Vikings at Packers 9/29/24 Pregame Thoughts

[Thirteen Below]

I take this game seriously, but I'm not worried about it. I'm surprised at some of the pessimism here... if we're as good a team as we've all spent the last 6 or 8 months telling ourselves and one another that we are, this is a team we should be confident going up against.

I don't see the Vikings as a Top 3 team at all - I see them as roughly a Top 10, maybe 12 club on an early hot streak. They're dangerous, to be sure, but last I checked so are we.

The general consensus in here all summer is that we're a highly probable playoff team and even a possible SB team. If that's true, then we need to be able to beat teams like the Vikings. If we don't expect to be able to do that, then we might want to stop talking so much about playoffs.

Packers, 30-27

 

[PackerDNA]

I take this game seriously, but I'm not worried about it. I'm surprised at some of the pessimism here... if we're as good a team as we've all spent the last 6 or 8 months telling ourselves and one another that we are, this is a team we should be confident going up against.

I don't see the Vikings as a Top 3 team at all - I see them as roughly a Top 10, maybe 12 club on an early hot streak. They're dangerous, to be sure, but last I checked so are we.

The general consensus in here all summer is that we're a highly probable playoff team and even a possible SB team. If that's true, then we need to be able to beat teams like the Vikings. If we don't expect to be able to do that, then we might want to stop talking so much about playoffs.

Packers, 30-27

Absolutely. It comes down to one of my old favorites sayings from an old Tom and Jerry's cartoon. Is you is or is you ain't?
Packers, 27-20

 

[OldSchool101]

I take this game seriously, but I'm not worried about it. I'm surprised at some of the pessimism here... if we're as good a team as we've all spent the last 6 or 8 months telling ourselves and one another that we are, this is a team we should be confident going up against.

I don't see the Vikings as a Top 3 team at all - I see them as roughly a Top 10, maybe 12 club on an early hot streak. They're dangerous, to be sure, but last I checked so are we.

The general consensus in here all summer is that we're a highly probable playoff team and even a possible SB team. If that's true, then we need to be able to beat teams like the Vikings. If we don't expect to be able to do that, then we might want to stop talking so much about playoffs.

Packers, 30-27

I agree and I don’t think the Packers feel inferior. I think the Packers just proved they can be competitive Jordan Love or not. Correct me if I’m wrong here but Malik Willis didn’t create 3 Takeaways and 9 Sacks last week. It should’ve been more, Xavier should had 2 INT.
I’ve counted 4 more plays across 3 games that were Defense turnover worthy. Xavier, Quay, J’aire and Nixon have all missed potential INT and 1 was a very close pick 6 (Nixon) OUR takeaway could easily be +11 +12 or more which 3 contests in is Best in decade type stuff.
This is a historically impressive D, they just need more consistency in other areas. That will come.

While MN is likely better than TN, they are not impenetrable either.
I really think we can generate
10-15 pressures and 4-5 Sacks. Plus our DB group as a whole is certainly better than the average NFL team. Hafley will likely need to dial up a few more LB or DB Blitz packages to get Darnold uncomfortable. He’s been to clean in the pocket and we are just the team to speed this thing up.

 

[milani]

I belie

I take this game seriously, but I'm not worried about it. I'm surprised at some of the pessimism here... if we're as good a team as we've all spent the last 6 or 8 months telling ourselves and one another that we are, this is a team we should be confident going up against.

I don't see the Vikings as a Top 3 team at all - I see them as roughly a Top 10, maybe 12 club on an early hot streak. They're dangerous, to be sure, but last I checked so are we.

The general consensus in here all summer is that we're a highly probable playoff team and even a possible SB team. If that's true, then we need to be able to beat teams like the Vikings. If we don't expect to be able to do that, then we might want to stop talking so much about playoffs.

Packers, 30-27

I believe that prior to the season we thought the Vikings would be just average this year. But so far they have played 3 impressive games and played well in all phases. Now historically, no matter which Viking team it is and which QB they use they appear to fall apart in the second half of the season with the exception of a few. This Viking group seems to be different. Maybe it is because they have fallen back to planet earth. So I guess that is why we are concerned this week. And the Packers are still the teenagers of the league. And kids can do the darnedest things.

 

[Pugger]

I heard Alexander was added to the injury list. This is not the week to lose a starting CB of his caliber with Jefferson coming to town.

 

[gopkrs]

MLF is very familiar with the Vikings blitz packages. He just has to make his QB and the rest of the offense aware of it including the TEs and the wideouts.

I think a number of coaches don't like to keep a RB or TE in the backfield to block because they believe it limits their options. But I thought a contributing factor of our loss to Denver in the Super Bowl was because Holmgren refused to keep someone back and the blitz from the outside really rushed Favre. While the options are limited, the RB can go to the flats as a checkoff if there is no blitz and/or he isn't needed and the QB has more time imho. GoPackGo

 

[Pkrjones]

Our RB's will be doing a LOT of blitz pickup tomorrow, their success will determine if Love/Willis is able to make them pay.

