Minnesota Vikings vs

Green Bay Packers Prediction

Minnesota Vikings vs Green Bay Packers Prediction

Rivals from opposite ends of the NFC North standings meet in Week 8 as the Green Bay Packers host the Minnesota Vikings. Kickoff is set for 1:00 EST on Sunday, November 1, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Early betting odds list the Packers as 6.5-point favorites at home with an over/under of 54.5 points. Let’s take a closer look at both teams and offer a Packers vs Vikings prediction.

Green Bay Packers Preview

One week after being on the wrong side of a lopsided loss, the Packers got back on track with a 35-20 win over the Texans. It was a good indication that Green Bay’s 38-10 debacle against the Buccaneers was an aberration. For what it’s worth, the Packers only have one win this season against a team that currently has a winning record. However, few will dispute that they are one of the best teams in the NFC.

After his long night in Tampa in Week 6, Aaron Rodgers was back to his old tricks against Houston’s porous defense. He threw four touchdown passes and didn’t take a sack against the Texans. The caveat is that Green Bay’s offense didn’t show much versatility. Rodgers finished with 283 passing yards with 196 of those going to Davante Adams. Of course, if teams can’t stop Adams, there’s no reason to stop throwing in his direction. Considering left tackle David Bakhtiari and running back Aaron Jones were absent due to injury, it was a positive step forward for the Green Bay offense.

Defensively, the Packers remain a little inconsistent. After shutting out the Texans in the first half, Green Bay yielded 20 points in the second half, albeit with a comfortable lead. A banged-up secondary could become a lingering concern for the Packers. Plus, Green Bay’s pass rush still leaves something to be desired outside of Za’Darius Smith. On the other hand, the Packers have managed to survive just fine this season with an average defense.

Minnesota Vikings Preview

The Vikings will return from last week’s bye with a virtual must-win game against the Packers. Minnesota headed into the bye fresh off a 40-23 loss to the previously winless Falcons, a defeat that dropped them to 1-5 on the season. Another loss or two will likely take the Vikings out of the playoff race for good. With half of their 10 remaining games coming against teams with a winning record, the odds are heavily stacked against Minnesota playing meaningful games down the stretch.

Kirk Cousins enters Week 8 potentially playing to keep his job. Mike Zimmer hasn’t indicated that he’s seriously considering a change. But Cousins’ three interceptions against the Falcons and his 10 on the season speak volumes. If he doesn’t start to take better care of the ball, the Vikings could consider their options next offseason. This week, Cousins may not have much of a safety net with Dalvin Cook’s status up in the air after missing the loss to Atlanta due to injury. Backup Alexander Mattison was ineffective in that game, creating some concern for Cousins and the Minnesota offense if Cook isn’t fit to play.

Meanwhile, things could be about to go from bad to worse for the Minnesota defense. The Vikings have allowed 32 points per game this season, which is the third-worst in the NFL this year. On top of those struggles, Danielle Hunter has been ruled out for the season while Yannick Ngakoue has been traded to the Ravens. Ngakoue has five of the team’s 13 sacks this season, further wearing a pass rush that was already struggling without Hunter and creating even more questions for the Minnesota defense to answer.

Full Game Prediction

Needless to say, it will take a monumental effort from Cousins to give the Vikings a chance to win this game. The Minnesota defense doesn’t appear to be reliable, although the Green Bay defense could leave the door cracked for the Vikings. Cousins is capable of playing at a high level, especially if rookie receiver Justin Jefferson can continue to emerge as a playmaking threat. But if Cousins can’t put his turnover issues behind him, the Vikings will have a narrow path to victory.

Before you go anywhere, make sure you sign up for a BetQL subscription that will give you access to critical stats and trends for both teams. You’ll also see our Vikings vs Packers prediction against the spread.