Game Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings Saturday

WISCONSIN — The Green Bay Packers control their own destiny heading into their Week 16 home game versus the Minnesota Vikings.

The current NFC playoff picture heading into week 16 has the Packers as a sixth seed in the NFC. They would travel to Atlanta to play the third-seeded Falcons.

But before any of that can happen, the Packers have to take care of business week 16 at home against Minnesota.

Game Info:
GREEN BAY (8-6) VS. MINNESOTA (7-7)
Saturday, Dec. 24
Lambeau Field
12 p.m. CST
TV: FOX Sports. According to FOX Sports, this week’s game will be the “Fox Game of the Week” on Christmas Eve, so we will get to hear Joe Buck and Troy Aikman call the game with Erin Andrews as the sideline reporter. Kickoff is at noon CST.

The Packers

Coming into this matchup, the Packers are still amped up after Aaron Rodgers and his team are still fueled by his made his “run the table” statement after the Packers fell to 4-6.

Oh what a difference a month makes. At the time it looked like Head Coach Mike McCarthy was on his way out, and the team would be sitting at home in January. The Packers have rattled off four straight wins against the likes of Philadelphia, Houston, Seattle and Chicago.

Injuries
Running back James Starks (concussion) has been ruled out. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (calf) does not have an injury designation, but has been notably nursing an injured calf muscle. WR Randall Cobb (ankle) is listed as questionable.

The Vikings

Minnesota won these two teams' matchup in the second week of the season up in Minnesota. Newly-suited quarterback Sam Bradford carved up the Packers secondary in that matchup, leading his new team to victory.

Since then, it's been another story. While the defense has been solid all season, the team's rushing attack is ranked last in the league. All-world running back Adrian Peterson has been ruled out againt Green Bay this Saturday. Minnesota is 3-6 in its last nine games.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Vikings want to be the same defense that held Green Bay to just 14 points in September, but it’s difficult to recapture without injured safety Harrison Smith roaming the secondary and swooping down to stop runs.

image via patch.com