 

[tynimiller]

if Jaire and Carrington both don’t go, that does concern me. Especially if Addison can go…this is the best all around RB/TE/WR group we’ve faced IMO.

We are gonna have to have our off ball backers really do much better than we have and I expect a lot of those packages where we got Gary, JJ, LVN, Quay, Cooper and Smith all in there showing diverse fronts and asking Clark and Wyatt to cook in middle push

 

[OOMPA Tailgate]

I suspect Iron Pyrite with our purple cohorts. Houston is not as good as we thought. Magically the NFC North is turning into one of the strongest divisions.

maybe next year - I am sure the Lions will run away with the div - and am a GB fan

 

[OOMPA Tailgate]

This is going to be a much more daunting task than the last 2 weeks. One good thing is we are at home.

well theee GB home advantage went out the window with...Michael Vick in a very very cold game and TE Tony Gonzalez - as a 2nd point WHY in the hell cant the team cover a TE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OOMPA Tailgate]

Not looking forward to Aaron Jones screen passes, at all. If Stokes or JA can keep up with Jefferson for 3 seconds the pass rush may get home more often than not. Minny's OLB's look strong, so our OT's will need to be sharp. Love plays, well, but penalties (again!!) derail a few drives.
GB 37-Vikes 34 in OT. Narvy bangs a game winning 50 yarder.

the tossing of the yellow laundry comes from the dum-arses of the crew - look at the trends of these 70+ yr old insurance salesmen - the nfl (hahaha) need ; no matter what to 86 the "good boy officials" they cant run and they can't see a whale in a fish tank

do these morons ever lose their job costing a team a game

 

[gopkrs]

I agree it seems they should be governed more closely. With consequences.

 

[OldSchool101]

I want to see an Official get EJECTED! Then Fined on the BIG SCREEN !

ok. I feel better now

 

[AmishMafia]

Think the Vikes will be exposed in this one. I watched the 49er/ Viking game. Vikings looked good but not great. 49ers looked rusty. I think Love can have a big day. If Love plays at his usual level, he can pick this secondary apart. Vikings defense has lots of guys in the box and you can't tell who is dropping and who is rushing. Packers will do lots of motions and lots of hard counts to try and see what is coming. I am confident in MLF to be creative on offensive and put us in a position to succeed.

I will be at the game.

Packers 27 Vikings 23

 

[OldSchool101]

Something hasn’t sat right with me. Someone mentioned that this would be the best Grouping of Weapons we would face (forgive me I couldn’t find the quote so that might not be verbatim). What about the Eagles? I know they don’t have the Top WR in the league but the do have a top grouping.

That has me curious. We all know who are the most dynamic producers at each position on each team. Obviusly Jefferson stands out, but behind him which grouping would you rather play?

QB Sam Darnold
WR Justin Jefferson,
WRJordan Addison,
RB Aaron Jones
TE Josh Oliver/Mundt

Or

QB Jalen Hurts
WR AJ Brown
WR Devonta Smith
RB Saquon Barkley
TE Dallas Goedert

 

[OldSchool101]

The second Question is like to offer. The Vikings are playing really good football right now. That tends to happen when your Defense is firing on all cylinders and your Offense is limiting turnovers and capitalizing in the Redzone. Which MN checks both boxes

So here is my question..

IF GB beats the 3-0 Vikings, who just Won 3 convincing matchups in a row.
Where would we rank in the NFC?

 

[rmontro]

IF GB beats the 3-0 Vikings, who just Won 3 convincing matchups in a row.
Where would we rank in the NFC?

Where do we rank now? Until we get Love back and healthy, and gets warmed up, and have a good idea of how he is going to play this year, I'm not sure we can get a solid ranking on us.

 

[tynimiller]

Something hasn’t sat right with me. Someone mentioned that this would be the best Grouping of Weapons we would face (forgive me I couldn’t find the quote so that might not be verbatim). What about the Eagles? I know they don’t have the Top WR in the league but the do have a top grouping.

That has me curious. We all know who are the most dynamic producers at each position on each team. Obviusly Jefferson stands out, but behind him which grouping would you rather play?

QB Sam Darnold
WR Justin Jefferson,
WRJordan Addison,
RB Aaron Jones
TE Josh Oliver/Mundt

Or

QB Jalen Hurts
WR AJ Brown
WR Devonta Smith
RB Saquon Barkley
TE Dallas Goedert

Gotta include Naler (WR) and Ty Chandler (RB) as well.

