Stop me if you've heard this: The NFC North is wide open. That could be said about any division in the NFL right now, but it feels truer about the NFC North, where it's impossible to pick out a single dominant club. The Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears have looked intermittently good and worrisome. The Detroit Lions have been the most consistent team through four weeks, but they have a bad recent history of fading down the regular season stretch.
‘Thursday Night Football’ live stream: How to watch Vikings vs. Packers online
One of the best rivalries in football will be featured in prime time on Thursday night, with a leg-up in the race for the NFC North crown on the line.
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The result of Thursday night's matchup between the Packers and the Vikings won't entirely solve the muddle, but it may give us a bit more clarity. The winner will have a lot of momentum as it heads toward the midpoint of the season. Both teams are coming off significant wins -- the Packers with a beatdown of the Bears, the Vikings with an impressive win against the Atlanta Falcons in Teddy Bridgewater's rookie debut.
Whether Bridgewater would be able to play was a concern to start the week, but it appears that the ankle injury he suffered late in the fourth quarter against the Falcons isn't serious. Receiver Jarrett Boykin may not be able to suit up for the Packers, opening the door to rookie Davante Adams to receive more playing time and targets from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers have dominated the rivalry of late, winning seven of the last nine meetings. The Packers won the first matchup between the teams last season before an Rodgers-less Green Bay team played the Vikings to a 26-26 tie in Week 12. Minnesota appeared headed to a road win before Matt Flynn and the Packers rallied in the fourth quarter.
Beyond the season implications, this game should be plain ‘ol fun. Every team in the division is a bitter rival of one another, of course, but Packers-Vikings may be the bitterest, pitting two happy-go-lucky, hunting-loving, whisky swilling cultures against each other. There may not be a better Thursday night game this season. Here’s how you can watch:
How to Watch
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.
When: 8:25 p.m. ET
TV: CBS and NFL Network
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, with Tracy Wolfson on the sideline
Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile
Odds
The Packers are roughly 10-point favorites over the Vikings, according to OddsShark. The over/under is set at 46.5 points.
Further Reading
For more on the Vikings, head over the Daily Norseman.
For more on the Packers, check out Acme Packing Company.
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