5 reasons why the Packers will beat the Vikings (and 1 reason why they might not)

If Adrian Peterson runs for 150+ yards today and I have to listen to Buck and Aikman talk about how well he's playing despite "everything he's been through," I'm done watching football. 

Last week after the Packers lost to the Lions, I sat in shock on my couch and flipped on the Vikings game. The only Minnesota game I had seen previously this season was the opener against the 49ers, so I figured why not check out the enemy one week before the Packers have to play them.

How Peterson was treated by the broadcast team was more shocking than any Packers loss, even at home to the Lions.

At one point in the broadcast, the announcers (I can't recall their names, I was too upset to care) talked about how great of a season Peterson is having despite "everything he's been through." Yes, the announcers kinda sorta implied that Peterson was somehow the victim in what went down before last season.

In case you forgot, Peterson stripped his four-year-old son naked and beat him with a tree branch, leaving visible wounds all over his body, including his genitals. Peterson's "punishment" was to spend a year on the commissioner's exempt list (with pay) and a new contract with the Vikings upon his return that guaranteed him $20 million.

Peterson is too disgusting of a human being to continue writing about, so I'm going to stop. The franchise that employs him and the fans that root for him (and continue to dress their toddlers and children in No. 28 jerseys) aren't much better. Football is supposed to be enjoyable. Peterson, the Vikings organization and many Vikings fans make it anything but.

I'll end with this:

Writing for Bleacher Report on Friday, Mike Freeman summed up my own thoughts on Peterson much better than I could. Read Mike's entire piece here. I thought this was the best section of the piece:

...it would be nice to see a little more introspection from the sport and the fans that follow it, as well as the media that covers it. What Peterson did was child abuse, and here we are, just a short time later, in some ways acting like what he did never happened.

Anyway, here are five reason the Packers will win today:

It's Aaron Rodgers...right?
Yeah, Rodgers might have a bum shoulder, a struggling offensive line, and receivers who appear stuck to their defender. But it's still Aaron Rodgers. There's no way he's going to struggle again and let the Packers lose four games in a row. Right? RIGHT?!?!?! (Please, someone tell me I'm right.)

Make the routine plays
Against the Lions, I counted six dropped passes (nine if you're a hard grader) and five "bad" throws from Rodgers (seven if you're grading more strictly than I did). If the Packers just quit dropping the ball and Rodgers cuts down the misses on routine throws, this team should be fine. I know, "If, if if..." Lots of teams can point to many "ifs" this time of year, but the Packers are too talented to keep screwing up this badly. I think...

Will Peterson matter?
In 15 games against the Packers, Adrian Peterson averages over 116 yards and more than 5.3 yards per rush. And the Vikings have still only managed to win four of those 15 games. Peterson might be the best running back in the league. Hell, he might be the greatest running back of all time. But he's exhibit A that an elite running back is more of a luxury than a necessity. Even if Peterson goes off like he usually does, the Packers can overcome it.

Law of averages
The Lions were bound to beat the Packers at Lambeau eventually. The law of averages says they'd win one here pretty soon. That same law of averages has to apply to the Packers pass rush. It's been three games now with a Packers sack. The law of averages says the Packers will get to the quarterback sometime soon, even if it's by accident. Getting the Vikings in long down and distance situations will be a key to winning this game.

 
Ascending young players
The Packers have a handful of young players that have shown a thing or two in recent weeks. Damarious Randall, Justin Perillo and even Jake Ryan appear capable of helping the Packers turn things around. That's the good news. The bad news is their veteran counterparts need to return to form. Eddie Lacy, the entire offensive line, Julius Peppers and others have fallen off the map. If they can return and join forces with their younger counterparts, look out.


 
Unfortunately, as the Vikings are wandering lost through the wilderness, they occasionally stumble upon a path that leads them to a victory over the far superior Green Bay Packers. If that happens today, this might be why:

They're just better
Go back and re-read my five reasons for the Packers winning. You'll notice a lot of "ifs" in there. With the Vikings this season, there haven't been many "ifs." The players who were expected to perform well (Peterson, Harrison Smith, Linval Joseph) have lived up to expectations while many others (Stefon Diggs, Matt Kalil and Terence Newman) have went above and beyond their projected ceilings. All of that has been book ended by mistake-free play from young Teddy Bridgewater. The Vikings are a good team. Plain and simple. They very well might just be better than the Packers. For this week at least, we're about to find out.

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Comments (28)

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MarkinMadison's picture

November 22, 2015 at 06:14 am

Boy, there is just a lot more football stuff to write about when we think we're better.

Yeah AP is a DB. He went through NOTHING. His son went through a lot. He got a paid vacation. A year to let his body rest. Of course he looks good.

