Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers Matchup #122
Who is set up for victory and who is destined for defeat?
Vikings vs. Packers Rivalry
The Packers have a slight edge in the rivalry with 63 wins to the VIkings 55 wins and there have been 3 ties as well. However, the Vikings have the longest winning streak in the series with 7 in a row between the 1975-1978 seasons.
Vikings vs. Packers: History And Present
The first game between these two teams in 1961 ended up with a 33-7 score in favor of the Packers and unfortunately the most recent game in 2022 was a 37-10 score once again in favor of the Packers. There have been lopsided defeats and very close games throughout the rivalry.
A Little Something Extra
The only thing that is a guarantee for these games is that they will be fought with a little something extra due to the pride that can be earned in these border battles. The most lopsided victory came back on November 14, 2011. That was a victory again for the packers but to the tune of 45-7.
Defensive Dominance
Oddly enough the lowest combined score in this rivalry also happened on November 14th but this was in the year 1971. These two dynamic teams showed off their defenses in a battle that ended in a 3-0 victory for the Vikings.
It is not necessary to go very far back in the history of this rivalry to find the most recent of the 3 ties. This happened back on September 16th of 2018 and ended with a score of 29-29.
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Quarterbacks Lead The Way
This rivalry has had its ups and downs, but over the years but as a Vikings fan it is always something to get up and get excited for. The Packers have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Aaron Rodgers but the Vikings’ Kirk Cousins is no slouch either.
Kirk’s overall record sits at 59-59-2 while Aaron’s is 139-66-1. Kirk’s completion percentage is 66.9% and Aaron’s is 65.3%, albeit Kirk’s sample size is significantly smaller. They have an almost identical yards per attempt stat with Kirk averaging 7.7 yards and Aaron averaging 7.8 yards. Kirk has about half as many touchdowns with 223 and Aaron has 449.
The craziest stat between these two has got to be the interceptions that either one has thrown. Even though Aaron has been in the league for 7 more years than Kirk, He has only thrown 2 more interceptions. Kirk has thrown 91 interceptions and Aaron has thrown 93 interceptions.
So What?
That was a lot of information for even somebody like me who really enjoys statistics and their interpretation but I believe that this year’s matchups will take on a flavor of their own. Even though the Packers have Rodgers on the offensive side of the ball, it looks like their defense could carry them further this year if they live up to the hype.
While Zimmer was at the helm of the Vikings they were known for their defense but they significantly fell off of the pace over the last couple of seasons. Now the Vikings will be known for their offense under offensive genius/guru Kevin O’Connell. With the weapons of Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, KJ Osborn, and the newly added Jalen Reagor, how can you not be excited with what this offense has the potential to do?
One of the determining factors in this rivalry as well as the rest of the season will be how well the center position of the offensive line performs for the Vikings. If Garrett Bradbury can make a significant leap in his performance then the Vikings will be okay. However, if he continues to struggle and they do not pull him for a better option then the offense will struggle, even with all of the aforementioned weapons.
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