Here's How The Minnesota Vikings Will Win In Week 17
Things aren't going well for the Minnesota Vikings. The team lost their starting quarterback in Week Eight, yet still found a way to win their next two outings against the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. Then the Vikings' magic seemingly ran out.
Minnesota lost on the road on Sunday Night Football to the Denver Broncos and has only won one game since (a thrilling 3-0 victory over the Raiders). The team benched Josh Dobbs in favor of Nick Mullens, an experience that Vikings fans are quickly getting tired of.
Despite that, the Vikings are still in the hunt for the final wild-card playoff spot in the NFC, and this weekend's game against the Packers is essentially a must-win. So what needs to happen for Minnesota to beat Green Bay? Here are three keys to a Vikings Week 17 victory.
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No More Turnovers
Nick Mullens has thrown six interceptions in his last two starts, including four last Sunday against the Detroit Lions. However, turnovers aren't just a Nick Mullens issue.
Minnesota is tied for the second-most turnovers per game in the NFL this season, averaging two giveaways a week. If the team wants to sneak their way into the playoffs they need to stop handing the ball to the opposing team.
I would like for the team to give rookie QB Jaren Hall another look. What do you have to lose? Mullens and Dobbs were turnover-prone, so why not give the rookie a chance to show what he's made of?
Let Chandler Cook
Minnesota has struggled to run the football all season long. Alexander Mattison has failed to meet expectations, while Cam Akers is sitting on injured reserve with an Achilles injury. Ty Chandler has shown bits of what he's capable of bringing to the offense but hasn't been given free rein as the starting running back.
For example, the Vikings had 11 total rushing attempts last week, as opposed to the 36 passing plays. Of those 11 carries, Ty Chandler handled eight of them for a total of 17 yards and a touchdown.
Green Bay allows the third-most rushing yards per game, with opposing offenses gaining an average of 135.9 yards per outing. The Packers also allowed 96 yards last weekend to a Panthers offense that has struggled to do much of anything for much of the season. If the Vikings want to win, they must rely on Ty Chandler and the run game, regardless of who's at quarterback.
Get Pressure On Love
It's not easy to get pressure on Jordan Love. The 25-year-old has only been sacked 18 times during his first season as the full-time starter. But the Vikings' defense was able to do a good job of getting to him in their first meeting this year.
The Brian Flores-led unit recorded eight quarterback hits in the Week Eight matchup. They also recorded four sacks for a loss of 33 yards in the 24-10 win.
D.J. Wonnum was fantastic in that game, picking up two of those four sacks, along with a tackle for loss and four QB hits. Josh Metellus also had an interception. With poor QB play, the Vikings' defense is being asked to do a lot. They'll need to have another good game to give Minnesota a chance at their eighth win of the year.
Vikings VS Packers Final Thoughts
This is a massive game in the NFC playoff race. Whoever loses is essentially out of playoff contention, which should make for some interesting Sunday Night Football action. At the time of publishing, Minnesota is a two-point favorite with a total set at 46.0.
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