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Matt Lamontagne's picture

November 22, 2015 at 06:43 am

I love this piece. It says everything I've felt sense I found out about this guy. He beats small kids(bully). Comes back to the league and cry's he ain't getting paid enuff by NFL because the 'bully' players into contracts.... Hahaha this guy is the biggest jk. No one seems to care. SAD

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Bearmeat's picture

November 22, 2015 at 06:44 am

The Vikings are the worst and their fans are the worst. That said, they might be a better team right now than GB. They don't have more talent, but GB has been choking for 4 weeks now. It's just not a good time for the toughest road game of the year. That said, I do think GB figures it out and goes farther than the Vikings in the playoffs.

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cpabandit's picture

November 22, 2015 at 08:42 am

Jim Mora: Don't talk about -- playoffs?!? You kidding me? Playoffs?!? I just hope we can win a game! Bearmeat, I so hope you're right.

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Dan Stodola's picture

November 22, 2015 at 07:23 pm

What you talkin bout Willis?! Packers just about clinched the playoffs w/ a Win in Minn.

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Packer_Pete's picture

November 22, 2015 at 07:07 am

While I agree that AP is a disgusting human IMHO, I also think that if he wore Green and Gold, the fan base here would root for him despite all his past transgressions. So please don't be holier than though. We also had Chmura on the team, and fans rooted for him. And if Social Media would've been around in the 90s, I think you'd have seen a lot about Favre, Winters, and their amigo Chmura. Among other Packers players.
Having said all that, I still hope the Packers win, but I agree that the Vikings may be the better team this time. My only hope is that they are overrated and overconfident. They haven't really beaten a good team either. NFC North is pretty weak this year.

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NickPerry's picture

November 22, 2015 at 08:43 am

Beating the shit out of a 4 year old boy, whipping his private parts with a stick not to mention everywhere else from head to toe, can't be compared to what you've mentioned above. He beat his "Baby" with a tree Branch!!! He should never be allowed to play again IMO and I for one wouldn't want him in Green Bay. Besides, Clements wouldn't know what to do with him if he had him anyways.

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Zaphod Dog's picture

November 22, 2015 at 08:53 am

are you comparing a man who only escaped being convicted of Child Abuse because he agreed to a plea, to a man who was accused but found NOT guilty in a court of law? Are you one of those people to whom an accusation is the same as proof? Chmura was also RETIRED from football when the incident allegedly occurred.
I know it's probably controversial to stand up for Chmura and if he did somehow escape justice there's no penalty too severe, but a jury of yours and my peers felt that he probably didn't do what he was accused of. An accusation should not be considered proof. It happens all to often in today's media.

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MarkinMadison's picture

November 22, 2015 at 10:31 am

Actually, I have no trouble bashing Chewy for what he did, and have done so on this site numerous times. I've let up because (a) he appears to have straightened himself out and (b) no one wants to see me post the same shit forever. But for your gratification: the only reason he was not convicted of a different offense was because the prosecutor screwed up. Chewy's defense admitted that he had sex with a minor who was intoxicated, and only disputed that it was not consensual. Charged properly, he would have been convicted.

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Archie's picture

November 22, 2015 at 11:18 am

I agree with everything you said, and gave you a like, except for one thing: the NFC North is actually better this year than it has been in a long time.

Lions - 11-5 last year, OL has held them back but team played GB tough in GB.

Bears - played GB tough in home opener and has won 4 in a row.

Vikes - have been rebuilding defense for a few years now and is now a top NFL defense. Add to that 6 wins in a row, the best RB in the league, a QB that is mobile, smart and accurate, and rookie WR (Diggs) that leads a superfast unit. Their negative is an OL that was hurt by injury. Pack is 1-1 in teh division right now and may be lucky to fin 3-3 in the division, proving that the rest of the NFC North is better or the Packers have gone downhill or a combination of both. I think I ascribe to the both.

Bears will play DEN tough today even with more injuries etc. Cutler & Bennet may be the only two starters from last year at the skill positions. Top 3 WRs are either gone or will not play and ditto for their top RB. Coaches have done a great job in CHI & MN. DET was looking good last year but OL problems killed them this year. GB's coaches are being exposed.

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Gforcetrivers's picture

November 22, 2015 at 07:37 am

Chmura got bounced by the Packers if memory serves correctly. Beating children and having sex with underaged baby-sitter is different than sexting a female broadcaster.

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MarkinMadison's picture

November 22, 2015 at 10:33 am

I think that happened after Favre left GB.

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KenEllis's picture

November 22, 2015 at 08:23 am

"If Adrian Peterson runs for 150+ yards today and I have to listen to Buck and Aikman talk about how well he's playing despite "everything he's been through," I'm done watching football."

Get prepared to find something else to do on Sunday's for a while then Adam.

The child beater and the Vikes are #1 in the NFL in rushing yards per game. Today they go up against Dom's 24th ranked rushing D. If Dom could make Colin K look like a star and give Peyton Manning one last glimpse of glory, I have no doubt that he will allow child beater to make the Packers defense look foolish once again.

