Prediction time

The 2008 NFL season is off and running and a wild day it was in the NFL. From Atlanta’s dismantling of Detroit, to Carolina’s last second win at San Diego, it was quite a day. Oh yeah, New England quarterback Tom Brady was lost for the year with a torn ACL. What a day. Two games remain on the schedule. The Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay and Denver at Oakland. It will hard to match the excitement of today, however.

Somehow, I think the Packers-Vikings game will find a way to do just that. When these two teams meet, anything can happen and usually does. Obviously the biggest story line is Aaron Rodgers making his first NFL start, but the game will come down to much more than that. Can the Packers stop Adrian Peterson? Can the Vikings stop the Packers’ passing game. Can Ryan Grant just show up and be successful after missing all of the preseason? Will Tarvaris Jackson be able to productive wearing a knee-brace after hurting himself on a bonehead play in the preaseason? What effect will the expected rain have on the game?

To be honest I have no idea what to expect. The Packers shouldn’t have any trouble passing on the Vikings unless Rodgers really stinks it up and I just can’t see that happening. I doubt the Packers can, or for that matter, will even try to run the ball against the Vikings vaunted run defense. The running game could be effective if the Packers are able to get out to an early lead via a few big passing plays. The Vikings will be trying to run the ball at a defense that has several question marks on the defensive line. Peterson will get a heavy workload, that is for sure. Jackson will look for mismatches in the Packers’ secondary and take his shots deep.

What it comes to I think is if the Packers’ passing game can outscore Peterson. In the end, I think they can and will. I look for Donald Driver and Greg Jennings to have big games and the Packers’ running attack of Grant and Brandon Jackson to do just enough. The Packers start out the Rodgers era with a 27-20 win.

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 7th, 2008 at 8:25 pm and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • TRIP

    vikings 31 packers 34

  • http://www.packernet.com Michael Briggs

    Rodger’s will stink up the joint and the last years NFC North Champs will be slaughtered like hogs at a Hawaiian luau. It will be fascinating to watch as the brain trust of Thompson and Mike “what the hell just happened” McCarthy watches every aspect of the Pack be dismantled by the nasty tempered Vikings. Hopefully early in the game both Mike and Ted will get tickets booked to go destroy another NFC team! Maybe they can trade an NFC champion for a good “ball boy” somewhere???

  • Jon

    My prediction: Al Davis will delete this post.

  • He Who Is Right

    Vikings 23 Packers 20, a botched hold and subsequent missed field goal, sometime during the game, preventing a shot at victory in OT.

  • Reid

    I predict that John and Michael Briggs are the same person. Packers 27-17.

  • CheesyD

    Packers 20-Vikes 19

  • http://www.famousnewjerseyans.com/Images/vince_lombardi.jpg Jon

    I am not Michael Briggs. Check out my website to see who I am.

  • http://www.famousnewjerseyans.com/Images/vince_lombardi.jpg Jon

    I am not Michael Briggs. Click on my name to see who I am.

  • Curtis

    I can’t comprehend why packer fans want and desire for the packers to lose just to make Thompson and McCarthy look bad? Talk about cutting off the nose to spite the face. I care about wins and the ability of a team to compete over the long term. I think we can beat the over rated vikings and win our division.

    Will Aaron Rodgers be able to put the team on his back and win every game for us…NO and I hope he doesn’t try. We have a lot of good players that can win games if they play like team.

  • paul

    Holy sh*t. Did you see the Bears defense destroy and I mean destroy the Colts. Packers may be at the bottom of our conference with the Lions. I hate the Bears but their defense looked like it did two years ago. I don’t think anyone was expecting that. Oh by the way, Brett was the key to another game winner on a mediocre Jets team.
    Pack 20
    Vikes17
    Thank God we have Reid posting as I am trying to be as optimistic as he….and that is not sarcasm. Go Pack!

  • matt

    Vikings 24 Pack 21

  • Reid

    Thanks, paul.

  • Greg

    I predict “The Green Bay Gun” will be missed (see the Rick Rush painting).

  • Roy Jamison

    It all depends on the offensive and defensive lines. If the Pack can run the ball they will win. If the Vikes can run, it won’t be pretty. I expect Rodgers to do okay, and that’s all he has to do. But, if he can get Jennings open, he needs to find and hit him.
    I’ll take the Pack by 10 in a surprise!

  • http://Orlando Mark

    I expect a very tough game. However the Vikes may be over rated and even if they aren’t look what happened to the Colts, Jags, Chargers, etc. We do have to stop the run first. The Giants are able to do it and so can the Pack. On offense we have to keep them honest with some deep passes and four and five reciever formations. This might be the most exciting game of the season. I can’t wait. I can’t make a prediction because I’ve been burned pretty badly in Vegas, but we absolutely can win.

  • simon

    the reason the bears look so good.
    was manning was not fit to start.
    i never seen the colts look that bad.

    as far as the packers go. just win baby

  • Jack in Columbus

    Driven more by hope than belief:

    Packers 24
    Vikings 17

  • Ed Frye

    Key for Vikes is to keep Jennings from scoring 3 TDs. Key for Pack is to protect Rodgers.

    Vikes 23 Pack 13

  • Cody

    I’m watching the game right now, all that i can say is that Tony Moll needs to be replaced, for this game at least. Penalties are killing us, if we lose by under 1 TD, its all on him! wow.

  • Jack in Columbus

    I was slightly off in my prediction. By 2 points. Do I win?

  • shodown

    I cant believe these “analysts” really believed that GB was going to get creamed. It goes to show that these people only look at GB and think of Brett Favre. The point is that he needed 10 other people and a defense to get the job done.

    The Packers are for real and Aaron Rodgers is the truth. No matter which way you slice it, Green Bay has the best QB in the division. PERIOD

  • Reid

    This team proved what they are, a team. Everyone contributed. No comment on the officiating, it was ridiculous both ways. How about our new punter?

  • CheesyD

    Where’s Michael Briggs now? ROFLMAO!!!

    GO PACK!!