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Can Vikings Stop Packers' Recent Control Of Rivalry?

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For the last five years, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers have had a firm grip on this border state rivalry with the Minnesota Vikings that has otherwise been remarkably close.

Well, here's a prime opportunity for the Vikings to pry themselves loose.

"We're going out there playing at a very high level. Guys know that this is the year for us," cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. "We've been putting in the hard work. We've been doing what we're supposed to do. It's the time. The time is now."

The Packers (6-3) will bring a sputtering offense, injured important players and a three-game losing streak to Minnesota (7-2) this weekend to face a well-rounded team that has won five games in a row to take over the NFC North lead.

"This has the potential to be the premier rivalry in the North if things keep going the way they are going," Rodgers said.

The Packers have won nine of the last 11 matchups, losing once in 2012 with one tie, to take a 58-49-2 lead in the intradivision series. Rodgers, who missed the tie in 2013 because of a broken collarbone, has been as responsible for this recent run as anyone.

Since taking over as the starter in 2008, Rodgers has a 71.1 completion percentage, 32 touchdown passes and only four interceptions in 15 games against the Vikings. His 117.9 passer rating is the highest by an opponent in Vikings history with at least 100 attempts.

Yes, Rodgers has an injury to his right shoulder that limited him in practice this week. Sure, he has slipped to 18th in the league with an average of 7.3 yards per attempt. There's no disputing that his impeccable accuracy has not quite been the same.

The Vikings, though, remain respectfully wary.

"We don't take lightly what they've done before they got on the three-game losing streak. They're going to come in ready to play," running back Adrian Peterson said. "They've got Aaron Rodgers, so they always have a chance."

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer ordered his team black T-shirts with "Beat Green Bay" printed on the back and the NFC North logo on the front, in case a reminder of the stakes was necessary.

"Their organization is one of the top organizations in sports," Zimmer said, "and honestly we're just trying to get in the mix with these guys. They're the top level, and we're just trying to get into the mix."

Here are some key angles to know about the game on Sunday:

PETERSON'S PACE: With his sixth career 200-yard game for Minnesota, matching O.J. Simpson for the most in NFL history, Adrian Peterson galloped away with the league rushing lead to reach 961 yards. Through the same nine-game mark in 2012, when he nearly broke Eric Dickerson's single-season record and ran off with the NFL MVP award, Peterson had 957 yards.

With two games left against the Packers, he's poised for another stellar second half. In 15 career games against Green Bay, Peterson has rushed for an average of 116.4 yards. Four times, he has topped 150 yards.

"I guess I just kind of get up for the rivalry," Peterson said.

GREEN, GOLD, GROUNDED: The Packers pulled out a 24-21 victory at Minnesota last season, behind 125 yards rushing by Eddie Lacy, who had two touchdowns that afternoon. This year, Lacy has been injured and ineffective. James Starks has taken over the team rushing lead. The ground game was nonexistent in last week's loss to Detroit, forcing Rodgers to attempt a career-most 61 passes. His previous high was 48.

"If you want to be good at anything, it takes a commitment," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, referring of course to the running part, not the throwing part, of the offense.

FAMILIAR FOES: The Packers will play the second of four straight games against division teams, their most consecutive division contests since the NFC North was created in 2002. They played four in a row against the five-team NFC Central from Dec. 3-24, 2000.

BANGED-UP: Rodgers joined four of Green Bay's five starting offensive linemen on the injury report this week. Minnesota hopes to have middle linebacker Eric Kendricks (ribs) back from a two-game absence.

DOWN THE STRETCH: Green Bay, on the surface, has the more favorable schedule. The regular season finale is at home against the Vikings, and the Packers have a pair of games against 2-7 teams in Detroit and Dallas — despite that ugly loss to the Lions and the return of Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The combined record of Green Bay's remaining opponents, excluding Minnesota, is 19-26.

The current record of Minnesota's remaining foes, excluding the Packers, is 26-20.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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