The Minnesota Vikings continue to be underrated. They enter this game underdogs. That's despite coming from back-to-back wins over the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants. The Vikings have also won four of their last five games. Now at 12-3, the Vikings have officially clinched the top spot in the NFC North and are just a game behind the Philadelphia Eagles for the top seed in the entire conference. Minnesota can still overtake Philly if it can win its last two games and the Eagles lose in Weeks 17 and 18. Before we get ahead of ourselves, however, let's look at our Vikings Week 17 predictions as they take on the Packers.

The Vikings have finished their regular season home schedule and will now play their final two games on the road as they prepare for the first playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium since 2017. Keep in mind that Minnesota is seeking a sweep of Green Bay. The Vikings defeated the Packers, 23-7, way back in Week 1.

At this point in the season, however, Minnesota is focused on playoff seeding. The Vikings have already secured the NFC North title, but they're still within striking distance of the top-seeded Eagles. On the other hand, the Packers were able to keep their playoff hopes alive with a 26-20 road win over the Dolphins on Christmas Day. They will surely be motivated to play well here, especially in front of their own home crowd.

With all these in mind, here are our four bold predictions for the Vikings in their Week 17 game against the Packers.

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4. Vikings struggle to stop Aaron Rodgers

Truth be told, the Vikings pass defense has had a difficult season. Right now, they actually allow a league-worst 281.5 passing yards per game. While some of this can be attributed to opponents needing to pass frequently while playing from behind, it is still a concern for a team that is likely to enter the playoffs as a top-two seed in the NFC.

And they will face a red-hot Aaron Rodgers this week. Take note that his performance has improved over the second half of the season, In fact, Rodgers has the 10th-highest adjusted EPA/play since Week 9. He will aim to achieve his first 300-yard game of the season this week. Don't be surprised if he does just that.

Recall, however, that back in the Week 1 matchup between these teams, the Packers allowed a season-high four sacks as the Vikings' defensive line dominated the game. Despite this poor showing, Green Bay's offensive line has been relatively strong this season. They have allowed the seventh-lowest adjusted sack rate in the league. If the Packers can give Rodgers a clean pocket, they should put up a strong offensive performance against the struggling Vikings' pass defense.

3. Kirk Cousins holds his own

Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins has led the Vikings on a magical journey in recent weeks. He has, in fact, thrown for 1,184 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions over the past three games. Despite some ups and downs on offense, Cousins has consistently relied on his connection with star receiver Justin Jefferson to make key plays when they are needed the most. While this has not been Cousins' best season overall, the experience of guiding the team through difficult situations is still something quite significant.

As the Vikings head into Week 17, Cousins actually ranks in the top five in passing yards (4,117) and touchdowns (27). He has also had over 40 passing attempts in three consecutive games. However, he had a less successful outing against the Packers at Lambeau Field in his last start, finishing with just 160 passing yards and one touchdown. The question now is which version of Cousins will show up this week. We expect him to continue his strong play. Sure, he won't outplay Rodgers, but Cousins should still hold his own. We have him putting up 280+ yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

2. Justin Jefferson pounces on the Packers anew

Much of the focus will be on Vikings star Justin Jefferson. In this matchup, he looks to set more records. Keep in mind that he has already become the Vikings' single-season leader in receiving yards and receptions. He has surpassed Randy Moss and Chris Carter, respectively. Jefferson has also been the most efficient wide receiver in terms of EPA added and has received 25 red-zone targets. That's the most among all wide receivers this season. Additionally, in Week 1, he had a standout performance against Green Bay with nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. We expect him to be fully engaged again here. He should go for 110+ yards at Lambeau Field.

Take note also that Jefferson is chasing history. He needs to average 104.5 yards in the final two regular season games to break Calvin Johnson's NFL single-season receiving yardage record. He can also become the first receiver in NFL history to reach 2,000 yards if he averages 122 yards per game in Weeks 17 and 18.

1. Vikings send Packers crashing

The Vikings have had a successful season under coach Kevin O'Connell. To illustrate, they won the NFC North for the first time since 2017. Despite that, many observers feel they have been more lucky than good. Remember that all three of the Vikings' losses this season have come in games in which they were the underdogs. Strangely enough, Green Bay is considered the odds-on favorite in this matchup. That's not a good sign for Minnesota.

Still, do not forget that two of Green Bay's last three wins came against teams with five or fewer wins. We're not really impressed by that. Sunday's game is likely to be more competitive than their previous meeting in Week 1. However, the Vikings should secure the victory on the back of another strong performance from Justin Jefferson. As such, they would also Green Bay's playoff hopes crashing.