Green Bay Packers v. Minnesota Vikings: 3 Bold Predictions

Before the Green Bay Packers take the field against the Minnesota Vikings, here are three bold predictions to watch out for as the game unfolds on Monday Night.

Once again Bold Predictions are back and after going through a hot streak where I was four of six over a two-week period, that came to a screeching halt last week when the Green Bay Packers took on the Chicago Bears. But I’m looking to bounce-back on Monday Night.

Although the Packers are sitting pretty at 11-3 and they’ve already clinched a playoff spot, Monday’s game against Minnesota has huge playoff implications for both teams. For one, Green Bay needs a win to lock up the NFC North and they’ll likely need to win out in order to hold on to that first-round bye. Meanwhile for the Vikings, they have yet to clinch a playoff berth and still have hopes of winning the division, but a loss will crush those dreams.

This is a very good Vikings team who has a strong home field advantage, so coming away with a win certainly won’t be easy for the Packers. However, if they can, it will go a long way towards proving their doubters wrong. So as you kick back and enjoy the game, keep your eyes on these three bold predictions and see if any of them hit.

Davante Adams goes for 125

Last week against the Chicago Bears, we saw Aaron Jones and the Green Bay Packers’ running game struggle to move the ball. And unfortunately, they could face similar results this week as they face a Vikings team that has allowed an average of just 99.0 rushing yards per game this season, the eighth fewest in the NFL.

The Minnesota front-seven is extremely good, led by Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, and Eric Kendricks, but their weak point is their secondary and we’ve seen Davante Adams have quite a bit of success against them. Specifically, Xavier Rhodes.

Over the last three meetings between these two teams, Adams has caught 17 of 21 passes for 173 yards with two touchdowns when covered by Rhodes. Not to mention that during their last meeting in week two, Adams would total 106 yards on 15.1 yards per catch against Minnesota.

With what could very well be tough sledding for Jones and Green Bay wanting to attack the weak point of this Vikings’ defense, I’m expecting Adams to get plenty of opportunities and as he does so often, to capitalize on them.

Diggs and Thielen are held under 100 yards

Many would consider Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen one of, if not the best wide receiver duo in the NFL and this season is no different as they continue to produce. Diggs is already over 1,000 receiving yards at whopping 17.9 yards per catch. And although Adam Thielen has missed some time with an injury, when on the field he is his same productive self, catching over 68 percent of his passes at nearly 14 yards per catch with six touchdowns.

Not to mention that in week two against Green Bay they would torch the Packers for a combined 124 receiving yards on just six receptions. And in the eight full games this season that both Diggs and Thielen have played, in six of them they have combined for at least 100 receiving yards. So certainly it won’t be easy for the Green Bay Packers to keep them below that mark, but I think they are up for the challenge.

At this time it appears that Minnesota will be without Dalvin Cook and it also looks like backup running back Alexander Mattison could miss the game as well. Meaning, the Vikings will have to rely more on the passing game, which will make them more predictable and allow Green Bay to focus their attention on Diggs and Thielen. Now instead of having to worry about Cook and the Diggs/Thielen combo, they can play more coverage-friendly formations.

It’s also worth pointing out that Jaire Alexander held Diggs and Thielen to just two catches on six targets for 36 yards when he was covering them in week two and more pass attempts will also mean more opportunities for Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and Kenny Clark to pressure Kirk Cousins. Which I think they will do plenty of.

We see vintage Aaron Rodgers

I always try to back up all my bold predictions with as much stats and reasoning as I have to support what I’m saying. But given the inconsistencies we’ve seen from Aaron Rodgers and this Packers’ passing game in 2019, coupled with his struggles against Mike Zimmer defenses and playing at U.S. Bank Stadium, I don’t necessarily have much of that to go off of. So call it a gut feeling or an instinct, but I think we see some vintage Rodgers in this game.

For one, as I mentioned previously, I think Aaron Jones is going to have a tough time running the ball and in order for Green Bay to have success on offense, it is going to fall on Rodgers’ shoulders. Secondly, despite the Packer defense only giving up 20.2 points per game, they are going up against a very good Minnesota offense that plays even better at home and is sixth overall in scoring. So I could very easily see this game turning into a higher scoring affair.

Ultimately, for the Green Bay Packers to come away with the win, I think we need Aaron Rodgers to take over and show-off some of that magic that we all know he still has.