Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings Matchup Preview (11/21/21): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings Matchup Preview (11/21/21)

After a week filled with COVID controversy and quarterback drama, the Packers escaped the weekend with an ugly win against the Seahawks, earning themselves the top spot in the NFC. Aaron Rodgers appears to be recovering smoothly from the virus, and this Packers defensive backfield has established itself as one of the best in the league. Minnesota, similarly, is coming off one of the biggest wins of their season against the LA Chargers. Their defense continues to give up a lot of points, though they’ve developed a knack for getting to the quarterback. No team has more sacks on the season than the Minnesota Vikings.

In an NFC North rivalry game that runs deep for both fanbases, expect Head Coaches Mike Zimmer and Matt LaFleur to come out swinging. Though many think Mike Zimmer is already on the way out, a resounding win this weekend will go a long way in convincing fans and front office personnel alike. Will the Packers extend their lead atop the NFC or do the Vikings take down their big brother in division? We’ll find out this weekend at 1:00 PM ET in the Twin Cities.

Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings Betting Odds

Betting Trends

Packers are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games overall
Packers are 6-0 in their last 6 games as a favorite
Packers are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game
Vikings are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games overall
Vikings are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 games as a home underdog
Vikings are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game

The Pick

Aaron Rodgers has been a cover machine this year, winning his last 8 games ATS. Though a regression is certainly in the cards soon, I don’t see it happening this weekend. The Packers have the best scoring defense in the NFL over the last 5 weeks, allowing just 11.6 points per game without Jaire Alexander or Za’Darius Smith. Aaron Rodgers has been clutch with game winning drives against Cincinnati and San Francisco this year, and so long as the hook is under a field goal that will matter. The Vikings have had relative success against Green Bay at home under the Cousins/Zimmer regime, so an upset would be far from shocking given how much the Vikings need this one. Admittedly, this line does feel a little trappy, but the Vikings have been so inconsistent that I can’t talk myself into it. With the Bucs and Cardinals losing last weekend, the Packers have a real shot to get the number 1 overall spot and home field advantage in the NFC — an opportunity they don’t want to squander.

My Prediction: Packers win 20-17, Packers cover (-2.5) and the under hits (u49.5)

TV Schedule

Date: Sunday, November 21
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN
TV Coverage: Fox

Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings Live Stream

Where can you watch Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings online? You can stream this game, and many other NFL games live online with Hulu. Hulu has a 7 Day free trial and is cheaper than cable options at $5.99/month. Watch Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings Free Online Now.

Injuries

Green Bay Packers: CB Jaire Alexander (Shoulder) O, RB Aaron Jones (Knee)Q, OT David Bakhtiari (Knee) O, OLB Za’Darius Smith (Back) O, TE Robert Tonyan (Torn ACL) O, DE Kingsley Keke (Concussion) O, DE LJ Scott (Quadriceps) Q
Minnesota Vikings: NT Michael Pierce (Elbow) O, DE Daniel Hunter (Pectoral) O, SS Harrison Smith (COVID-19) O, OLB Anthony Barr (Knee) O, CB Patrick Peterson (Hamstring) O, C Garrett Bradbury (COVID-19) O, TE Irv Smith Jr (Knee) O

Green Bay Packers Analysis

Though Aaron Rodgers will be the face of the Packers so long as he’s there, the real story for this team in 2021 has been defense. When CB Jaire Alexander went down in week 4, there were some serious concerns among Packer fans that they didn’t have the depth to stop teams over the top. Despite this, the Packers have maintained a top 3 overall defense in YPG behind a pass stopping secondary that allows fewer yards than every team except Buffalo and Carolina. The Packers haven’t scored more than 25 points in a game since week 4. Yet, they’re 5-1 during that stretch with their only loss coming to Kansas City when Aaron Rodgers had COVID-19.

This offense, meanwhile, has embraced a more run-centric philosophy with the emergence of AJ Dillon as a solid second option to Aaron Jones in the offensive backfield. The injury status of Aaron Jones heading into this weekend will play a big role in how the Packers approach this game, and, if he doesn’t play, Aaron Rodgers is likely going to have to deal with a secondary that’s capable of making quarterbacks uncomfortable. So far this season, we’ve seen Aaron as more of a game manager who’s been highly effective in the two minute drill. For no reason other than Aaron Jones’ injury status, this may be one of those games where we see Aaron Rodgers number called to carry the offense. 

Green Bay Packers Depth Chart

QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB1: Aaron Jones
RB2: AJ Dillon
WR1: Davante Adams
WR2: Marquez Valdes-Scantling
WR3: Allen Lazard
TE1: Josiah Deguara

Minnesota Vikings Analysis

The Vikings are one of three teams in the NFL with a positive point differential despite having a losing record. They haven’t lost a game by more than six points all season, and they’ve played more overtime games than any other team.

Their defense currently ranks 27th in run stopping and 14th in passing defense. They’ve been able to slow down explosive offenses such as Baltimore and Dallas for halves at a time, but have been bad at getting off the field on third down in the 4th quarter. The one silver lining is that they’ve been able to get consistent pressure on the quarterback, accumulating 29 sacks and holding quarterbacks to an average passer rating of 61.6 — the fourth lowest in the league.  

This Vikings offense, on the other hand, has been quite effective this year — ranking seventh in total yards per game and ninth in total passing yards. Despite his flaws, Kirk Cousins has the seventh highest passer rating in the league and the fewest interceptions of any starting QB. He’s played some of his worst games at home this season, though, which is something to be cognizant of heading into the weekend.

Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart

QB: Kirk Cousins
RB1: Dalvin Cook
RB2: Alexander Mattison
RB3: CJ Ham
WR1: Adam Thielen
WR2: KJ Osborn
WR3: Justin Jefferson

Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings Daily Fantasy Picks

The biggest mismatch in this game is at the line of scrimmage. The Packers’ top 5 offensive line going up against a below average Minnesota front 7 will give Green Bay plenty of opportunities to make plays on the ground. With Aaron Jones questionable to play on Sunday, the Packers are going to have to lean on RB AJ Dillon to be a focal point in the rushing attack. Expect Dillon to get more carries than usual and some action in the passing game. The RB is currently listed at $6,200 on DraftKings.