The Vikings are going to need all hands on deck to beat the 8-2 Packers on Sunday. From the stars down to the rotational guys, the execution on both sides of the ball must be excellent if Minnesota is going to win this game.With that in mind, I want to highlight five players who are going to be crucial to the Vikings' chances of succe s. This list won't include their most important player (Kirk Cousins) or other stars like Justin Jefferson and Harrison Smith. These are just five players who are worth paying close attention to on Sunday because of their particular matchup or and this is a common theme a history of succe s against the Packers.Let's dive into it.Dalvin CookOn paper, Cook is having another excellent season. He's fifth in the league with 648 rushing yards in seven healthy games, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. But in large part due to the situations in which Klint Kubiak calls running plays, the Vikings' run game has been one of the least efficient in the NFL this season. They rank 29th in rushing DVOA, Kyle Fuller Jersey 26th in rushing EPA per play, and 29th in rushing succe s rate. Handing the ball off has created negative value for the Vikings' offense all season. Also, Cook's role as a receiver out of the backfield has been surprisingly small, as he has just 12 Michael Dickson Jersey catches for 66 yards since a solid receiving game Week 1.This matchup with the Packers is a great opportunity for Cook to have a big day and get the Vikings' run game on track. Green Bay ranks 24th in DVOA and 27th in EPA per play against the run, and the Vikings are undoubtedly going to look to get Cook going and control the time of po se sion in an effort to keep Aaron Rodgers off the field. In Cook's last three games against the Packers, he's averaging 155 yards from scrimmage with seven total touchdowns, highlighted by last year's dominant four-TD game in the Vikings' upset victory at Lambeau Field. Kubiak can't become over-reliant on Cook, but if he has a big day, it probably will mean good things are happening for the Vikings.Adam ThielenJustin Jefferson is the Vikings' No. 1 receiver there's no doubt about that. He's an elite talent and Minnesota must find ways to get him double-digit targets every single week. But with Jefferson coming off a dominant nine-catch, 143-yard game against the Chargers, you can bet defensive coordinator Joe Barry and the Packers are going to be paying extra attention to him. Jefferson will see a Jamal Adams Jersey lot of first-round rookie Eric Stokes who has been the Packers' best cornerback of late with Jaire Alexander hurt as well as plenty of bracket coverage and safety help.Scroll to ContinueThat could leave Thielen facing single coverage and advantageous matchups against the likes of Kevin King, Rasul Douglas, and Chandon Sullivan. It's been an inconsistent season for Thielen from a yardage perspective, but he does lead the Vikings' skill position players with seven touchdowns and has proven that he can still get open and make plays at a high level in his age-31 season. For what it's worth, Thielen frequently shows up with big games against the Packers. Here are some of his statistical lines against Green Bay over the years: 12 catches/202 yards/2 touchdowns in 2016, 9/96/0 in 2017, 12/131/1 and 8/125/1 in 2018, 5/75/0 in 2019, and 6/110/2 in last year's opener.Everson GriffenWith Danielle Hunter out for the season and Kenny Willekes set to mi s a second straight game, the Vikings really need Griffen to carry their pa s rush from the edge. D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones II still have a lot to prove, and Sheldon Richardson hasn't been super productive as an interior pa s rusher. David Bakhtiari's ongoing absence from the Packers' lineup is a boost to Griffen's chances of getting to Aaron Rodgers, although tackles Elgton Jenkins and Billy Turner have been good this year.If Rodgers has all day to sit in the pocket and look for Davante Adams downfield, the Vikings are going to be in trouble. That places a lot of pre sure on Griffen to have a big day. The 33-year-old had a streak of five straight games with Gerald Everett Jersey four pre sures or more snapped in a one-pre sure game against the Chargers last week, as rookie tackle Rashawn Slater gave him problems. Griffen, like Thielen, has a history of succe s against the Packers; only Jared Allen has sacked Rodgers more frequently among all players in the NFL.Eric KendricksOnce again, Kendricks has been playing like the Vikings' defensive MVP. The star linebacker leads the Vikings in tackles (by a mile) with 92, is third in sacks with a career-high tying 4.0, is tied for second with four pa s breakups, and is tied for first with two interceptions. He made his presence felt last week with a sack and a brilliant diving interception that gave the Vikings great field position. If they're going to win this game, it probably involves another strong, do-it-all outing from Kendricks. He'll be key in their efforts to slow down A.J. Dillon on the ground and in coverage against the likes of Dillon, Randall Cobb, and Marcedes Lewis. Oh, and he can even make plays against Adams when called upon. Kendricks is arguably the best all-around linebacker in the NFL, and it would really help the Vikings if he can make things happen against the Packers' excellent offense.Patrick PetersonPeterson is , and just in the nick of time. He's facing one of the most difficult matchups in the league in going up against Adams on Sunday, and I'd imagine Rodgers will test Peterson and his hamstring early and often. The veteran Peterson has seen everything in the NFL and is an extremely smart player, but Seattle Seahawks Hoodies Sweatshirts the question is if he can hold up physically against Adams. This specific 1-on-1 matchup will be as important as any in determining the outcome of this game. There's not much else to say here; the Vikings simply need Peterson to hold his own against one of the game's best.