EAGAN, Minn. – The Vikings (3-4) will visit the Packers (2-4) at noon (CT) Sunday in Week 8.
It will be the 126th Border Battle and first of two scheduled meetings between the NFC North rivals.
Here are all the ways to catch the action, followed by three things the Vikings.com editorial staff will be watching for during the game.
BROADCAST TV
FOX (KMSP FOX 9 in the Twin Cities)
Play-by-Play: Kenny Albert
Analyst: Jonathan Vilma
Sideline reporter: Shannon Spake
ON MOBILE
People in the yellow areas shown on the map from 506sports.com will be able to watch the game on their iOS mobile devices with the Vikings app or Vikings mobile site (Safari browser only). The Yahoo! Sports app for smartphones and tablets offers another method for viewing live local and prime-time NFL games.
REGIONAL RADIO
KFAN (100.3-FM), KTLK 1130-AM and the five-state Vikings Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen
Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline reporter: Ben Leber
Note: The pregame radio show on the Vikings Radio Network will begin at 10 a.m. (CT).
Audio Streaming Option: Catch the audio broadcast on your smart devices through the KFAN channel on the iHeart app.
SPANISH RADIO
Catch the Vikings on Tico Sports at WREY "El Rey" 94.9 FM and 630 AM in the Twin Cities and on Tico-Sports.com, elrey949fm.com and Vikings.com.
Play-by-Play: Gabriel Rios
Analyst: Isaias Zendejas
SATELLITE RADIO
Minnesota: SiriusXM 99 or 388/Or in the app
Green Bay: SiriusXM 111 or 229/Or in the app
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS
Click here for the full bevy of options that include over-the-air, cable, satellite, over-the-top and streaming methods.
NFL+ AND NFL+ PREMIUM
Start your free trial of NFL+ today to watch Vikings preseason games live or on-demand.
NFL+ and NFL+ Premium provide all the action when you are on the go. It is available in the NFL app and at NFL.com/plus.
NFL+ is available for $6.99/month or $39.99/year and offers the following:
- Live out-of-market preseason games across devices
- Live local and prime-time regular-season and postseason games on your phone or tablet
- Live game audio (home, away & national calls) for every game of the season
- NFL Films' on-demand content, ad-free
NFL+ Premium is available for $14.99/month or $79.99/year and offers all the NFL+ features and the following:
- Full game replays across devices (ad-free)
- Condensed game replays across devices (ad-free)
- Coaches film (ad-free)
THREE THINGS WE'LL BE WATCHING
Can Vikings continue increasing pressure and forcing turnovers? | By Ellis Williams
For consecutive games, the Vikings have won the turnover battle. This week, Minnesota has an opportunity to continue that trend versus a Packers team that is tied for last in takeaways with only five.
Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores and the Vikings defense have recorded three takeaways in each of their past two games.
Minnesota leads the league in rush-seven players, rush-six, and rush-five rates, according to Next Gen Stats. They also have the league's highest rate of rushing with a defensive back.
The Vikings have sent six or more players on 31 percent of opposing dropbacks through seven weeks. The next closest is the Patriots at 13 percent of dropbacks.
Minnesota also leads the league in rush-three, drop-eight rate. When the Vikings aren't blitzing, Flores is playing coverage by dropping multiple linebackers and defensive backs off the line of scrimmage and into passing windows.
Flores' exotic scheme is perfect for such rushing variances. As a result, the Vikings quite literal all-or-nothing approach is challenging to anticipate, especially for younger quarterbacks. Justin Fields, Tyson Bagent, and Brock Purdy all threw interceptions versus Minnesota. Each is 23 years old or younger.
Love, 24, has thrown an interception in four straight games and seven total interceptions over that span. The first-year starting quarterback ranks 32nd in completion percentage (57.5 %). According to ESPN Stats & Info, Love is 6-for-27 with no touchdowns and three interceptions this season on throws that travel at least 20 yards in the air.
Staying upright on Lambeau Field | By Lindsey Young
Whenever an outdoor stadium is involved, the potential for weather can affect a team's game plan and a variety of factors, including ball security and keeping one's feet on the playing surface.
The Vikings struggled mightily at Lambeau Field last season, slipping and sliding throughout the game they eventually lost 41-17. They are hoping to have a better outcome at Green Bay this weekend, when they face the NFC North rival Packers for the first time this season. Granted, last year's contest took place a lot later in the year, after the ground had already frozen and then thawed a bit to create mushy conditions. But regardless, it's important to be prepared for any type of surface.
Vikings Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels acknowledged players' footing is the biggest concern when planning ahead for the outdoor game.
"Last year you looked at it, a lot of guys on the ground, slipping. Especially when you start talking about trying to set up for blocks – you're working at high speeds, trying to flip your hips, be well-rooted and grounded – so we've gotta make sure we have the right cleats out there," Daniels said. "Looking at the weather forecast, there's supposed to be a little rain in the morning. We're gonna get blessed with about 40 degrees, which is really, really good. It should be a great day overall. So we've just gotta make sure we have the right footwear on."
Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips referenced Minnesota's game at Chicago two weeks ago, when the team anticipated an initial forecast of rain and cold. The weather ultimately ended up being pretty near perfect, but Phillips noted the preparation.
"I thought the guys were prepared in Chicago, just for the potential of that field and sometimes the way it can be. There were a lot of 7-studs out there, guys testing it out," Phillips said. "I don't think that's going to be an issue going forward."
Eyes on the other Aaron | By Craig Peters
For years, one of the most fun things about the Vikings-Packers rivalry has been the cat-and-mouse game between Minnesota safety Harrison Smith and Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The legendary duels began before the ball was even snapped and then extended to a signature play by Smith or Rodgers that each valued because of the esteem they each hold for the other. Smith was asked Thursday if he's going to miss those interactions.
"Yeah, yeah. There's also some games where he was just going to make every throw, so I'm not going to miss that, either," Smith said. "There's quite a bit of good times before the snap. There was a game at U.S. Bank where he called me down like he knew where I was going to end up, and I was trying to mess around, so he was on his stuff, and it was fun."
With Rodgers now in New York, Smith and the Vikings will be tasked with defending another Aaron. Jones, that is.
Although the running back has been dealing with a hamstring injury all season, it remains important for a defense to keep up with Jones.
That's been true within the series, as well. Jones has played in nine Border Battles since his 2017 rookie season.
When Jones has rushed for at least 76 yards, the Packers are 4-0. When he hasn't, Green Bay has gone 1-4, with the lone win coming in the 2020 season opener without fans at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings limited San Francisco's running game to 3.0 yards per rush on Monday, despite often implementing packages with extra defensive backs to try to avoid mismatches against 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.
"More defensive back-type bodies out there, you think maybe you can't stop the run, but if you can stop the run in those packages, it kind of gives you a lot of flexibility from a coverage aspect, a blitz aspect, everything, and all the guys up front, too, winning their 1-on-1s and stuff like that, so it's a full defensive thing," Smith said. "It's not just the DBs, but as a DB, it's nice to have a couple extra guys out there."
