While the Green Bay Packers versus the Chicago Bears is the oldest rivalry in the National Football League, perhaps one that is better competitively is the Packers against their NFC North Division rival Minnesota Vikings.
The two teams meet twice a year in the regular season, and during the past four years each team has won one of those meetings. The two teams have also met twice in the postseason, the Vikings winning at Lambeau Field in the 2003 season, and the Packers downing Minnesota in the playoffs to end the Vikings 2012 campaign.
A lot is riding between these two teams when they meet again this week in Green Bay … the Packers have recovered from an opening loss in Brazil to the Philadelphia Eagles, a game in which they also lost starting quarterback Jordan Love for an extended time. They have earned back-to-back wins while posted as an underdog at home against the Indianapolis Colts and last week, in Tennessee, where they were underdogs against the winless Titans.
This week, Green Bay is favored at home over the undefeated Vikings.
Is Love back?
Maybe.
Then how can the Packers go from being an underdog with backup Malik Willis running the offense to the Colts and Titans and now be favored over the storming Vikings?
Here is how the books and public have it figured.
The victories over the Colts and Titans prove the Packers team is good enough to win without their starting quarterback. Now they are hinting that Love will be able to face the Vikings this week.
Really?
Want to bet?
Here is the good news. I understand the thinking that a win here is more important for the Packers in that a home win would even their record at 3 and 1 with one of their division rivals. But that leaves out of the equation just how good Minnesota is playing. In their only road game, they crushed the New York Giants on opening day, 28-6, then downed the highly regarded San Francisco 49ers in their home opener and hammered C.J. Stroud and company last week at US Bank Stadium while downing the Houston Texans, 34-7.
Now they are going to have a let down on the road against the Packers?
Not likely.
If Green Bay were to start Love this week, which I still highly doubt no matter what the coach says, the motivation would all be with Minnesota to down the Packers at full strength. If they don’t start Love, the idea that backup Willis could string together a third straight win in the first game in which his team is favored on the point spread is, well outside practical reality.
So, I like the Vikings in this one whether they play a Packers team with their starting or backup quarterback … which is all they have to offer.
Qoxhi Picks: Minnesota Vikings (+2½) over Green Bay Packers