BLUE 1,026 Posted November 21, 2015 By JORDAN GARRETSON STATS Writer (AP) -- The Green Bay Packers have been the class of the NFC North for the past four years, while the Minnesota Vikings have been mired in mediocrity for much of that period. It's the Packers that appear to be searching for some stability ahead of Sunday's battle for first place in Minneapolis, however, especially with Aaron Rodgers hurting. Green Bay (6-3) lost Sunday in one of the season's biggest upsets, 18-16 at home to a one-win Detroit team that hadn't earned a victory at Lambeau Field since 1991. The Packers failed to score at least 20 points for just the second time in their last 37 at home. The team's third straight defeat was much different than the first two against Denver and Carolina, which are a combined 16-2. The Lions were coming off a 45-10 loss to sub-.500 Kansas City a week earlier. Meanwhile, the Vikings (7-2) have won five in a row, surging to the top of a division the Packers are trying to win for the fifth straight season. No NFC team has done that since Dallas won the East from 1992-96. Green Bay will be looking to avoid its first four-game skid since dropping five in a row in 2008 - Rodgers' first year as the starter. "I think you always have sequences of games in seasons that you can look back on where one phase isn't playing as well as the other," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think we're in that right now. We just need to keep working and fight our way out of it." Rodgers has posted an 86.0 passer rating during the losing streak compared to 115.9 in the first six games. He threw for 333 yards Sunday but needed a career-high 61 pass attempts to do so, completing 35. He was also sacked three times and has been brought down 11 times in the last three games, matching the number of sacks allowed by Green Bay during its 6-0 start. All of that punishment has left Rodgers with a right shoulder injury, with McCarthy calling him "banged up." Rodgers, limited in practice Wednesday, agreed with that assessment, though he said he was not concerned about his availability for Sunday. "Probably banged up. But we all are at this time. It's Week 11 coming up, everybody is dealing with different things," Rodgers said. "You get a routine, learn how to take care of your body and push through things." Rodgers has won nine of his last 10 starts against the Vikings, including playoffs, throwing 31 TDs and four interceptions in the past 12 meetings. His 119.0 rating against Minnesota is his highest against an opponent he's faced at least three times. The Vikings' winning streak is their longest since a 6-0 start in 2009. "I'm sure you're all aware, all right, that we're in first place," coach Mike Zimmer told his players following Sunday's 30-14 win at Oakland. "You know what that means? It means nothing. It's not where we are. It's where we finish at the end of the year." Nonetheless, Minnesota can take a two-game edge in the division Sunday, though they've won once in the last 11 meetings with the Packers, including postseason. The victory came by a 37-34 score at home in 2012. "I understand the heightened part of this game, but you know it's still about us and how we play," Zimmer said. "I think that our players will know that this is a big game. I don't think that I'm going to have to pull out any magic wands or anything like that." The Packers' offense struggled against a Detroit team that came in allowing an NFL-worst 30.6 points per game, and they're likely in for a much stiffer test against Minnesota, which gives up a league-low 17.1. They'll also have to contend with NFL leading rusher Adrian Peterson, who has averaged 143.7 yards on the ground in his last three games. He ran for 203 against the Raiders. By contrast, Green Bay's running game has virtually disappeared, averaging 69.3 yards over the past three with as many fumbles as TDs (one). The Packers ran for 127.3 per game through their first six. Green Bay won both meetings last season, including 24-21 at Minnesota on Nov. 23. Source: Hosted.Stats.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted November 22, 2015 Vikings declared CB Josh Robinson, QB Taylor Heinicke, LB Edmond Robinson, C Nick Easton, DT Kenrick Ellis, OT Jeremiah Sirles and DE Justin Trattou inactive for Week 11 against the Packers. OT Matt Kalil and S Robert Blanton were the only injury questions for the Vikings, but both are active. Everyone here is a healthy scratch. Eddie Lacy (groin) is active for Week 11 against the Vikings. James Starks is still expected to start, but the backfield should be close to an even timeshare. Neither player is better than an RB3 in a difficult matchup. Green Bay declared WR Ty Montgomery, WR Jared Abbrederis, QB Brett Hundley, CB LaDarius Gunter, RB Alonzo Harris, LB Andy Mulumba and OG Lane Taylor inactive for Week 11 against the Vikings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted November 22, 2015 How many bullshit calls can the Packers get? Dear god this is absurd. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted November 22, 2015 The Packers shouldn't have even had a chance to score, there. The only legitimate penalty on that drive was on Newman. What bullshit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 22, 2015 All looked pretty legit. The one on Linval was pretty "weak" but you can't hit the QB 5 seconds after he throws the ball, even if it isn't hard. Anthony Barr cLEARLY took a shot on Richard Rodgers beyond the 5 yards... Vikings just aren't disciplined at all and the only reason they are stifling the Packers offense is because of the penalties they are getting away with. They should be considered lucky for even still being in this game Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted November 22, 2015 All looked pretty legit. The one on Linval was pretty "weak" but you can't hit the QB 5 seconds after he throws the ball, even if it isn't hard. Anthony Barr cLEARLY took a shot on Richard Rodgers beyond the 5 yards... Vikings just aren't disciplined at all and the only reason they are stifling the Packers offense is because of the penalties they are getting away with. They should be considered lucky for even still being in this game You are so full of shit on this one. Rodgers ran directly into Barr. If Joseph's non shove is roughing, what happened to Teddy should have warranted an ejection. The Packers better be called for some godamn penalties in the second half. