GREEN BAY – The Packers will attempt to revive their offense this Sunday against one of the league's top young defenses.
"They have a good scheme and they play hard," Packers Associate Head Coach and play-caller Tom Clements said of the 7-2 Vikings, a team on a five-game winning streak that has moved them into first place in the NFC North.
The Vikings are led by the league's No. 1 rush offense and leading rusher, Adrian Peterson. The complement to Peterson is a young defense that has risen to No. 9 overall, No. 8 against the pass.
Head Coach Mike Zimmer is a former defensive coordinator known for a particular scheme that'll give the Vikings the look of a seven-man front. The offense's challenge is to identify the rushers at the snap of the ball.
"They like to get their linebackers up on the same level as the linemen," Clements said.
It's Zimmer's version of the zone blitz Packers Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers has used effectively during his career.
"You see people in the league who have elements of it, but he's got the full package. He's committed to it," Capers said of Zimmer.
"He picks his moments," Clements said of the Vikings' use of the blitz. "They play good, sound, fundamental defense. If they get you at a point that it's to their advantage, they like to eat you up. Anything you can think of, they can probably do."
The Packers have struggled to sustain drives and score points through the last four games, but Clements saw signs of encouragement in the Packers' 18-16 loss to the Lions.
"We made gains in plays run, 82. We had a ton at the end of the game; too many three-and-outs. We got better but we have to do it more consistently," he said.
Capers' defense is facing the ultimate stop-the-run challenge: How do you stop Peterson?
"I'm looking for any suggestions," Capers said. "You can't ever relax. You might have a great game going, but on any given play … last week it was late in the game when he broke the 80-yarder.
"You have to get multiple people to the ball. He's a violent runner. You have to not get your defense at different levels."
The Packers defense is No. 23 overall, No. 24 against the run.
Packers Special Teams Coordinator Ron Zook is facing a challenge similar to Capers': Stop Vikings kick-returner Cordarrelle Patterson, who returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown last Sunday against the Raiders.
Take a look back in time at memorable photos from prior Packers-Vikings matchups in Minnesota. Photos by Jim Biever, Vern Biever, Matt Becker and AP.
Oct. 27, 2013 - QB Aaron Rodgers threw for 285 yards, two touchdowns and a 130.6 passer rating. Game balls were awarded to the entire offense for its effort in the 44-31 victory.
Oct. 27, 2013 - RB Eddie Lacy led all rushers with 94 yards. During the team's last meeting on Oct. 2, 2014 at Lambeau Field, QB Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and a passer rating of 138.5 while Lacy ran for a season-high 105 yards and two touchdowns.
Oct. 27, 2013 - RBs Eddie Lacy (94 yards) and James Starks (57) combined for 151 of a total 182 rushing yards.
Oct. 27, 2013- WR Jordy Nelson had seven receptions for 123 yards, including a 76-yard TD.
Oct. 27, 2013 - DT Mike Daniels sacked Minnesota QB Christian Ponder twice, the first two-sack game of Daniels' career. The effort doubled his season sack total to four.
Oct. 27, 2013 - K Mason Crosby was 3-for-3 on field goals, from 30, 20 and 45 yards, and made all five of his PATs for 14 total points.
Nov. 21, 2010 - James Jones hauls in a picture perfect one-handed catch with five seconds left in the first half, putting the Packers up, 17-3, on the way to a 31-3 win. Nearly three months later, the Packers went on to win Super Bowl XLV.
Oct. 5, 2009 - Jermichael Finley runs for a tough 62 yards and a touchdown in 2009, bringing the score to 7-7 during the first quarter at the Metrodome. Finley was the third leading receiver on the team with 676 yards and five TDs in 2009.
Nov. 17, 2002 - Donald Driver races 84 yards on a fourth quarter touchdown pass from Brett Favre as Vikings LB Greg Biekert chases him. Through 108 meetings, which includes two postseason contests (1-1), the Packers hold a 57-49-2 edge over the Vikings in the all-time series.
Dec. 3, 1967 - Vikings QB Joe Kapp is lifted high by LB Lee Roy Caffey (60) as he attempts a pass. The Packers won, 30-27, finished first in the NFL Central that season and went on to win Super Bowl II.
Nov. 21, 2010 - The captains photo before the Packers' 31-3 win in Minneapolis. Pictured are Tim Masthay (8), Charles Woodson (21), Jordy Nelson (87), Aaron Rodgers (photo-bombing) and Matt Flynn (photo-bombing).
Dec. 5, 1976 - LB Fred Carr (53) gets ready as Vikings kicker Fred Cox prepares for the snap. The Packers lost, 20-9, as 43,700 fans were in attendance at the Metropolitan in Bloomington, Minn.
Sept. 30, 2007 - Brett Favre celebrates after completing a record-setting 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Favre set the NFL record for career touchdown passes at 421, surpassing Dan Marino.
Nov. 21, 1965 - Bart Starr takes the field in Minneapolis during pregame warm-ups. Coach Vince Lombardi had the upper hand over the Vikings in Minnesota's first five seasons in the NFL, going 9-1 against them in that span.
