***SNF IN THE SWAMP - GB @ MINN***
***GREEN BAY PACKERS @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS***
Battle of the NFC North's top teams last season as the mighty Green Bay Packers head into Minnesota to take on a Vikings team who stole the NFC North Crown from them a year ago. The Packers are used to being at the top of the Black & Blue division, and last season the Vikings were able to dethrone them during the last game of the season. Some may say that the Packers wanted to lose that second game on purpose, due to having a more favorable seeding in the playoffs, but thats neither here nor there. Tonight's game is as fresh as can be as both teams are coming off of a hard fought road wins to open up the season and are both sitting at 1-0. Minnesota will unveil their long awaited brand new stadium tonight which will surely provide some extra juice for the Purple People to want to open up things on the right note, kind of like the LA Rams just did earlier this afternoon. However, I think the Vikes have a much tougher task tonight hosting QB Aaron Rodgers and the Cheese boys. The Pack struggled in Jacksonville last week against a young & feisty Jaguars squad who were also desperate to start a new season off on the right foot and fell jusssttttttt short as a Packers victory was the end result. Minnesota was able to squeak out a win in Tennessee thanks to their defense last week after suffering a HUGE blow to their organization when their starting QB Teddy Bridgewater went down in practice with a season long injury before the it even started. This is a true shame as Bridgewater was primed to have a big year this season with a playoff caliber team with their eyes on a possible Super Bowl. The purple suits made some quick moves and traded for Eagles QB Sam Bradford to replace Bridgewater in a desperate attempt to save their season realizing this is a "win now" team. Although I don't like Bradford, I like the move here as I think this is probably a situation where he can actually excel in. I mean he better, the guy now has arguably the best defense in the league, arguably the best RB behind him, and some serious weapons at WR. That being said, I don't like him to hold down the fort tonight as he has only been with the team for about 2-3 weeks or so now and I just don't believe it is long enough to build any sort of real chemistry with his guys just yet. When it comes down to it we are looking at Rodgers versus a disadvantaged Bradford, the decision becomes pretty clear when looking at it in that light. I am probably as high on the Viking defense as anybody. I loved that unit last year and still do, hell they are my fantasy defense in the shameful amount of leagues that I'm in. However Aaron Rodgers on the Prime Time stage, will find a way to get it done. It might not be pretty but I believe the Cheese will win an ugly bout to spoil their rivals new stadium's christening with a big fat stain of an "L" in the books. RB Eddie Lacy looks like he effectively shed the extra weight and is back to his old form and I expect a heavy dose of him tonight. I anticipate a low scoring affair as I do think the Purple People Eaters will give Rodgers problems and be in his face all night as they will surely feed off the brand new stadium's buzz flowing through the air. However I also think that Packer LBs Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers AKA the Sauce Boys will get after Bradford tonight and force him into some bad decisions in his Purple debut. Bradford might get in a groove with this squad down the road, I'm just thinking it takes a game or two before he is gelling in the purp. It is definitely important to note that Minny RB Adrian Peterson will most likely have a better outing than he did last week in Tennessee where he was extremely limited and a non-factor. One would think having Bradford under center would help open up the run game for the Vikings but that will remain to be seen. I expect a hard fought defensive, ground and pound type of game from both teams with the Pack prevailing in the end, yawn.
PACKERS-1.5
