings defense was near the bottom of the league in yards allowed (a rank of 31st with 397.6 yards allowed per game) and dead last in points allowed with 30.0 per game. But against a quarterback like No. 12, it’ll take more than just sacks to pull out a victory. Recovering a high percentage of fumbles gives your team a positive turnover margin without any value for predicting future takeaways.

Now, the key is in the Vikings’ hands, and they’re standing at the door ready to turn the handle. Despite that, he knows the magnitude of a division game against a tough opponent.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the sidelines in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on November 15, 2015 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Both teams have to go to Arizona, but the Vikings also have the Seahawks and Giants coming to visit. The Packers aren’t just a division/border/hunting/craft beer rival; they’re everything the Vikings want to be, and they’ve treated the Vikings like an ineffectual little brother. In fact, the sharps in Vegas have already moved their betting line this week from a 3-point Packer advantage to a 1-point Vikings advantage. Like I told the team today, it’s one day, one week, one game. In simulations in which the Vikings win at home, Green Bay’s chances of winning the NFC North drop down to 29 percent. The Packers lost to the undefeated Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football, scoring a season-low 10 points.