Green Bay Packers (6-3) at Minnesota Vikings (7-2)

The Vikings moved a game ahead of Green Bay (6-3) and will face the Packers at home as they try to increase their lead in the NFC North. The Packers have lost three straight. Each team will play two games against each of the teams in their own division, they’ll play all of the teams in another division in their own conference (in 2016, the NFC North will play the NFC East), and they’ll play all of the teams in one AFC division (in 2016, the NFC North will play the AFC South).

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

Rodgers initially denied being hurt following Sunday’s 18-16 loss to the Detroit Lions, but according to ESPN’s report he also suffered some sort of leg injury during the game.

Green Bay (6-3) has fallen out of first place in the division, trailing the front-running Vikings by a game.

The Packers’ offense resembles little of the unit that led the National Football League in scoring a year ago. Yes, the loss of Jordy Nelson has haunted them all year. The struggles of the passing game have impacted the ground attack as well. Lacy has always been a ideal compliment for Rodgers and has taken a lot of pressure off of the passing game.

Minnesota has no issues with its running game even with personnel limitations on the offensive line. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater didn’t make any huge plays, but he kept the offense on the field by avoiding turnovers and moving the sticks. For Green Bay, it’s a good time to change that.

This is their first meeting with another top rival in the Packers as they are scheduled to meet again in their last games of the season – and getting this first win is very important for both squads. That’s the same number of times total that he was tackled in all six of Green Bay’s first games of the season.

On the flip side, a win for the Vikings is crucial given their remaining schedule.

The Minnesota Vikings (7-2) are coming from a 30-14 win over the Oakland Raiders last week. “We need to keep working and fight our way out of this”, Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said.

If the Packers win this week in Minnesota, it will mark three consecutive victories on the road against the Vikings – which would be the longest road winning streak for the Packers in the series since winning five straight from 1980-85.