5 keys to victory: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers in week 16
The Green Bay Packers are looking good, but what will the struggling Minnesota Vikings need to do in order to defeat them in week 16 of the 2016 NFL season?
It has all come down to this for the Minnesota Vikings. Their hopes of repeating as NFC North division champions is gone, and the team is left clinging to an outside chance of maybe getting a Wild Card playoff spot.
To keep those hopes alive, the Vikings will need to win both their remaining games and have some help from other teams around the league. Sadly, the next game on their slate is against the Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin.
Green Bay is in a similar situation, but has much more hope. They are looking to make sure they have a spot in the postseason and will be fighting to eliminate the Vikings from the playoff picture entirely.
This should all make the week 16 game between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers on Saturday, December 24, 2016 all that much more interesting. But there will be some things the Vikings can do to help their cause, such as following these keys to success.
Dec 11, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
#1. Get back to stopping the pass
The Minnesota Vikings are one of the most fearsome units in the NFL when it comes to stopping the pass. They are ranked #3 in allowing the fewest passing yards and have given up only 4 passing plays of 40 or more yards.
Last week was an anomaly for Minnesota. They let Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts throw for 250 yards and score two touchdowns against them on their home field of U.S. Bank Stadium in week 15.
Things won’t get easier, as Aaron Rodgers seems to be doing the right things to help his team win late in the season. However, a sub-par performance from the former MVP as well as injury concerns may play into the Vikings favor.
Veteran pass catchers Jordy Nelson and Jared Cook will be major problems, but other players like the hit-or-miss Devante Adams and dynamic Ty Montgomery will need to be accounted for if the Vikings hope to contain this dangerous offense.
Dec 11, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Fans play in the snow before game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
#2. Pack the long johns
Many fans of the NFL like to make fun of Lambeau Field because of its age, hard benches and college football feel. However, they are missing the complete point of the history that has been made on that field and the advantages it can give the Packers when playing at home.
Thankfully, Saturday doesn’t seem too bad for the weather in Green Bay according to The Weather Channel. The temperature range is from a high of 34 degrees to a low of 26, the wind is predicted to be only 5 miles per hour, and chance of rain or snow is very low, at 10%.
Still, that doesn’t mean these players won’t be freezing their butts off on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. The cold could be a factor a team that primarily plays in the dome now that they have made the move to U.S Bank Stadium from their temporary home at TCF Bank Stadium.
The Vikings will need to keep warm and keep loose. Maybe some thermal underwear or extra layers with gloves might help. But at least it isn’t predicted to be a blizzard-type situation during this important contest.
Oct 9, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon (21) catches a pass against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
#3. Run the football
Another week of keys to victory means another week of beating the dead horse that we call the Minnesota Vikings running game. It has actually become more of a joke than a concern over the weeks, which is never good.
There were hopes that the return of Adrian Peterson could be the spark the team needed to finally get the ground game going, but that was just a pipe dream. When Adrian was in the game, he was just as ineffective behind the Vikings offensive line as the other running backs.
Now, for even more bad news. The Packers only allow an average of 4 yards per carry, which is the 11th best in the NFL. They average giving up 96.1 yards per game on the ground, but it would be surprising to see the team reach that mark.
Instead, the team may need to rely on the running game to help control the tempo of the game and pick up first downs. Without that contribution, moving the ball efficiently will be a major challenge for the team.
Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter (99) celebrates his sack of the Green Bay Packers quarterback and a forced fumble in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
#4. Get that pass rush going again
Perhaps the most disappointing thing from last week’s game against the Colts was the Vikings complete inability to get to Andrew Luck. Minnesota failed to notch a single sack and only got 3 hits on the quarterback all game.
Considering the Colts had a patchwork offensive line consisting of mostly backups and practice squad players, it is hard to imagine the Minnesota pass rushers having any success against a strong Packers offensive line.
Aaron Rodgers is playing through injuries, which may make him a bit more hesitant to move around a lot in the pocket or scramble, but the Bears only got to him twice last week for a sack, proving that the Packers do a pretty solid job of keeping their quarterback upright.
Minnesota has the talent and athleticism on defense to generate sacks, but they will need to be playing at a high level to bring down a smart quarterback like Aaron Rodgers with his offensive line security guards surrounding him.
Oct 9, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman T.J. Clemmings (68) against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Texans 31-13. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
#5. Stop it with the dumb penalties
It’s okay to get frustrated sometimes. It happens to the best of people. However, when that frustration results in your football team eating a big penalty and shooting themselves in the foot, it just can’t happen.
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In addition, plays like last week when Linval Joseph went rogue trying to leap the center on a field goal attempt just plain can’t happen. Against a good team like Green Bay, the Vikings can’t give away extra chances for them to put points on the board.
It’s not just the defense either. False starts and illegal hands to the face have become common calls on the Vikings offensive line. When the team is already struggling to move the ball, tacking on a big penalty like that can become overwhelming.
Minnesota will need to be disciplined during this game if they want to win. That means keeping cool, playing smart, and playing within the rules. It sounds simple on the outside, but executing it on the field is a whole different story.
What are your keys to victory for the Minnesota Vikings as they take on the Green Bay Packers in week 16? Do you agree or disagree with the keys listed in this article? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.
