By Joseph Plunkett
The Green Bay Packers will host the Minnesota Vikings on September 16 aiming to prove that they are genuine contenders for an NFL play-off berth this season.
Despite a poor 2017 campaign, the Packers are prominent in outright NFL betting and predictions by many pundits have marked them down as a team to watch this season.
Green Bay started 4-1 last term, but they collapsed to 7-9 after losing star quarterback Aaron Rodgers with a broken collarbone.
Defense was a major problem for the Packers last season. Defensive coordinators Dom Capers and Edgar Bennett have been fired, with former Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine and ex-Miami Dolphins boss Joe Philbin brought in to replace them.
The addition of Muhammad Wilkerson to pair with Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark gives them, on paper, a solid 3-4 defensive line. However, Green Bay will need linebackers Clay Matthews and Nick Perry to stay fit if things are to improve at the back.
Assuming Rodgers’ collarbone has healed properly the Packers should be back in contention, although Minnesota will be a tough nut to crack.
The Vikings finished with a 13-3 regular season record in 2017, but their hopes of winning the Super Bowl were ruthlessly ended by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game.
There will be plenty of pressure on new quarterback Kirk Cousins following his arrival from Washington Redskins. During his time with the Redskins, he set numerous franchise records and appeared in the 2017 Pro Bowl.
A three-year $84 million contract will bring plenty of expectation, but history suggests that he could have his work cut out for him this season. No NFC team has won the Super Bowl the year after it lost the conference championship game since the 1996 Packers.
The rest of the NFC North has regrouped, with new head coaches for the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions and a new general manager in Green Bay.
A record of just three wins on their last 13 visits to Green Bay is worrying and if Rodgers is fully healed the Packers could record an important victory.
Elsewhere on game week two in NFC North, the Bears are fancied to defeat Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field, but the Lions could struggle when they visit San Francisco 49ers.