Hard-Charging Vikings Have A Chance To Take Down New-Look Packers

This is a new era for the Green Bay Packers. Last season’s team was a disappointment as the Packers went 8-9 and missed the playoffs. However, the team’s makeup didn’t really change until the offseason when the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.

It meant that the 30-year run of Brett Favre and Rodgers at quarterback had ended. Some Packers fans may have had hope that Jordan Love would step in and show that he belonged with his predecessors, but it has not played out like that.

Love has looked much more like an ordinary – or below average – NFL quarterback. He has missed open receivers and thrown the ball into coverage.

That’s one of the primary reasons the Packers have lost 3 games in a row, including their Week 7 meeting with the lowly Denver Broncos.

It’s clear that this is a different type of team than the Vikings are used to seeing. Here’s what Kevin O’Connell’s team should expect when he brings his team to the not yet frozen tundra:

Love will be pushed by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ game plan. One of the most important aspects of the Flores defense is that it is designed to create a panic in the offense. The primary way Flores accomplishes this is by blitzing the quarterback.

No team in the NFL blitzes as much as the Vikings, and Love admitted he hasn’t “really faced a defense like Minnesota.”

Love has been studying the Vikings on film and he understands that they blitz 57.9 percent of the time.

But what happens if Flores changes things up? Seeing a heavy blitz on film but changing things up in the game could cause confusion for Love, and if the Vikings drop multiple defenders into coverage, it could lead to interceptions.

The Vikings had two interceptions against Brock Purdy and the 49ers, and Purdy is known for his ability to read defenses and exploit passing lanes.

Love does not read defenses as well, as he has already thrown 7 interceptions. Six of those interceptions have come in the last 3 games, and that issue appears to be getting worse. Love had a 6-0 touchdown to interception ratio in the first 2 games of the season, but that figure has fallen to 4-7 in Green Bay’s last 4 games.

The Vikings defense is a much improved unit over what they had in the last 3 seasons. After ranking 31^st in yards allowed last year, they are 15^th in that category this season, and they are gaining confidence. Danielle Hunter is their best player and he has a league-best 9.0 sacks already.

The Packers will see a much better defensive team they are used to playing when they meet the Vikings.

When the Vikings have the ball, they should be the most confident they have been all season. They are coming off a tremendous performance against a powerful 49ers defense.

Kirk Cousins was at his best in the 22-17 victory, as he completed 35-of-45 passes for 378 yards with 2 touchdown passes to rookie wideout Jordan Addison. The offensive line protected Cousins in a pristine manner, as he was not sacked at all.

Addison caught 7-123-2 and he was joined by tight end T.J. Hockenson, who caught 11 passes for 86 yards.

The running game did just enough to remove some of the heat from the passing attack. The combination of Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers combined for 70 yards on 18 carries, and that could come into play against the Packers. Green Bay is giving up 143.7 yards per game on the ground, and that ranks an inviting 30^th in the league.

The Vikings have a chance to surprise the Packers on both sides of the ball. Love is preparing to face the blitz, but a reversal of form could see the Vikings drop multiple defenders into coverage. The resulting confusion could be a major problem for an inexperienced quarterback.

The Vikings may also try to run the ball against Green Bay’s porous run defense. That could turn out to be a surprising option for a team that lived by the pass for each of the last 2 seasons.