| Green
Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) scrambles with the
ball as Tennessee Titans defensive end Kamerion Wimbley (95)
misses a tackle in the third quarter of an NFL football game
at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Sunday. The Packers defeated
the Titans 55-7. |
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MINNEAPOLIS - Aaron
Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers have surged in December and head
into the final game of the season looking to lock up the No. 2 seed
in the NFC playoffs.
And kick a division
rival to the curb.
Adrian Peterson and
the Minnesota Vikings head into the regular-season finale with their
eyes on their first playoff berth in three years, and on a few major
milestones for their peerless running back.
Heading into
Sunday's game, it would be hard for the stakes to be much higher,
and that's just the way it should be.
"That's what
I'm excited about," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said,
"having the opportunity to play a playoff-type game, a
playoff-game atmosphere, on the road with the crowd noise and both
teams have a lot on the line. Shoot, I think it's great for our
football team."
The Packers (11-4)
have won 10 of their last 11 following a shaky start and need a win
for a first-round bye and the chance to open another push for the
Super Bowl in the comforts of home. Rodgers is rolling like the
reigning MVP that he is. Clay Matthews, Greg Jennings and Jordy
Nelson have returned from injuries to get the Packers as close to
full strength as they've been in months.
"The guys have
to understand whoever is open is going to get the ball and be
selfless in that respect," Rodgers said. "Too many weapons
is a good thing."
The Vikings need a
win to avoid having to sweat out any convoluted playoff scenarios,
and Peterson is chasing 2,000 yards and Eric Dickerson's
single-season rushing record of 2,105. Peterson needs 102 yards to
become the sixth running back in league history to hit 2,000, and
208 to top Dickerson's 28-year-old record.
"I feel like I
have a good chance," Peterson said. "I believe it and in
order to accomplish it, you have to believe it."
He's done some of
his best work against the Vikings' biggest rival. Peterson has
rushed for more yards against the Packers than any other team,
including 210 in a loss at Lambeau Field on Dec. 2. Now he's at home
on the fast track turf of Mall of America Field, knowing another
monster day could propel his team into the playoffs after two rough
seasons.
"It's that
rivalry. Just my mindset automatically clicks when we play the
Packers because they're such a good team," Peterson said.
"Playing those guys, they're definitely the team to beat. It
brings the best out in you."
Even some of the
Packers wouldn't mind seeing Peterson make history, if it didn't
have to come this week. They have loads of respect for a humble star
who has come back from a devastating knee injury to reclaim his
title as the best running back in the league.
They just don't
want to be the team in the highlight reel that is played forever.
"If anybody
deserves to get the record, it's definitely A.P., no doubt about
it," Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said. "But
unfortunately, they're playing us. We want to put our best foot
forward. It's going to be a tough task; we know that already."
Peterson had a
string of eight straight games in which he topped 100 yards snapped
last week against Houston, where he rushed for 86 yards on 25
carries. The Texans threw everything they had at him, using an array
of run blitzes to try to take the ball out of his hands, or at least
limit his effectiveness. Peterson was able to rip off a couple of
nice gains, but nothing of the breakaway sort that allowed him to
rack up major yardage during his prolific eight-game streak.
All that has done
is set the bar a little higher for Peterson in the finale.
"It's
definitely something I still want to accomplish," Peterson
said. "Ultimately the most important thing is getting to the
postseason and getting a W. I'll be satisfied with both, but
definitely satisfied with the W first."
The Packers come
into the game ranked 14th in run defense, and while they do expect
to get run-stuffer C.J. Wilson back from a knee injury, they don't
have a disruptive force up front like Houston's J.J. Watt to disrupt
everything.
"A lot of
blitzing, bringing people off the edge, not unlike a lot of other
teams, but their personnel, they have good personnel," Vikings
coach Leslie Frazier said of the Texans. "We'll see similar
schemes (from Green Bay), but if you don't have a similar personnel,
good luck."
If the Vikings
lose, they'll need the Lions to beat the Bears, the Eagles to beat
the Giants and the Redskins to beat the Cowboys to get in. Plenty of
pressure there, but the Vikings have been playing with essentially a
must-win attitude ever since that loss to the Packers dropped them
to 6-6. They've reeled off three wins in a row, and they desperately
need one more.
Which means lots of
Peterson for the Packers to deal with.
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