NFL picks and predictions, Packers vs. Vikings 2015: Experts split on NFC North clash

On October 18, the Green Bay Packers beat the San Diego Chargers to move to 6-0 heading into their bye week. On the same day, the Minnesota Vikings. coming off their bye, held off the Kansas City Chiefs to improve to 3-2.

It would be hard to find anyone who would have predicted the situation one month later. The Packers have lost three straight, including their first loss to the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field since 1991, and their usually potent offense looks completely lost. At the same time, the Vikings have turned the victory over the Chiefs into a five-game winning streak and suddenly find themselves at the top of the NFC North with a 7-2 record.

This Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium, Minnesota will have a chance to quiet the critics who think the last month has been a fluke and that the Packers are still going to end up with the division title. A Vikings win would give them a two-game lead with Green Bay needing to win the return match at Lambeau to have any chance at all.

The Packers don’t have a running game at the moment, and Aaron Rodgers has been inconsistent. In the first game of the losing streak, he threw for only 50 yards against the Denver Broncos, and while he put up 325 against the Detroit Lions, it took 61 attempts.

Now he has to face the league’s second-ranked scoring defense, one that has only allowed seven passing touchdowns all season. The Vikings aren’t as good against the run, but Eddie Lacy is banged up and James Starks wasn’t able to get anything going against the Lions.

On the other side of the ball, Teddy Bridgewater has thrown only six interceptions in nine games, and basically needs to make enough plays so that Adrian Peterson can do his thing. Peterson is averaging a league-best 106.8 yards per game, and he should have success against the league’s 21st-ranked rushing defense.

That’s enough for five of the eight experts at CBS Sports to give the Vikings the edge, while ESPN’s panel likes the home team by a 9-4 margin.

But here at SB Nation HQ, it’s the exact opposite: the panel is split 5-3 in Green Bay’s direction.