Minnesota Vikings predictions: Week 8 at Packers

We feel it isn’t an understatement to say things have not gone well for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.

The Vikings are off to a 1-5 start and traded their leader in sacks. Will a bye week help shake things up in the right direction?

Under Mike Zimmer as head coach, Minnesota is 3-4 after bye weeks (including playoffs), one of 13 NFL teams with a losing record since 2014, the year Zimmer took over.

Of those seven Vikings after-bye games, five have been played on the road – and Minnesota is 1-4 in those contests, with the lone victory coming in 2017 at Washington. Last year, the Vikings had an extra day off, playing in Seattle (which entered with a 9-2 record) on a Monday night, falling 37-30.

This year, Minnesota comes off the bye traveling to Green Bay to take on the 5-1 Packers.

Here’s this week’s Vikings predictions from around the web. With it being Halloween weekend, it might be appropriate to say read at your own peril.

Barry Wilner of the Associated Press: Packers 30, Vikings 16.

Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times: Packers 31, Vikings 23. “Davante Adams had a big game against the Vikings in Week 1, and Minnesota’s wobbly defense doesn’t suggest a different outcome this time. Packers are pulling away in the NFC North.”

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com: Packers 36, Vikings 20. “A lot has changed since they met in the opener with the Vikings a mess at 1-5 and seemingly playing for next year, while the Packers are 5-1 atop the division. Green Bay’s offense was back rolling against the Texans, and I think that will play out here even more against a bad defense. Look for Aaron Rodgers to have another big day. This will be ugly.”

NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal: Packers 34, Vikings 20. “Trading Yannick Ngakoue in the same week that the Vikings announced Danielle Hunter is out for the season was a sign of surrender. Teams facing the Packers this season have no chance if they have no pass rush, and it’s hard to see how Minnesota disrupts Aaron Rodgers. The Vikings’ cornerbacks are also all kinds of injured. With Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari trending toward a return this week, Rodgers should have some fun.”

Will Brinson of CBSSports.com: Packers 35, Vikings 31. “The Vikings are giving up. They’re trading players to contenders. There’s buzz about trading Adam Thielen and drafting Trevor Lawrence (not even kidding). Aaron Rodgers annually rips apart Minnesota and shouldn’t have trouble doing so at home here.”

John Breech of CBSSports.com: Packers 34, Vikings 24.

The Miami Herald’s Greg Cote: Packers 34, Vikings 28. “NFC Northies met in season opener, Pack winning 43-34, and another pointfest seems imminent. Gee Bees have won three straight in series and make it four here; the gulf in Aaron Rodgers vs. Kirk Cousins is that great.”

Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News: Packers 31, Vikings 27. “The Packers set the tone for their follow-up season as NFC North champions by ripping the Vikings in Week 1, holding on 43-34. Green Bay had a hiccup against Tampa Bay, but quickly washed that away in Houston. Back home at Lambeau, the Packers should feel confident for the sweep, even with Aaron Jones hurting and Minnesota returning from a bye with Dalvin Cook likely back healthy. Simply, Aaron Rodgers is sharper and cleane than Kirk Cousins in these types of shootout matchups.”

Jonathan Jones of CBSSports.com: Packers.

Bill Bender of the Sporting News: Packers 33, Vikings 22. “It’s a rematch from a Week 1 shootout between NFC North rivals. Minnesota had a bye week to prepare and will be playing with a sense of desperation, but it’s hard to trust a team that has surrendered 27 points or more in every game this season. The Packers are still battling injuries to some stars, but they keep rolling the division.”

Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com: Packers 31, Vikings 21.

Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski: Packers.

Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Bay Area: Packers 31, Vikings 21. “Do the Vikings have any fight left? They traded Yannick Ngakoue and reportedly are open to trading a number of other veterans. Yes, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were thumped by the Bucs. It happens. But the Vikings have been bad all year and I don’t see why a bye week should change that.”

Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman: Packers 30, Vikings 24.

Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith and Mike Florio: MDS – Packers 31, Vikings 20; Florio – Packers 34, Vikings 17.

All seven analysts at SI.com are picking the Packers.

All three writers at Athlon Sports pick the Vikings to lose.

Yup, all 10 SB Nation writers predict the Vikings will go down to defeat.

All seven USA Today writers pick the Vikings to lose.

Finally, and once again a trend, as all seven PennLive.com writers pick the Vikings to lose.