Packers: Five players key to victory in Week 1 vs. Vikings
By Jesse Fry
Which five players will help the Packers earn a Week 1 victory?
Week one of the 2020 NFL season is finally upon us. Hard to believe? Yeah, I’m having a hard time too. After months of “will it, or won’t it happen?” because of the ongoing pandemic, the Green Bay Packers are set to kick things off against the hated Minnesota Vikings.
For the third straight year, the Packers will start their regular season against a division rival. After two straight years of meeting the Chicago Bears in Week 1 primetime matchups, the Packers will travel to U.S. Bank Stadium, a place where they are currently sitting with a 1-3 record.
The Vikings’ new home hasn’t been kind to the Packers but Aaron Rodgers and company are looking to make it two in a row after a 23-10 win in 2019.
This is a good measuring stick game for the team to start with. Not many are picking the Packers to have the same type of success they had last year after a 13-3 season and a run up to the NFC Championship Game.
In fact, many are picking the team across the field on Sunday.
In some ways it’s hard to argue, no one knows what to expect after a strange offseason and no preseason games. You’d be fooling yourself if you said you know what to expect. The only thing I think we can say for certain is there is probably going to be some sloppy play, especially in the early going.
The Vikings lost a lot of key players on defense this offseason. Outside of their outstanding safety tandem, the Vikings lost almost all of their secondary from a year ago. The hits kept coming as the team is also now down Danielle Hunter, their emerging star pass rusher.
Regardless, the Packers will get a game and ready Mike Zimmer-coached team.
Who are the players that will step up for the team and lead the Packers to a 1-0 record? Here’s my take on the five players to watch.