Game Summary
For the second time in the last 5 weeks, the Minnesota Vikings (6-1) will face off against the NFC North-rival Green Bay Packers (4-2). Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m. this Sunday, November 1, at Lambeau Field.
Winners of the first 2009 matchup by a score of 30-23, the Vikings have now won the last 2 games between the teams. In the 98-game series, however, the Packers hold a 49-47-1 edge.
Next week the Vikings will have a bye while Green Bay will head to Tampa Bay.
Key Links
Vikings at Packers Press Release (PDF)
Latest Vikings Depth Chart
Broadcast Info
TV: FOX Channel 9 in the Twin Cities
Play-By-Play: Thom Brennamen Analysts: Troy Aikman
Sideline Reporters: Pam Oliver
RADIO: KFAN-AM 1130/KTLK 100.3-FM
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman
Pre-Game Show: 1 p.m. CT
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 74-station, 6-state Minnesota Vikings Radio Network. Click here to view all stations on the Vikings Radio Network.
What To Watch For
- The Vikings-Packers previous 24 matchups (1998-2009), including the 2004 Wild Card playoff, have been remarkably even with a combined score of 568-564 in favor of Minnesota. The average scores of those games have been 23.7 and 23.5, respectively.
- This game features 2 of the top 4 teams in turnover differential. The Packers currently rank 1st with a +10 differential while the Vikings are tied for 4th with a +7 differential.
- If the Vikings win, it will be the team’s 16th win in the last 20 regular season games and it will mark the team’s first 7-1 start since 2000.
- If the Vikings do not allow a Packers running back to reach 100 rushing yards, it will be the 31st consecutive game the team hasn’t given up 100 yards rushing to an individual. The Vikings current streak of 30 games is the longest active stretch in the NFL. The last player to rush for 100 yards against the Vikings was Packers RB Ryan Grant on 11/11/07 (102 yards).
Stats of the Week
- WR Sidney Rice has reached 100+ receiving yards in the last 2 games. Rice’s 312 yards over the last 2 weeks is the 5th most over a consecutive 2-game span in Vikings history. No player in the NFL had more receiving yards over the last 2 weeks than Rice’s 312.
- The Vikings have the best red zone defense in the NFL, allowing opponents to score TDs just 27.8% of the time after reaching the 20-yard line. The team has given up just 5 TDs and 8 FGs in opponents’ 18 possessions inside the 20.
- WR Sidney Rice and RB Adrian Peterson are currently the most dangerous rushing-receiving duo in the NFC and the 2nd-most dangerous in the NFL. Peterson’s 687 rushing yards and Rice’s 545 receiving yards account for 1,232 of the Vikings 2,475 total yards. Only the Bengals duo of WR Chad Ochocinco (573) and RB Cedric Benson (720) has more (1,293).
- With his 88-yard kickoff return for a TD, KR Percy Harvin has now returned 2 kickoffs for scores this season (101, 88). He becomes the first Vikings player in team history to have 2 KRs for TDs in a season and in a career, and he is the only NFL player to have 2 in 2009.
- The Vikings kickoff return unit is giving the offense an average starting position just short of the 33-yard line (32.6), the best in the NFL.
Vikings Big Days vs. Packers
- DE Jared Allen recorded 4.5 sacks and a FF to go with his 8 tackles against the Packers on 10/5/09.
- Allen notched a sack of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers in the endzone for a safety when the teams met on 11/9/08. Allen now has 6.0 sacks in his 4 games against the Packers.
- WR Bernard Berrian caught 6 passes for 75 yards, including a 31- yard TD when the teams met earlier this season on 10/5/09.
- Berrian also caught a 49-yard TD pass against Green Bay in the 2006 season opener and caught 3 passes for 93 yards on Christmas Day 2005 against the Packers when he was a member of the Chicago Bears.
- QB Brett Favre became the fi rst QB to defeat all 32 teams when he threw for 271 yards and 3 TDs on 24-of-31 passing (77.4%) and defeated the Packers on 10/5/09. Favre fi nished with a 135.3 passer rating and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
- LB Chad Greenway posted a game-high 12 tackles and 1.0 sack when the teams met on 11/9/08.
- LB E.J. Henderson led the Vikings with 11 tackles against the Packers on 10/5/09.
- LB Ben Leber sacked QB Brett Favre at Green Bay (12/21/06).
- RB Adrian Peterson rushed for 192 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries (6.4) vs. Green Bay (11/9/08). Peterson has gained 452 yards and 2 TD on 72 carries (6.3 avg.) in 4 career games against the Packers.
