MINNEAPOLIS -- Following a decade-plus of lobbying and 2+ years of construction, the Minnesota Vikings have arrived at the grand opening of their new stadium, with the Green Bay Packers serving as the fitting visitors on the national stage of a Sunday night game.The Vikings will unveil yet another starting quarterback in the history of this rivalry, too, a series controlled by the Packers since Aaron Rodgers assumed the signal-callers role. Rodgers has extended whats been a remarkable run of stability and success at the sports most vital position dating to the dawn of Brett Favres career.Were obviously blessed, said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who overlapped with Favres final two seasons in Green Bay and is 15-5-1 against Minnesota since taking the job in 2006. McCarthy added: Im sure they kiss their mothers every chance they get.Favre, the newly minted member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Rodgers, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, have made the Packers the envy of the league, let alone of the Vikings, for nearly 25 years. Their elite ability has been supplemented by exceptional durability, further underscored by the devastating knee injury that knocked Minnesota quarterback Teddy Bridgewater out for the season and maybe longer.Hopefully I can ride this out a little longer and then pass along to the next guy whos going to go on a run like Brett and I have, said Rodgers, who has begun his ninth year as the starter with only nine games missed.Seven of those came in 2013 when his broken collarbone forced three other quarterbacks into action. Since Rodgers took over, he has opposed six different Vikings starters out of the 10 that theyve sent out since 2008. If Sam Bradford makes his widely expected debut on Sunday, those totals would reach seven and 11.Ive kind of been laying back and getting my shoulder warmed up and taking some snaps from the quarterback position, so well see how things go and hopefully they give me the nod, Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson joked this week.Here are some key angles to know about the game:MORE MISSES: Blair Walsh, who infamously missed the 27-yard field goal that wouldve sent the Vikings to the next round of the playoffs last season, had an extra point in the opener sail wide right, and two field goals hook wide left. Walsh made one extra point and four field goals to fuel a 25-16 victory over Tennessee, but he couldve given the Vikings seven more points.Hes too good of a kicker to miss the type of kicks hes missing, special teams coordinator Mike Priefer said.CORNER CONCERN: The Packers held cornerback Sam Shields out of practices this week because of concussion symptoms after getting hurt at Jacksonville. Rookie backup Josh Hawkins has been unavailable due to a hamstring injury. Backup safety Micah Hyde can switch to cornerback, but depth could be an issue.CORNER CONCERN, PART TWO: The Vikings played their opener without cornerback Xavier Rhodes, whose knee injury kept him out of practices this week too. Trae Waynes stepped in and was targeted often by Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, with mixed results in coverage.He was one step away, one fingernail away, from making those plays, Vikings nickel cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. Thats the NFL. Youve got to make those plays. I think this week hell be even closer.ON THE LINE: Left guard Lane Taylor and Green Bays revamped front five had a solid debut in the opener, but blocking the Vikings should be a much greater challenge. Taylor took over after three-time Pro Bowl pick Josh Sitton was surprisingly released on cutdown day.Former jack-of-all-trades backup J.C. Tretter will make his second start at center, having stepped in because Corey Linsley hurt his hamstring in training camp. The Packers had communication trouble on a few snaps against the Jaguars, a must-fix problem prior for whats sure to be a deafening debut for U.S. Bank Stadium.STOP SIGN: The Packers defense fared well against Peterson last season, holding him to 112 yards on 32 carries over two games with Clay Matthews playing inside linebacker. Peterson was limited to 31 yards on 19 rushes in the opener last week. Matthews has moved back to his preferred spot as a full-time pass-rushing outside linebacker in Green Bays 3-4 scheme, but containment of Peterson transcends Matthews and his position.Its going to take 11 men getting to the football, strong safety Morgan Burnett said. You cant hang your hat on those types of stats, because hes the type of back that can bust out and have a big game anytime.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP Sam Dyson Twins Jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Devin Smeltzer Twins Jersey . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. https://www.cheaptwins.com/ . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Rod Carew Twins Jersey . - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is not a fan of his teams use of the wildcat formation, saying "it makes you look like a high school offence. Justin Morneau Twins Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Twelve months after quitting boyhood club St George Illawarra for Penrith, Trent Merrin believes that emotional decision helped turn him into an international player.Overlooked for NSW by Laurie Daley for State of Origin this year, Australia coach Mal Meninga and the Test selectors had no such reservations when naming a 24-man squad for the Four Nations, selecting him ahead of Queensland stalwart Corey Parker.The 27-year-old back-rower, wholl start off the bench against Scotland on Friday in Hull, was then handed his first start by Meninga in the 26-6 win over New Zealand in Perth earlier this month following a strong season in helping the Panthers to the NRL finals.He admits he was devasttated by his Origin snub, but said it lifted him to produce some of the best form of his career.ddddddddddddI have to give credit to this Penrith boys, they really had my back during that tough period during the rep season, Merrin said.Its been a great turnaround, I was able to focus on myself and playing the best footy of my career.The whole reason I left the Dragons to go out west was to test myself and get comfortable in the uncomfortable.It took until mid-season but my form really turned around and my love and passion for the game, which Id lost, returned. 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