Packers, Vikings expect no surprises

GREEN BAY, Wis. - It's not just wild-card weekend in Minnesota and Green Bay.

It's Groundhog Day.

Six days after facing off in their regular-season finale, and five weeks after their first meeting of the season, the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers are at it again tonight. This is no yawner of a sequel, though, not when the stakes are win or winter vacation.

"Like I tell the team, it doesn't matter who comes out of that tunnel, I don't care what color they have on," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's about fundamentals, matchups, and that's what we're focused on. We're playing at home; it's going to be a great environment.

"The Vikings obviously have done a great job to get into the tournament, and we respect that, but this is a different deal."

Minnesota (10-6) and Green Bay (11-5) split their first two meetings, with the Vikings' victory Sunday in Minneapolis giving them the last wild-card spot. It also dropped the Packers from the No. 2 to the No. 3 seed and forced the NFC North champs to work a weekend they were hoping to have off.

As division rivals, the Packers and Vikings know plenty about each other. There won't be any big surprises, no new wrinkles that the other hasn't seen.

Minnesota's game plan will be simple: Give the ball to Adrian Peterson, and get out of the way. That's the plan every week but particularly against Green Bay. He's rushed for 409 yards in their two games and is averaging 7.4 yards per carry. He had the longest run of his career, 82 yards for a touchdown, in the Dec. 2 game.

Peterson has gained more yards against Green Bay (1,442 in 12 games) than any other team, and he chews up the Lambeau Field grass as easily as the Metrodome turf.

"It's just the rivalry," he said. "There's more emphasis on that game because we know that's a team that we have to beat in order to accomplish our goals."

The Packers had a goal Sunday, too, and that didn't help against Peterson.

"We had the right calls; we just need to be a little smarter as far as where we fit and then a little more accountable and reliable as far as what we do," Packers linebacker Clay Matthews said. "There were a couple of times where, perhaps playing somebody else, we could fall inside somebody else's gap. With this team, they'll make you pay."

Having the Vikings come to Lambeau for the playoffs would seem an edge for the Packers. Minnesota hasn't won in Green Bay since 2009, the last year the Vikings made the playoffs, and the Packers have won 20 of their past 22 home games.

But Green Bay has lost its past two home playoff games, including last year to the Giants when the Packers were the NFC's No. 1 seed.

The high-powered Green Bay offense, piloted by reigning league Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers, was banged up for most of this season but is back at full strength.

The Packers' top four receivers - Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Randall Cobb - have played less than three full games together this season, with Jennings (torn groin muscle), Nelson (hamstring) and Cobb (ankle) missing a total of 13 games. But all are healthy now, and the Vikings got an idea of how tough it will be to contain them last week, when Green Bay piled up 405 yards of offense and scored 34 points.