As I mentioned in my Packers 2008 Prediction, I do not think the Packers can beat the Vikings this Monday night. That doesn't mean I won't be rooting for them, or hoping they win, I just don't think they can pull it off.

To start, I don't think they had a great pre-season. The last game was good, and there were a lot of positives there, but I don't think the team really had a chance to gell as a unit. Ryan Grant didn't even have a carry, and I expect big things out of him this year.

Ryan Grant and the running game are where I see the biggest problems for the Packers against the Vikings. Last year the Vikings keyed off Brett Favre and the pass, and Grant was able to rush for 119 yards and a touchdown. This year I expect the Vikings to shift: stack against the run and let Aaron Rodgers and company beat them. As good as Rodgers will be and as crazy good as the Packers receiving core is, that plan should work for the Vikings.

Aaron Rodgers is a good quarterback, and will only get better as the season goes on. However, he will probably experience some first game jitters and probably has a few things to iron out. Not only will he be nervous because it is his first start, he will probably be nervous because of all the Vikings D-linemen in his grill. The Packers O-line looked pretty porous in the pre-season and the Vikings have one of the best defensive lines in football. I expect the Vikings defense to hold down the Packers O pretty well.

The Packers defense, on the other hand, should be able to do a pretty good job against the Vikings offense. Adrian Peterson is great, but Tarvaris Jackson is terrible, and he has been injured the last two pre-season games. The Packers defense will hold the Vikings to just a few points for most of the game, but the Vikings and AP's punishing running are going to wear on the Packers. By the end of the game AP should be breaking off some pretty big runs.

Unless the Packers offense can at least get some drives together. That is my key to the game, if the Packers can sustain some drives and keep from going 3 and out, the defense will get some rest, and that will go a long way.

Vikings 17-7