Dec. 30, 2012 - QB Christian Ponder is sacked by Clay Matthews in the first half. Matthews led the team with sacks, finishing with 13 for the year.
Nov. 1, 1964 - FB Billy Brown hurtles over LB Dan Currie (58) for a six-yard gain in the third quarter in Minneapolis. He was tackled shortly after by DT Henry Jordan. DE Willie Davis (87) can be seen in the background. The Packers won, 42-13.
Nov. 11, 2010 - Packers defenders swarm the ball, tackling RB Adrian Peterson for a loss. The Packers won, 31-3. Under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers have swept the regular season series against the Vikings four times (2011, 2010, 2007, 2006). Since McCarthy took over in 2006, the Packers have a 12-4-1 record (.735) against the Vikings in the regular season.
Dec. 20, 1999 - Brett Favre pitches the ball back to RB Dorsey Levens as he falls into the line during the fourth quarter of Monday Night Football. The Vikings won, 24-20.
Nov. 9, 2008 - Brett Goode (61), Ryan Pickett (79) and Aaron Rodgers (12) stand for the traditional Packers' captains photo before a game at the Metrodome. In a rare occurrence, Rodgers was on the receiving end of a photo-bomb.
Oct. 5, 2009 - Clay Matthews runs for a memorable touchdown after stripping the ball from RB Adrian Peterson during the first half.
Nov. 17, 2002 - TE Bubba Franks catches a three-yard touchdown pass from Brett Favre during the third quarter in Minneapolis. Franks was the Packers second leading receiver in touchdowns that year with seven.
Dec. 17, 2000 - WR Bill Schroeder evades LB Kailee Wong and CB Kenny Wright (20) for a long gain in the second quarter. The win reclaimed hope for a playoff run for first-year Head Coach Mike Sherman. It also snapped a two-year losing streak in Minnesota and was the third win in the last ten years there.
Oct. 23, 2011 - Charles Woodson runs back a Christian Ponder interception for 26 yards to help the Packers in their 33-27 victory. The win secured the team with a 7-0 record and first place in the division. The Packers are 8-1-1 in the last 10 games between the teams during the regular and postseason, including 3-1 at Minnesota. The Packers' only loss during that span was by three points in 2012.
Oct. 2, 1977 - QB Fran Tarkenton gets sacked for a 20-yard loss by DE Bob Barber. LB Fred Carr (53) is in the background.
Nov. 17, 2002 - RB Michael Bennett misses on a stiff-arm as CB Mike McKenzie brings him down for a loss. The Packers finished first in the NFC North that year with a record of 12-4.
Nov. 5, 1995 - Cris Carter and Reggie White share a moment in prayer at the Packers bench after the game. Over the last 20 seasons (1994-2013), these teams have accounted for 15 NFC Central/North division championships.
Dec. 30, 2012 - RB DuJuan Harris runs from defenders Brian Robison and Jamarca Sanford during the second half. Since 2006, the Packers have scored 20-plus points against the Vikings in 15 of 16 regular-season games. The Packers' 495 points scored in the regular-season since 2006 are the most against the Vikings in the NFL, and Green Bay's 29.1 points per game leads the league among teams that have played Minnesota at least four times over that span.
Dec. 17, 1984 - TE Paul Coffman jumps over defender John Swain as Tom Hannon (45) chases. Coffman gained 26 yards on the pass play from QB Lynn Dickey as the Packers beat the Vikings 38-14.
Nov. 9, 2008 - Johnny Jolly flexes after stuffing RB Adrian Peterson on third down for no gain. Sunday will be the first outdoor game (TCF Bank Stadium) between the Packers and Vikings in Minnesota since they played at Metropolitan Stadium on Nov. 29, 1981.
Nov. 21, 1965 - QB Fran Tarkenton (10) throws an incomplete pass as DE Lionel Aldridge (82) holds his hands in the air to obstruct his view. The Packers won, 38-13.
Nov. 2, 2003 - K Ryan Longwell kicks a field goal late in the fourth quarter that went on to be the deciding margin in the Packers' 30-27 win. The Packers have scored 30-plus points in six of their last eight regular-season games against Minnesota, averaging 33.7 points per game over that span. That included a 42-point game earlier this season, a 44-point outing at Minnesota last season in Week 8, the most points ever scored by Green Bay at the Metrodome, and a 45-point effort at Lambeau Field in 2011.
"We can't kick it out of bounds. We have to kick it to him and tackle him to the ground. He's the real deal," Zook said.
November wind and cold intensify the challenge for special teams. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-30s in Minnesota on Sunday. The days of non-returnable kickoffs are coming to an end.
"It's going to be the same weather for both sides. That's playing football in the north," Zook said.
Packers kicker Mason Crosby is coming off a rare bad kick. His attempt to win the game against the Lions with a 52-yard try resulted in a wobbly kick that fell short of the end zone.
"Mason's foot hit the ground and bounced up. Getting into the weather, this is where these guys make their money," Zook said.