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Tundraboy's picture

November 22, 2015 at 08:34 am

Maybe helll freezes over and maybe Dom surprises us this week. I hope.

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Zaphod Dog's picture

November 22, 2015 at 09:02 am

Hey Adam,
what are the chances we could start a petition to have Aikman and Buck removed from the packer games? I cannot stand the way they call games, especially packer games. It's all too obvious that Aikman is still bitter about his packer rivalry years and buck is just a corporate yes-man. Whatever the official "story" is that is currently on the drum beat...you can guarantee that is what buck will repeat ad nauseam.

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calabasa's picture

November 22, 2015 at 09:30 am

If it means I can watch the Packers here in Colorado, then I'll take Fox's "Game of the Week" and Aikman and Buck every time.

btw- is anyone else creeped out by Joe Buck's "beard?"

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chugwater's picture

November 22, 2015 at 09:38 am

ZD. What exactly do Troy and Joe say that you find disagreeable? They've been very complimentary of the Packers over the years. Joe even said publicly that if he were starting a team from scratch he'd pick AR as QB. Troy is better than Moose and Lynch. Commentary from the latter two is so boring. They only spout conventional wisdom. Rarely anything insightful.

I think most Packer fans have a grudge against Aikman because we couldn't beat him in the 90s. Still waiting to hear just one quote from him that was unfair, slanted, or biased against the Pack.

(And how exactly does one act as a corporate yes man in the broadcast booth?)

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Packer Bob's picture

November 22, 2015 at 12:31 pm

Ditto, chugwater. Every week they call a Packer game, someone is on one of these boards complaining about Buck and Aikman.

I have never watched a Packer game called by these guys and thought they did or said anything out of line. I really don't get it and agree someone should post a quote or something definitive to back up their beef.

To me it's a mystery.

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Rossonero's picture

November 22, 2015 at 09:17 am

AP is lucky to still be playing. Ray Rice catches games from his couch and probably will forever now.

Vikings have Admitted to copying the Packers draft and develop strategy. It's working, too. Lots of contributions from rookies like Stefon Diggs, Eric Kendricks, MyCole Pruitt, etc.

Them getting Bridgewater was a steal. Otherwise they'd still have some journeyman starting at QB today. Either way, the Packers have the talent to win. Can they put it all together? I think the urgency is at an all-time high for this weeks game. I'd love to see Lacy pummel them and grind out the clock like he did last year.

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NickPerry's picture

November 22, 2015 at 11:00 am

I'm thinking Lacy shows up when his team needs him most. Obviously we need Clements to stick with him for more than 5 carries but maybe McCarthys input this week will help with that. Lacy's carried the ball 15 times or more just twice this year, both wins and both games he had over 85 yards. HELLO Clements!!!

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BradHTX's picture

November 22, 2015 at 09:17 am

In the words of the Journtinel's immortal Cliff Cristl, "and if worms had hips, they'd wear six shooters and shoot the birds from the trees."

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TarynsEyes's picture

November 22, 2015 at 09:28 am

This is what happens when the 'second chance' is misused in the Corporate world and its patrons of that Corporation are addicted morons to an extent and bow to them in the name of 'winning'.

The above was in regard to Peterson in case some may have been lost but it can be applied to a teams every day function as well toward other concerns.

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DrealynWilliams's picture

November 22, 2015 at 11:06 am

This is still a football site, right? Just checking...

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Archie's picture

November 22, 2015 at 11:22 am

With Guion in the green & gold it is definitely holier than thou attitude to criticize MN for AP. Spare the rod, spoil the child is an adage older than time. Did he go too far? Obviously yes. But beating women and dealing drugs is further than going too far.

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Maia Maia's picture

November 22, 2015 at 11:39 am

I have to agree with @chugwater on Troy and Joe. I hear packer fans whine about how Joe and Troy hate the packers, but I never hear it.

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LeagueObsrvr's picture

November 22, 2015 at 02:20 pm

Count me in as well. I've heard that a lot from Packer fans claiming that Buck and Aikman have some kind of anti-Packer bias. I don't know where they get this from. I've never heard it. If anything it's the opposite. Over the years they have given the Packers organization and their fans nothing but praise and respect.

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Since'61's picture

November 22, 2015 at 01:03 pm

AP should be out the league. End of story. He was not allowed to play for 1 season for child abuse, which is the same punishment that Paul Hornung received for betting on his own team to win. The NFL is a joke, the quality of the product has fallen off the cliff, they allow felons of all types to play, and they grab money anywhere and any way they can. It's getting harder and harder to watch or respect any aspect of the NFL. Very sad. Thanks, Since '61

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chs's picture

November 23, 2015 at 02:31 am

What a great way to enjoy your Bday weekend, Good win, I was very impressed with Teddy B, super jealous of the new Football Palace the Viking's will have next year. go pack go

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