5 things Minnesota Vikings must change in 2020
By Nik Edlund
Minnesota Vikings Change No. 5: Beat the Packers
Like legendary wrestler, Ric Flair says, “To be the best, you gotta beat the best.” Like it or hate it, the Packers are currently the best in the NFC North. And if the Vikings want to win the division, they have to knock off their hated rivals.
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The Vikings were swept by the Packers last year including a humbling loss at home late in the season when the Vikings desperately needed the victory. The Vikings offensive line had trouble slowing the Packers pass rush as EDGEs Zadarius Smith and Preston Smith proved to be too much to handle. In their two games against the Vikings in 2019, the Smith duo combined for 18 tackles, four sacks, one interception and five tackles for a loss. The Vikings have to figure out a way to block those two, or at least slow them down in 2020.
Defensively, the Vikings played well enough to beat the Packers both times they met in 2019. After giving up 21 points in the first quarter and a half in the first contest, they shut them out the rest of the game. In the second game of the season, they held the Packers to 23 points. Any time you can hold a quarterback Aaron Rodgers-led offense to 24 points or less, the chances of winning are high.
The Vikings just have to score more than 26 points combined against the Packers this upcoming season.
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The Vikings get the Packers with the opening game of the 2020 schedule. It’s at home and the team will be fired up to end this streak. Their pass protection will have to be much better, and they’ll have to put up more points on the board than they did last year, or their losing streak against the hated Green and Gold could continue.