- WR Sidney Rice has caught a TD in all 4 games he’s played against the Packers. Rice caught his fi rst career TD pass and fi nished with 6 receptions for 75 yards at Green Bay (9/30/07). He also caught a 23-yard TD pass at Green Bay in the 2008 season opener (9/8/08), a 3-yard touchdown vs. Green Bay on 11/9/2008, and he fi nished with 5 catches for 70 yards and a score the last time the teams met on 10/5/09.
- DE Brian Robison was the last Viking to sack QB Brett Favre when he played for Green Bay on 9/30/07.
- CB Antoine Winfi eld was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Week for the Wild Card game at Green Bay (1/9/05) when he picked off Brett Favre and posted 13 tackles.
- DT Pat Williams tied his career high with 12 tackles vs. Green Bay (11/12/06) and recorded 4 tackles for a loss.
- DT Kevin Williams brought down QB Brett Favre vs. Green Bay (11/2/03) during Williams’ rookie season.
Vikings vs. Packers Series Notes
- The Vikings and Packers have one of the most heated rivalries in the NFL, with Green Bay holding the all-time series lead 49-47-1.
- This will be the 98th matchup between the teams, tied for the most the Vikings have played against any opponent in the league.
- The Vikings-Packers previous 24 games (1998-2009), which includes the first playoff matchup between the two squads in 2004, have been remarkably even with a combined score of 568-564 in favor of Minnesota. The average scores in those games have been 23.7 and 23.5, respectively.
- Head Coach Brad Childress has won his last 2 games against the Packers.
- Vikings QB Brett Favre will spend his first game on the opposing team sideline at Lambeau Field after spending 16 seasons with Green Bay.
- The Vikings have a 25-23 record against the Packers at home and are 22-26-1 on the road.
- The two teams have gone to overtime 5 times throughout the series, and the only tie came in a 10-10 deadlock on 11/26/78 at Lambeau Field. The 5 overtime games are the most by the Vikings against any single opponent.
A Win Would...
- Give the Vikings a 3-0 record against the NFC North division in 2009.
- Give the Vikings their first sweep of Green Bay since 2005.
- Improve the Vikings all-time record against the Packers to 48-49-1.
- Give the Vikings their 3rd consecutive victory over Green Bay, dating back to the 2008 season.
- Give the Vikings their 16th victory in the last 20 regular season games, dating back to 2008. The Vikings are 15-4 in the last 19 games.
- Give the Vikings their first 7-1 start since 2000.
- Improve the Vikings all-time record against NFC North opponents to 163-122-5.
- Improve Head Coach Brad Childress’ all-time record against the Packers to 3-5
Last Time vs. Green Bay
The last time the two division rivals met, the Vikings defeated the visiting Green Bay Packers 30-23 on Monday Night Football (10/5/09), the Vikings 50th MNF game.
With the national spotlight on him as he faced his former teammates from his 16 years in Green Bay, QB Brett Favre had a stellar performance, completing 24- of-31 passes for 271 yards, 3 TDs and a passer rating of 135.3. His performance earned him NFC Player of the Week honors, and with the win, he became the first QB to defeat all 32 NFL teams.
Favre’s TD hookups went to TE Visanthe Shiancoe, WR Sidney Rice, and WR Bernard Berrian. Berrian led all Vikings receivers with 6 catches for 75 yards, while Rice finished with 5 grabs for 70 yards.
Pro Bowl DE Jared Allen carried the Vikings defense, setting a career high and a Monday Night Football record with 4.5 sacks, including one in the endzone that resulted in a safety for the Vikings. His 4.5 sacks ranked as the 2nd most in a single game in Vikings history. Allen also forced a fumble that was recovered by LB Chad Greenway and led to a Vikings touchdown.
In total the Vikings sacked Packers QB Aaron Rodgers 8 times on the night, one shy of a team single game record. Notching the other sacks for the Vikings were DE Brian Robison (1.5), LB Ben Leber, and DT Jimmy Kennedy.
CB Antoine Winfield had the Vikings second takeaway of the night when he intercepted a Rodgers’ pass. Winfield also tied for the team lead with 11 tackles along with LB E.J. Henderson. The Vikings defense also came up big at the end of the 3rd quarter with a goal line stand, stopping Green Bay on 4 consecutive plays from inside the 5-yard line.
P Chris Kluwe did his part to make things difficult for the Packers offense, pinning them inside their own 20-yard line 4 times on 5 punts and allowing 0 return yards for the packers punt return unit.
