Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers: 5 keys to victory

“I feel like there’s a shift”, Peterson said, via the Pioneer Press. It hasn’t happened since his first season as a starter in 2008.

“The last couple games, we’ve been shooting ourselves in the foot”, Packers receiver James Jones said.

“If this team has the right stuff, and I’m assuming it does…it’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity to galvanize the thing, rally the forces and go and get back on track”.

After a 6-0 start to the season, the Green Bay Packers now face what could easily be described as a “must-win” game. Struggling against elite defenses in tough environments is one thing, but the hard outing at Lambeau Field against the Lions is definitely concerning for a once elite offense. As Vikings linebacker Brian Robison said, “The road to the division usually goes through Green Bay”. Once they do that, it’ll be up to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to play turnover-free ball while the special teams maintain favorable field position. “Some people might say, ‘Detroit.’ But this is football”.

The player that the sluggish Packers can least afford to lose was listed as limited in practice on Wednesday because of a right shoulder injury.

Green Bay’s play of late has been anything but together.

For the 2015 season playing in nine games, the four-time Pro Bowler has 198 completions for 2,270 yards and 21 touchdowns, only throwing three interceptions. The ground game was nonexistent in last week’s loss to Detroit, forcing Rodgers to attempt a career-most 61 passes. Rodgers agreed with that assessment, though he said he was not concerned about his availability for Sunday’s game at Minnesota. It is the first time since 2010 that Green Bay has lost three games in a row with Rodgers at quarterback. “We needed 19 points to win today, you would expect us at home to score 19”. We just need to find a way to get it done. We have to sustain drives better….

Cincinnati (+5) at Arizona: The NFC’s best scoring offense (302 points) takes on the NFL’s stingiest defense (152 points) in the desert.

Campen knows what his offensive linemen must accomplish to keep Rodgers out of further harm’s way Sunday.

“We have to be really smart in our rush lanes”, defensive end Brian Robison said. Half of the sacks Green Bay has permitted this season have come in the last three weeks.

The Minnesota Vikings were originally expected to be a very good team this year.

Peterson rushed for 203 yards last Sunday against the Oakland Raiders and scored on an 80-yard sprint to seal the victory as the Vikings (7-2) won their fifth straight game.