Packers: Five players to watch vs. Vikings in Week 2
By Jesse Fry
3. Kenny Clark, DT
The Vikings will probably be starting the game without their preferred center. Even if Pat Elflein does start he won’t be at 100 percent. Elflein has been battling ankle and shoulder injuries and was a Week 1 scratch. He returned to practice this week on a limited basis and will probably be listed as questionable.
It is probably too soon for Elflein to return, which means back up Brett Jones would start at center. Jones couldn’t even crack the Giants’ shaky starting lineup. He was signed by the Vikings in the offseason and didn’t play great in Week 1.
This is a matchup Kenny Clark should dominate. Clark will be a key asset to containing the Vikings’ run game. He is not just a one-dimensional player and his pass rush will be just as key.
A consistent inside rush will move Cousins off his spot and make life uncomfortable for him. If Clark can also eat up double teams, this should free the inside backers to flow to the ball and make things difficult in the run game.
The Bears defense was able to control the line for most of the game, and a better game from Clark will go a long way to ensure that doesn’t happen again.