Packers vs Vikings NFL Week 12 Lines & Game Preview

One of the great NFL rivalries will get renewed this Sunday night as the Green Bay Packers visit the Minnesota Vikings. The teams have met 116 times since the Vikings entered the league in 1961, and the Packers lead the series with 60 wins, 53 losses and three ties. One of those ties happened in the teams’ most recent meeting on September 16, as Minnesota mounted a furious comeback to tie the game but saw their kicker miss field goals in regulation and overtime. The Vikings enter at 5-4-1, having lost to Chicago last week, and the Packers come in at 4-5-1, after a loss to Seattle last week. Peruse our NFL betting preview for this NFC North prime-time matchup.

Packers vs Vikings NFL Week 12 Lines & Game Preview

#TBT photos from previous #GBvsMIN matchups in Minnesota@Bridgestone Performance Moments in Time 📸: https://t.co/bUt56YZAfV #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/gDsLigPHl4

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 23, 2018

When: Sunday, November 25, 2018, 8:20pm ET Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis TV: NBC Radio: Westwood One Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Week 12  Odds: Minnesota -3.5, O/U 49.5

Why should you bet on the Packers?

You can’t put the issues that Green Bay has had this year on quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as he has thrown for 3,073 yards, 19 scores and just a single pick this year. The running game has been decent enough to give him some balance as well, with Aaron Jones leading the team with 534 yards and five scores. Davante Adams has been Rodgers’ top target down the field, hauling in 72 catches for 953 yards and nine touchdowns. However, the offensive line has not given Rodgers much in the way of protection, which has led to a lot of stalled drives. Also, the defense has a way of giving up huge plays at just the wrong time. The Packers have just covered once in their last seven games away from Lambeau Field and in just one of their last five NFC North games. However, the Packers have their collective backs against the wall, as one more loss would really bring their postseason hopes to a grinding halt. The fact that the Vikings lost to Chicago last week put a dent in their own hopes at a division title and showed the holes in their defense — holes that Rodgers will exploit.

Why should you put your money on the Vikings?

Kirk Cousins has put up solid numbers in his first season leading the Minnesota offense. He has thrown for 2,947 yards and 19 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. Tailback Latavius Murray filled in nicely while Dalvin Cook was out, and he still leads the team with 422 yards on the ground. The receiving duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs has combined to score a dozen touchdowns. Danielle Hunter leads a stout Minnesota pass rush with 11 ½ sacks. The only downside is the low number of points that the Vikings score, as they average just 24.1 points per game. The Vikings have covered in five of their last seven games against the Packers at home, and in 36 of their last 54 games at home overall. They have also covered in 26 of their last 35 games coming after a loss. If you like the Vikings, you think their pass rush can contain Rodgers, who is still wearing a large brace on his left knee, and you think Cousins can find receivers down the field against a Packer defense that has given up quite a few big plays on its own.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

This hasn’t been the same shutdown Viking defense since the Saints figured them out in the NFC divisional round last year and the Eagles torched them for 38 points in the NFC Championship. Cousins brings a terrific arm to the Viking offense, but they haven’t turned into an elite unit like what see in the Rams or Saints. I see Rodgers leading a comeback to bring the Packers and Vikings even in the standings with a final score of Green Bay 24, Minnesota 23.