I think an argument could be made for Eagles but if talking about me saying this was the best group we’ve seen top and to bottom of skill positions yet, it had more it’s because I believe Vikings Depth is better and their two TEs are used excellently in their scheme

 

[milani]

I heard Alexander was added to the injury list. This is not the week to lose a starting CB of his caliber with Jefferson coming to town.

No. When we played them last season Jefferson was out for the first game and Cousins was out the second time.

 

[OldSchool101]

Where do we rank now? Until we get Love back and healthy, and gets warmed up, and have a good idea of how he is going to play this year, I'm not sure we can get a solid ranking on us.

I’d say we’ve had a good enough sample. We can argue regression or progression and all that, but really both offset each other so what have we seen? We’ve see that Jordan Love is for real. I’m not afraid to say that after watching our team pair with a backup QB and still perform? We’re easily Top 8 in the NFC leaning top 7 and that’s more our floor area. I’d say as of now we are in that #5 best NFC seed until we see what happens tomorrow.
If we beat The Vikings who are at FULL strength we’d have to be to Top 3 in our Conference. I don’t know who could legit argue beating and undefeated team doesn’t elevate us.

All that said even if we lose we’re 2-2 and very much alive, thanks to others stepping up in Loves absence. It’s probably arguable that we should get better as the season progresses. Young Roster, young QB, new D scheme and all that.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Where do we rank now? Until we get Love back and healthy, and gets warmed up, and have a good idea of how he is going to play this year, I'm not sure we can get a solid ranking on us.

Silverstein reported that Love will be getting the start tomorrow. I also read that BOTH QB's might play. Would love to see Willis come in for some RPO's.

 

[OldSchool101]

Gotta include Naler (WR) and Ty Chandler (RB) as well.

I’d see you Eagles WR, Jahan Dotson. As far as Ty Chandler goes, he’s just a good backup RB, but not even one of the better RB2 pairs or enough to warrant overcoming the Vikings lack of a substantial receiving TE. Goedert is better than both Minnesota TE’s combined

 

[milani]

I’d say we’ve had a good enough sample. We can argue regression or progression and all that, but really both offset each other so what have we seen? We’ve see that Jordan Love is for real. I’m not afraid to say that after watching our team pair with a backup QB and still perform? We’re easily Top 8 in the NFC leaning top 7 and that’s more our floor area. I’d say as of now we are in that #5 best NFC seed until we see what happens tomorrow.
If we beat The Vikings who are at FULL strength we’d have to be to Top 3 in our Conference. I don’t know who could legit argue beating and undefeated team doesn’t elevate us.

All that said even if we lose we’re 2-2 and very much alive, thanks to others stepping up in Loves absence. It’s probably arguable that we should get better as the season progresses. Young Roster, young QB, new D scheme and all that.

Definitely. We were 2-5 at one point last year with Aaron Jones out and we lost to 4 sub par teams at the time. Even though are schedule is tougher in 2024 we just won 2 games in a row without the franchise QB. What more can you ask. The Vikings and Lions will be out to destroy each other again. The division is not decided yet.

 

[weeds]

I think that Aaron Jones is going to have a field day but I think/hope that we will also keep our run-oriented offense in gear no matter who is at quarterback.

GB 24 - Vikings 24 in OT.

A TIE??? IN OVERTIME???? Reads like blatant homer-ism to me. I'm going to one-up that one by stating categorically that I sincerely hope I'm not hanging Halloween lights on a long row of Arbor Vitae at halftime. Packers by one-half of one point when the final gun goes off.

 

[OldSchool101]

As just a quick summary of my own thoughts. Many times pointing out a deficiency or suggesting that former matchups can indicate future results might be misconstrued as “I don’t think the Vikings are very good”. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
I think the Vikings have a very good chance of making the playoffs and are in some ways a continuation of their 2022 season and we all saw how that worked out. That said, pound for pound the 2022 Offense was better imo.

Dalvin Cook is the closest player comp you can get for Aaron Jones. KJ and Adam Theilen were very good depth behind Jefferson. Cousins is every bit as good as Darnold and 3 or 4 good earlier season performances won’t change that imo. The league evolves and teams rise and fall. The Vikings are fortunate they are catching us early in. Also with a possible gimpy QB who hadn’t played in 3 weeks.

In reality the Vikings SHOULD come in and pound a team after what they’ve done recently. This will be THEIR biggest test. The Packers aren’t the RB less Texans in comfort of a home crowd. We will do exactly what James Jones suggested. Using motion and Cadence to advertise these 9 man fronts they try to use. That won’t work with MLF, his style dictates an opposing D to show a peak of cards.

The 2024 Packers are a far cry from a team suffering in the Run game and we are not afraid to use it. GB might not have an elite JJ. However having a spread of good playmakers paired with a good arm can be just as beneficial if you don’t carry an equal spread of Defenders back to cover it all. We’re Balanced on O and balanced on D.