I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving holiday.  Time to heat up some leftovers and settle in to read about the upcoming match up between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.

The Packers visit Minnesota this week, still in search of their first road win in 2018.

The Packers are beat up heading into another "must win" game, this one a divisional match up.  The Packers are winless in two tries at U.S. Bank Stadium and will have to try and get it done without some key players.

Let's take a look back and to now in this match up.

The Past

The past is very simple: these teams tied at Lambeau Field in a week two game that was marred by bad officiating and field goal kicking.

The Vikings had multiple chances to win and their former kicker, Daniel Carlson, missed three times.  Mason Crosby also missed what would have been a game winner.

But the play everyone remembers is a late interception by Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins that was called back by a horrific roughing the passer penalty against Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.  Had the pick stood, the Packers get the win.  Instead, the Vikings drove down and scored to force overtime.  Shocking, isn't it?  (Don't hurt your neck shaking your had back and forth).

The league later admitted that play shouldn't have been penalized but alas, both teams had their records stained with a tie.  The way things have gone between these teams over the past two seasons, it's no surprise the first game ended the way it did.

The Packers haven't won a road game against the Vikings in their regular home venue since 2013.  They notched wins in both 2014 and 2015 at Minnesota's temporary home, TCF Bank Stadium.

The Present

The Packers are coming off of another bad loss after losing a late fourth quarter lead against the Seattle Seahawks.  The Vikings also fell on the road to the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.  Chicago notched another win on Thanksgiving so the pressure is on both Green Bay and Minnesota to get a win here to keep up with the 8-3 Bears.

Minnesota is 5-4-1 while the Packers are 4-5-1.  A win on Sunday moves Green Bay ahead of Minnesota in the standings and puts them back in the playoff picture.  Even with a loss, the Packers could theoretically still make the postseason, but their morale certainly won't be in good shape.  An 0-6 start on the road would be historically bad.

Statistically, the Packers and Vikings are very similar this season. 

They're neck and neck in both passing offense and passing defense.  The Packers give up just over a point more per game, on average (24.3 to 22.9).  Offensively, it's hard to reconcile Aaron Rodgers being equal to Kirk Cousins, but here we are.  Cousins has seven interceptions on the season to Rodgers' one, to separate the two a bit.

The Packers average 25 more yards per game on the ground at 108.8 to Minnesota's 84.7.  We say it every week and this week is no exception: free Aaron Jones.

Easier said than done, as Minnesota's run defense is allowing just 94.8 yards per game on the ground.  All it takes is one or two big Jones run to bust through that average and make a difference in this game.

Minnesota's home advantage coupled with Green Bay's road woes this season seems like a huge advantage but turnovers could swing the tide and are my key to this game.

I say that acknowledging that the Packers have won the turnover battle only to eventually lose the game.  If there's a road venue at which I'd expect to see the Packers fall victim to themselves, it's Minnesota.

The Future

Both teams are battling injuries heading into this game.  Packers players not practicing on Thursday were Bashaud Breeland, Kevin King, Raven Greene, Mike Daniels, Jimmy Graham and Lucas Patrick.  Nick Perry also continues to miss time and will not play this week.

Randall Cobb and Kentrell Brice did practice, but in limited fashion.  Brice's availability this week could become important with three members of the secondary missing practice already.

Vikings Andrew Sendejo and David Morgan were notable non participants on Thursday.  Receiver Adam Thielen was limited Thursday with a calf injury.

It's another national TV game for the Packers, their fourth in the last five games.  All have been on the road so they've lost the previous three.  It would help Green Bay's case with the media and in the court of public opinion if they can get a win away from home.

It's hard to expect much from this Packers team on the road.  Head coach Mike McCarthy's job status only gets shakier by the week and as he continues to search for answers to what ails his team.  Can he rise up and lead his team to their biggest win of the season?  

I'm not holding my breath.  While it may seem like an ideal time for Green Bay to come up big, as they have in recent seasons past around now, I just don't see it.  Like Cobb said recently, this season just feels different.  And not in a good way.  

I see the Vikings getting the win in typical fashion and the 2019 talk can all but officially begin for the Packers.