This preview of the Minnesota Vikings - Green Bay Packers NFC North showdown on Sunday, with Green Bay-6 on WagerWeb.com, could focus on a lot of things.
Like that the Vikings have lost three in a row to the Packers and look to avoid their first four-game skid to the Cheeseheads in 19 years.
Or that the QB situation is unsettled in Minnesota, with starter Tarvaris Jackson coming off a concussion last week. It's likely backup Brooks Bollinger will start.
Or that the Vikings rank second in the league against the run and that the Packers are last in rushing the ball.
Yada, yada, yada. This game is all about two men who won't even be on the field at the same time: Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre and Minnesota rookie running back Adrian Peterson.
As those two go, that's how their team goes. And that should continue Sunday.
Peterson is coming off an NFL single-game record 296 yards in last week's win over San Diego. The sure-fire Rookie of the Year, however, goes up against a Green Bay defense that "held" him to 112 yards on 12 carries in the Packers' 23-16 victory on Sept. 30 and that ranks seventh in the league in rushing yards allowed (750) and is tied for third with only three TDs allowed on the ground.Peterson actually rushed for 108 yards in the first half of that game, still the only 100-yard rushing performance Green Bay's defense has allowed all season. But Peterson carried the ball only twice in the second half for some unknown reason. With whatever QB in there Sunday for Minnesota, you can bet the farm that Peterson will surpass 12 carries in this game, barring injury.
"The sky's the limit," Vikings safety Darren Sharper said of Peterson. "Even this year, there's no telling what the kid's going to do next. Every time he touches the ball, it could be a play of all time."
Favre, meanwhile, was 32 of 45 for 344 yards and two TDs in the earlier victory against Minnesota. And with the Packers continuing to struggle running the ball (Ryan Grant will start Sunday at tailback, for what it's worth) and the Minnesota defense stout against the run (not to mention last against the pass), expect another aerial show from the future Hall of Famer. In fact, teams have thrown a league-high 324 times against Minnesota this year.
Favre has thrown for 300 yards or more in five of the past six games and is on pace to throw for 26 touchdowns this season and a career-high 4,812 yards.
All this at age 38.
"We don't even talk about retirement with him," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "He sees the game so clearly. He's getting better."
The lowdown: This game seems like a lock Green Bay victory. Could Peterson single-handedly swing this to Minnesota's side? Yes. But it's hard to imagine he could have back-to-back games like that, especially against a defense that will be daring him to beat it.
Some important injuries in this matchup, other than the Vikings' QB situation (Jackson is officially a game-time decision, but it truly doesn't matter whether he plays): Green Bay safety Nick Collins, a big help in the running game, is out, while Vikings starting defensive end Ray Edwards (foot) and cornerback Antoine Winfield (hamstring) are questionable. All that said, take Green Bay and give the points.
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