Kevin O’Connell‘s new-look Minnesota Vikings make their season debut at home this Sunday, and the stakes couldn’t be higher right out of the gate. The Vikings haven’t had a winning record for what’s getting uncomfortably close to 1,000 days now. If they get behind the eightball early and find themselves struggling to claw back to .500, fans may get delirious with deja vu.
And the first test on the first day of their new season: the dreaded Green Bay Packers.
Aaron Rodgers & Co. have been the bullies of the NFC North for the past couple of years, even if their cheese gets moldy in January. They’re in the much-ballyhooed win-now mode as the clock ticks ever louder on Rodgers’ playing career. A slow start wouldn’t be a huge deal for Mr. R-E-L-A-X and his green-and-gold comrades, but it’s still a rivalry game. For the Vikings, however, this game is pivotal.
Here are three things Minnesota must watch out for that the Packers do well.
Keep Rodgers Clean
When we think of Rodgers, we usually think of him running outside of the pocket and making a highlight out of a hopeless situation. Still, his last MVP run wasn’t fueled by plays like this. Instead, he frequently had a clean pocket that allowed him to take his time and make the best possible play.
Last season, Rodgers was almost unstoppable when he had a clean pocket. He had a 77.2% completion percentage and touchdown and interception rates of 7.52% and 0.23%, respectively. Conversely, Rodgers performed substantially worse under pressure, completing only 30.3% of his throws.
If David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins start on the offensive line together for the first time in over a season, they will keep Rodgers on his feet more often than not. Green Bay’s interior line is not as established, but it can also create a pocket for Rodgers to work within. The offensive line will face an early test with a healthy Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter looking to impose their will early on.
Pressuring Opposing QBs
Green Bay’s edge-rusher room is thinner than last year because Smith defected to the Vikings after the Packers released him. Still, they have capable pass rushers across the defensive line who could make it hard for the Vikings’ offensive line to keep Kirk Cousins upright.
Preston Smith is coming off of a resurgence. He recorded nine sacks last year and earned a four-year, $52.5 million extension. Former first-round pick Rashan Gary lines up alongside him on the outside. Gary made the most of Za’Darius Smith’s absence last season. He impressed as a starter, with 9.5 sacks and a 35.2% win rate, the second-highest in the NFL last season. With these two coming off the edges, Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw will have their hands full in Week 1.
Though Gary and Smith are impressive, Kenny Clark is perhaps the biggest threat to the Vikings’ offensive line. Clark has taken advantage of Minnesota’s weak interior line in the past few seasons and has wreaked havoc on Cousins. The Vikings will be looking to limit his impact in the game this week.
Change the Pace On Offense
Matt LaFleur’s ability to change up the pace on offense might be one of the most underrated aspects of Green Bay’s offense. The Packers’ offense can slow the game by handing the ball to A.J. Dillon or Aaron Jones and taking control of the clock. They can also hurry to the line of scrimmage and operate an effective no-huddle offense.
Green Bay’s change of pace can trouble a defense that is working within a new system and still trying to gain some understanding of their roles.
Rodgers is known to take advantage of a defense that’s trying to get used to the speed of the game by using his hard count. Therefore, the Vikings’ defense will need to make sure that they don’t jump offsides and give Rodgers the free plays he is so good at capitalizing on.
