Green Bay Packers (11-3) at Minnesota Vikings (10-4)
Monday, Dec. 23, 8:15 p.m. ET, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
Packers’ keys to victory: This could be a rough day for Minnesota’s secondary. The Vikings’ pass defense has been brutal this season, and things won’t get any easier for them with Packers QB Aaron Rodgers slinging it to WR Davante Adams. If Green Bay can exploit Minnesota’s secondary the way other teams have, the Packers should be able to put a bow on their first NFC North championship since 2016. Don’t sleep on Green Bay’s rushing game, either. RB Aaron Jones is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving.
Vikings’ keys to victory: Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins is 0-8 in Monday night games. Cousins is probably having the best season of his career, but people won’t care about it if he can’t win these big games. How will Cousins play in a game with major playoff implications? He has plenty of weapons with RB Dalvin Cook and WRs Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
Matchup to watch: Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes vs. Packers WR Davante Adams. It’s no secret that Rhodes has struggled in 2019. He’s having the worst season of his career and he’s nowhere near the “Rhodes Closed” version of himself from 2017. Adams has been hurt most of the season, but he’s still Rodgers’ favorite receiver, and the two have chemistry that goes back to 2014. In the first matchup between the two teams earlier this season, Adams hauled in seven passes for 106 yards.
Who wins? Who is this game more important for? You have a Vikings team that is trying to just get into the playoffs after a disappointing 2018 season. But then there is Green Bay, which is not only trying to win the NFC North, but hoping to get a top-two seed in the playoffs. The edge goes to the Vikings, simply because the game is at U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Vikings are 6-0 this season. This one could very well come down to a late field goal by Dan Bailey. Vikings 27, Packers 24