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Packers Dynasty 2010 116 Posted November 22, 2015 Why am I not surprised that all Bware is going is crying about the refs...Not talking about how the Vikings' offense hasn't done anything since that TD. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted November 22, 2015 When was the last time Zimmer blitzed so rarely? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted November 23, 2015 What an embarrassing effort by this team, and by Mike Zimmer. No adjustments on defense. Mike Zimmer coached like somebody else, today. What makes him great is what makes him unique. To call a game scared and never blitz was pure foolishness. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 23, 2015 This is more on the Vikings loser offense, IMO. Vikings D held the Packers to like 6 FGs. Vikings offense is the one that didn't adapt or pose any real threat. WRs can't get open and has forced the Vikings to put McKinnon in the slot several times today... Peterson is a loser... The Oline can't protect Teddy. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 23, 2015 Definite frauds. I still like the Vikings as a team.. but they are all about their fundamentals. You get them off their game even slightly, and you have a chance to take them down. Better luck next time... In Lambeau... when we are streaking towards the Super Bowl... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OSUViking 505 Posted November 23, 2015 This is precisely why I was so hesitant to declare the Vikings "good". We have a lot to improve on. I couldn't watch the game because I was working on a video for a group I'm in, but here's what I got from following it on ESPN's app: 1) Oline is still shit. Can't protect Teddy at all. He's going to keep getting hurt if he keeps getting sacked like this. He's taken some pretty serious hits. He's a trooper, but he's going to be really hurt if something doesn't change. 2) AP is either a hero or a villain for us. Today, he was a villain. He ended a potential scoring drive with a stupid fumble late in the game. He doesn't do that, and we get a stop, and we maybe tie it up. MAYBE. That's assuming Teddy isn't sacked into oblivion, first. 3) Defense seemed like it played well. Obviously not well enough, because 30 points is too much when the offense isn't keeping up. In the few plays I saw, it didn't look like we got that much pressure on Rodgers. However, like F4E said, holding a Rodgers-led offense to something to that many FGs is kind of a good sign. I think they may have been gassed by the end because of how ineffective the offense was. 4) It looked like Teddy played a good game on the stats sheet. He had that play on a 4th and 3 where he could have scrambled but kept trying to throw it and then had that silly toss to Diggs that was hopeless. Outside of that, his TD to Rudolph was a dime. His stat sheet looked good and I saw on one drive after getting sacked he scrambled to at least possibly put us in a position to convert (though he still came up short). Packers seemed like they had a great defensive game, so it's a bit refreshing to see Teddy at least had some success, though IDK how many of his yards came in garbage time. Like I said, we have a year or two before we win games like these. We're still super young, but we have an excellent base. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted November 23, 2015 You're too down about the loss. This team IS good and yesterday was one of Zimmer's worst as the HC. Those games will happen. The game at Lambeau will be much better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted November 23, 2015 Even assuming it is better, which I doubt, it will still be a loss. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 23, 2015 Honestly I think the game at Lambeau will probably be worse for you. The Packers offense still wasn't nearly what we have come to expect of it yesterday. That game could have been an absolute obliteration. If the offense was even clicking a little bit, it would be a scary conclusion for the Vikes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted November 23, 2015 Honestly I think the game at Lambeau will probably be worse for you. The Packers offense still wasn't nearly what we have come to expect of it yesterday. That game could have been an absolute obliteration. If the offense was even clicking a little bit, it would be a scary conclusion for the Vikes. You aren't "not clicking." Your receivers and TEs struggle to get separation. This is not a slump. It's a trend. Good defenses will continue to slow down your offense very noticeably. You need Jordy, and you need a real, actual Tight End. Unless Eddie Lacy is going to continue to do what he did yesterday and average over 4 yards a carry, Green Bay will revert to their losing streak form on offense. The defense was noticeably better yesterday. Credit to Dom Capers for blitzing the ever-loving shit out of Minnesota's OL. Look, any team with Aaron Rodgers has a chance, but any team with more than one established pass rusher is going to give your OL trouble. I've never seen Everson Griffin double teamed so often. Hell, he sometimes had three guys waiting for him. It's Minnesota's fault for not pulling Brian Robison after he did absolutely nothing in the pass rush, yet again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 23, 2015 Randall Cobb was aopen all day. Nobody on your team could cover him. He dropped like 4 passes. James Jones got open plenty of times, averaging 20 yards a catch and ending the day over the century mark. Jeff Janis was only thrown to once but was a step behind the coverage. Wide open. Davante Adams was also open a lot of the day, Aaron missed two or three throws to him. Just miscommunication. Richard Rodgers wasn't separating, but that is not surprise. He doesn't usually. We don't have a single healthy Olineman. Not an excuse.. but you have to work with what you have and don't have. Aaron was under 50% completion, only had like 200 yards.. He "sucked" but still lit up the Vikings because guys COULD get open. Your defense is overrated, but it stopped the bleeding which gave you a chance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OSUViking 505 Posted November 23, 2015 You're too down about the loss. This team IS good and yesterday was one of Zimmer's worst as the HC. Those games will happen. The game at Lambeau will be much better. I'm exactly where I was before the game: reluctantly happy about where the team is but knowing that at any moment they could bomb the rest of the season. That's just how the Vikings are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
