A Big Week For The NFC North
By scottwollan
Okay so it’s week 6 of the 2012 NFL season, the Vikings sit with a promising 4-1 record and are joint top of the NFC North division with the Chicago Bears. Not many (including myself) thought this scenario would even be possible but with the Vikes playing so well, here we are.
This week could prove to be a pivotal week in the NFC North, a week that could have huge implications for all teams involved (Chicago is on its bye week). The reason being that all three teams from the division playing this week have difficult away games against good football teams. Usually as a football fan (and especially as a Vikings fan) I take it one week and one game at a time and mostly just focus on our games. However having looked at the Vikings schedule and seeing all of the divisional games and the away trips to St Louis and Houston dominating the end of the schedule, it’s hard to doubt that distancing ourselves as far away from the rest of the pack now would be a major advantage to the Vikes.
Oct 7, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin (12) runs for a 10 yard touchdown during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE
The (4-1) Vikings travel to the (2-3) Redskins, a team much improved from last season but currently are on an 8 game home losing streak. The Redskins may or may not have RG3 available after he was knocked out of last week’s game with a mild concussion. Whether he is able to play or not will have a huge effect on this game.
The (2-3) Packers travel to the (5-0) Houston Texans with injuries to key players (B.J. Raji, Cedric Benson, Jermichael Finley and Greg Jennings) Unless the Packers can come up with a win their hopes of winning the division could take a massive hit just 6 games into the season.
The (1-3) Lions travel to Philadelphia (3-2) coming off their Bye week, if the Lions lose another game and slip to 1-4 their season could curtail somewhere ugly considering they were tipped by many to be in the play-offs come January.
If the Vikings can pull off a win at FedEx Field and return to Minnesota at 5-1 they could realistically be 3 games ahead of both the Packers and the Lions only 6 weeks into the season, while also putting pressure on Chicago coming off their bye week behind the Vikings in the division. Not to mention the two following games for the Vikings are both at home. A very interesting time to be a Vikings fan.