Redskins early favorites over Packers in Wild Card week

The evidence bears him out.

Cousins came off the bench in relief of an injured RGIII when both were rookies against the Seahawks, and now he is undeniably the better player while emerging as an outstanding leader.

The Minnesota Vikings secured the NFC’s third seed with tonight’s 20-13 defensive battle over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. In his two-plus decades in the NFL, Zimmer has learned that opportunities like the one the Vikings now have in front of them can be few and far between and they should not be taken for granted. “It’s what we need to focus on because when you win, you can’t just sweep the things you didn’t do right until the rug”. “You get the shirt, you get the hat and you are on top of the north. I don’t know why we aren’t like baseball and popping champagne”.

The Vikings jumped out to a big lead against the Packers, then held on to clinch the NFC North and earn a home playoff game next week. Though the Packers offensive woes make them vulnerable to every team in the National Football League, they’re better off playing somewhat better than so-so team than a divisional foe for the third time. In fact, this will be the seventh straight year for the team to participate in the playoffs.

Seattle will host Atlanta, Carolina, Buffalo, Miami and Philadelphia along with the three NFC West teams: Arizona, San Francisco and St. Louis.

On offense, Adrian Peterson scored a touchdown in the third quarter and Blair Walsh added two field goals for the Vikings.

“They played (all)-out and we didn’t”, receiver Adam Thielen said.

“It’s playoffs”, Zimmer said, smiling. “Probably not as much as they pounded us like they did”, Zimmer said.

One thing they won’t see on film is Marshawn Lynch, the bruising tailback who has been sidelined by an abdominal injury since November.

And if this is the last Vikings outdoor home game for a long time, it will be memorable for anyone whose brain doesn’t freeze watching it. The scene looked very different during the season finale, however, as the Minnesota defense tackled Rodgers in the backfield five times for 17 yards.

Minnesota Vikings’ Marcus Sherels loses the ball as he is hit by Green Bay Packers’ Jeff Janis on a punt return during the first half an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. The ball went out of bounds. That was a home game as well for the Vikings, but they were thoroughly outmatched and lost 38-7. Guys did a great job of blocking the quarterback downfield.

Those new black “NFC North Champs” T-shirts and gray caps that the Vikings proudly wore in the locker room should be hot sellers back in Minnesota this week. “We have to go in there with that mind-set”. Defensive end Sharrif Floyd nearly described the feeling they have as an addiction. Rodgers was fantastic against the Atlanta Falcons in a dome game in the second round with another three touchdowns and zero interceptions.