A Packers fan perspective on the 2018 Minnesota Vikings and NFC North

What do Green Bay Packers fans think about the Minnesota Vikings acquiring Kirk Cousins and their chances to win the NFC North during the 2018 season?

In recent history, the NFC North has been a two-horse race. In the last 11 seasons, there has only been one occasion where the division champion wasn’t the Green Bay Packers or the Minnesota Vikings.

It’s no surprise that those two franchises are the favorites to win the division during the 2018 NFL season. However, who will come out on top is up for debate as both teams have great players and new faces to help take them to the top.

To find out more about the Packers fan perspective on the 2018 Minnesota Vikings, The Viking Age reached out to Josh McPeak at Dairyland Express to find out how Green Bay followers feel about the division, Kirk Cousins, and the NFC representative in Super Bowl LIII.

1. What does the acquisition of Kirk Cousins by the Vikings mean to the Packers and fans of Green Bay?

“It’s concerning. The one thing that has put the Packers over the rest of the NFC North, has been the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins is a franchise quarterback, who now has tremendous weapons all around him. The Packers needed help in the secondary going into the NFL draft. Cousins going to the Vikings could also be a big reason the Packers chose to draft a corner in rounds one and two.”

2. Does the new-look Vikings offense combined with their strong defense make them a top Super Bowl contender?

“Absolutely. The Vikings have built an impressive roster. They were on the doorstep just a season ago and that was without Dalvin Cook and prior to the acquisition of Kirk Cousins.  I think it was a really great transition, to move on from Case Keenum. While Keenum stepped up huge last year, there is no track record that indicates he can do it on a yearly basis. Mike Hughes should also be able to step in and contribute as a rookie.”

3. How will the NFC North standings look following the 2018 NFL season? Rank the teams as well as five a reason why they are ranked where they are.

4. Chicago Bears: “I love the Bears offseason. Roquan Smith has all the tools to be the next staple for that Bear’s infamous defense. Drafting Anthony Miller and bringing in the likes of Trey Burton and Allen Robinson should give second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky plenty of options. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the Bears finish higher than this.”

3. Detroit Lions: “It feels like the window in Detroit is closing. Matthew Stafford still gives the Lions an advantage in most games, but outside of that, there is no guarantee. Detroit didn’t have a flashy offseason and followed it up with somewhat of a dull draft class. Again, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Bears leapfrog the Lions this season.”

2. Green Bay Packers: “This all depends on the health of Aaron Rodgers. If number twelve stays healthy, the Packers could win the North, if not, they could finish last. The Packers have questions going into the season. Who is the number two receiver? Can they get consistent pressure on the quarterback? It’s an interesting year for the Packers.”

1. Minnesota Vikings: “Kirk Cousins will enjoy maybe the best receiving duo in all of the NFL this season. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are an electric group. Dalvin Cook will also return, making the offense even better. With the defense remaining together for another season, fans in Minnesota have plenty to be excited about.”

Minnesota Vikings

4. Which team outside the NFC North is the biggest threat to represent the conference in Super Bowl LIII?

“The Philadelphia Eagles are the obvious pick here, but the champ usually gets every teams best following a Super Bowl. It’s not as easy as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick make it look. Don’t sleep on the LA Rams. Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Ndamukong Suh and former Packer Sam Shields, all roll into the Rams defense this season. Jared Goff looks like the real deal and Todd Gurley is the best dual-threat running back in the NFL.”

5. How will the head-to-head matchups between the Vikings and Packers shake out this year? And how well do the Vikings match up against the Packers on a scale of 1 to 10?

“The safe bet here is to take the home split. Although, I wish the Packers had the Vikings at home later in the season, versus week two. Aaron Rodgers will have a chip on his shoulder when playing the Vikings this year. He will also have 13 screws in it, as Anthony Barr all but ended Rodgers’ season a year ago.

Honestly, I have to go with a 10 on how well the Vikings match up with the Packers. Diggs and Thielen will give the Packers young secondary all they can handle. Couple that with a dual-threat back, such as Dalvin Cook, and you’ve got a nightmare. Minnesota’s defense is also solid in all phases. They can apply pressure on the quarterback and Xavier Rhodes has transformed into one of the best corners in the league. As an avid Notre Dame fan, it blows my mind how great of a player Harrison Smith has become. It’s hard to find holes in this Minnesota team.”

Next: 7 best moves of the Vikings' 2018 offseason

Huge thanks go out to Josh McPeak of Dairyland Express for answering our questions. Soon, they will publish a similar article featuring TVA’s opinions on the Packers and the NFC North, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

What do you think of the state of the NFC North and the Minnesota Vikings heading into the 2018 NFL season? And do you agree with the statements above about the conference, Super Bowl, and the division? Let us know in the comments section below.