The Green Bay Packers with an (8-1) record go into the Metrodome where they are (2-8) in their last ten meetings in Minnesota. Yes, the Packers have the best record in the NFL and could with a win and a Detroit Lions loss today clinch a playoff berth in week number 10 of the NFL regular season. This would be the first time this has been done since the regular season schedule expanded to 16 games in 1978. Like the Packers, Favre is also 2-8 when playing at the dome. His QB rating at the dome is 73.1 in Minnesota versus his current 2002 QB Rating 101.7. This rating leads the league for full-time starters with the exception of Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams 107.4 who has not started all the regular season games this season like Favre. This season the Minnesota Vikings have the worst pass defense in the NFC and the second worst pass defense in the NFL. This is combined with the current overall worst defense in the NFC. Green Bay and the Oakland Raiders are the only teams to have 4 receivers with 30 or more catches- Terry Glenn(34) , Ahman Green(32), Bubba Franks(31), and Donald Driver(46). The Packers have many weapons to pierce the weak Vikings pass defense.

The Packers will rely on their improved defense that allowed 100 points in the first three games (33.3 points per game avg.) versus just 78 points in the last 6 games( 13 points per game avg.). The Packers defense lead the NFL with a +15 turnover ratio versus the Minnesota's worst in the League (-16) Turnover ratio. The Minnesota Vikings, behind the running of Michael Bennett who has rushed for 100 yards in the last three games, are second in the league with 153.0 yards per game average. The Packers have allowed at least 120 yards rushing in the last four games, and average allowing 127.0 yards per games. You can never count out the Minnesota Vikings with the presence of the talented but self-centered Randy Moss. The Moss factor has led the Vikings to much of their success against the Packers in Minnesota. One big difference for the Vikings this year is the absence of Cris Carter. Carter's presence freed up Moss from some of the double and triple coverage that he now sees.

On paper this season, this looks like it should be an easy win for the Green Bay Packers. Even with the new NFL divisional line up that some say allowed the Packers to be in the driver seat of the NFC North, this year's regular season records of these teams from the old NFC Central division need to be thrown out. Any thing can happen today. This is not going to be an easy game for the Packers. There is an aura in the Metrodome that helps the Vikings get pumped up against the Packers as their recent (8 -2) home record against the Packers shows.