Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings: Monday Night Football Preview

This Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings game scheduled for Monday night will be the most hyped and most watched event in the history of Monday Night Football. The showcase pits Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings against his old Green Bay Packers franchise, as both contenders vie to control the NFC North. The Brett Favre saga has hysterically divided America, where the palpable outrage is checked forcefully against the diehard fanaticism of all things Favre.

Favre's signing with the most hated rivals of the Packer organization has sparked mass outrage across the state of Wisconsin. The anger is divided equally between Brett Favre, general manager Ted Thompson, and head coach Mike McCarthy.

Favre bashers ridicule #4 as a crybaby and flip-flopper that was unwilling to compete against Aaron Rodgers for the starting role. Blue-collar workers cannot think of any job where employees are allowed to quit, change their minds, and expect to return to the same position.

These cheeseheads are unconcerned with Favres' legacy - rationalizing that the primadona has no respect for the franchise, or the game itself. Brett Favre is capable of sharing the playbook with the Detroit Lions, getting offensive coordinators fired, and signing with the despicable Minnesota Vikings.

Meanwhile, Favre supporters continue to rail against Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy as narcissistic egomaniacs that lack any semblance of class. Conspiracy theorists cite the 2005 NFL Draft of quarterback Aaron Rodgers out of California as the catalyst for running Brett Favre out of town. The NFL ironman made football relevant again in Green Bay, prior to winning the Super Bowl and three consecutive AP NFL MVP awards.

Brett Favre marched the Pack to a 13-3 record and the NFC Championship Game, before the "retirement" spectacle ensued. Favre promptly telegraphed his intentions to play for a contender to Packer management, before being dealt to the New York Jets. Green Bay was to fall to 6-10 the next season with Aaron Rodgers taking snaps under center.

The "retirement" shenanigans resumed this past offseason; and even sparked hysteria in Minnesota during training camp. Still, the bad blood directed towards the washed up old man that appeared to be hell bent upon holding the Viking franchise hostage, has quickly evaporated. Vintage Favre aired out the football for last week's game winner in the closing seconds - proving that he clearly has something left in the tank.

The drama shines the spotlight upon the Upper Midwest, a depressed region that is clearly in need of exposure of any sort. Chicago emerged as the first city out in its failed bid for the Olympics, Big 10 Football is a dilapidated product, and Detroit is well, Detroit.

National audiences must recognize the sheer hate that is palpable between the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Residents of these two adversaries grapple over fishing rights, trade, football, and of course, Brett Favre. The Twin Cities fan base, in particular, sees itself as more cosmopolitan than the typically caricatured cow tipping Packer Backer.

Of course, beyond the soap opera, there is a football game to play. This divisional game is critical to awarding control over the NFC North to the Packers, Vikings, or even the Chicago Bears. Outside of the quarterbacking duel, Percy Harvin and Adrian Peterson versus the retooled 3-4 Packer defense are prominent factors to decide the game. The resolute Brett Favre claims that the Big Game is not about revenge. Says Favre:

"I don't feel like I need to prove anything to anyone, first of all. I'm very proud of my career."

Yeah, Right. Let's evaluate the top-three matchups that factor prominently in predicting the outcome of the Green Bay and Minnesota Monday Night tilt.

#3 Key Match up: Green Bay Packer Secondary and Special Teams versus Minnesota's Percy Harvin

You can't teach speed; and Percy Harvin has plenty of it. Last week, the rookie game changer blew past San Francisco's turnstile special teams unit, for a 101-yard kickoff return to paydirt. Harvin has fit in well to the Minnesota scheme - effectively dismissing his pre-draft status as a Florida diva. In fact, I would describe the young Harvin as Brett Favre's security blanket. Expect Favre to hook up often with Harvin on designed slip screens and in the flats, when Percy becomes the hot read.

Percy Harvin has shown surprisingly good hands to lead the Vikings with 128 receiving yards upon twelve catches this season. He will also see action out of the wildcat formation to take direct snaps and run the football. The kid is a match up nightmare for the Pack and his big play potential will neutralize Dom Capers' 3-4 blitz happy schemes.

Advantage: Percy Harvin and the Minnesota Vikings

#2 Key Match up: Green Bay Packer 3-4 Defense versus Minnesota's Adrian Peterson

The Green Bay Packers cannot allow Brett Favre to "manage the game" by simply handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson for audacious chunks of yardage. Clearly, A.P. is the most naturally gifted player in all of football, and is a force that averages 6.1 yards per game going into Monday night.

Dom Capers' defense must win the grudge match at the point of attack in order to have any chance of escaping Minnesota with a win. Further, weak side linebackers and corners Al Harris and Charles Woodson must demonstrate proper discipline and gap containment, in order to prevent the dangerous Peterson from cutting back broken plays for big gains.

This assignment is easier said than done; and Adrian Peterson will get his yards. You cannot stop Adrian Peterson. You can only hope to contain him, which is a victory within its own self. Expect the Packers to jam the box with eight defenders, run blitz on first down, and dare Brett Favre to win the game.

Advantage: Green Bay Packer 3-4 defense "contains" Peterson

#1 Key Match up: Aaron Rodgers versus Brett Favre

This game will come down to the quarterbacks, regardless of the contributions of the "supporting cast." The "supporting cast" label is quite ironic, considering the fact that Adrian Peterson and Green Bay's 3-4 defense are clearly the most dominant units for both rosters.

Brett Favre will accept the credit and the headlines - despite the potential for a monster game out of Peterson. Meanwhile, a Packer victory of any sort enables Ted Thompson to be hailed as a genius for making the right call to hand the keys to the car over to Aaron Rodgers as the starter in Green Bay.

I expect a sloppy first series of quarterbacking as both clubs settle in to the raucous Metrodome atmosphere. Brett Favre, gunslinger, stands to benefit from the firepower that lines up for Minnesota at the offensive side of the ball. Certainly, the emotion will be riding high, and Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, Chester Taylor, Peterson, and the electric Percy Harvin are always one play away from breaking this game wide open.

Meanwhile, expect Aaron Rodgers to be running for his life and harassed into mistakes all night long. Starting left tackle Chad Clifton is nursing an ankle injury; and Daryn Colledge was absolutely abused by Cincinnati's Antwan Odom last week at Lambeau Field. Antwan Odom is a relative unknown, in comparison to sack machine Jared Allen, and the double-team commanding Williams brothers up front.

The Minnesota pass rush will be out for blood; and Brett Favre will not lose.

Advantage: Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings - Monday Night Prediction:

Minnesota Vikings - 24

Green Bay Packers - 13

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings: Monday Night Football Preview, Sources:

The Green Bay Packers, http://www.packers.com/

The Minnesota Vikings, http://www.vikings.com/

The Official Web Site of Brett Favre, http://www.officialbrettfavre.com/