Minnesota Vikings Vs. Green Bay Packers - Schedule & 2013 NFC Wild Card Game Preview

In a re-match of last Sunday, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, and star running back Adrian Peterson will try to strike lightning twice against the volatile Green Bay Packers at 8 p.m. EST Saturday at Lambaeu Field.

Ponder might have recorded impressive numbers in last Sunday's victory over the Packers, but the odds might be stacked against the young QB's chances of doing that again Saturday. Ponder has been listed as questionable for the game, and even if he does play - and that's likely - he'll be doing so with an injured elbow on his throwing arm courtesy of Packers safety Morgan Burnett. A fact Green Bay no doubt plans to exploit in its defensive attack. But even the Packers concede it's going to be difficult to force Ponder into dangerous throwing situations now; he's clearly matured, and doesn't make as many knee-jerk decisions these days, they admitted.

"He's not taking as many chances," Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers said, according to USA Today. "He's getting the ball out of his hands pretty quick, but once he's outside of the pocket, if it's not clear for him, he's going to pull it down and run with it."

Ponder's been hitting a groove lately, but it's still star running back Adrian Peterson who's the focus of every opponents defensive ire. Peterson's season has been positively transcendent athleticism. He was just nine yards away from breaking the all-time record for rushing yards in a season last Sunday, and rushed for 409 yards, two touchdowns, and scored on a punt reception all in the last two match-ups between the two teams.

"It starts with, obviously, 28," Capers said, clearly referring to Peterson. "I don't know that you stop him, but you try to control him."

"You can't be too over-aggressive and get your nose stuck inside, alright? Adrian is a rare guy in terms of his ability to stack inside, and he's going to go to the open area and he's going to outrun you," Capers said. "You've just got to make sure you're aggressive at the right time. If you're in a primary support position, you can be aggressive. If you're in a second support position, you have to eliminate any chance of pass before you play the run."

The only other time the Packers and Vikings have met in the playoffs was in the 2004 wild card game, and Minnesota won that match-up 31-17 in Green Bay's backyard at Lambeau Field.