Jonathan Greenard expects 'bloodbath' between Vikings, Packers at Lambeau

It's one of the most highly-anticipated border battles in recent memory between the Vikings and Packers.

Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) looks on during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Only four players have generated more pressure on quarterbacks through three weeks in the NFL than Minnesota's Jonathan Greenard. With 17 pressures, trails only Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson (25), Dallas' Micah Parsons (18), Denver's Zach Allen (18) and New Orleans' Carl Grunderson (18).

Clearly, Greenard will be a focus for Green Bay when the Vikings and Packers square off Sunday in what is blossoming into one of the most highly-anticipated border battles in recent memory.

"Our focus has definitely shifted to Green Bay," Greenard said Tuesday on KFAN-FM 100.3's Power Trip Morning Show. "I'm new to [the rivalary], but I obviously know the history behind it and I obviously know any time you're playing a divisional opponent it has to be a bloodbath. Honestly, it's going to be one of those. It's just one of those hard-nosed games."

Greenard will be going up against Green Bay right tackle Zach Tom, who has yet to allow a pressure this season. Pro Football Focus has graded Tom as the sixth-best pass-blocking tackle in the NFL this season. Granted, the Packers have not thrown the ball much without quarterback Jordan Love (knee) the past two weeks, so there haven't been as many opportunities for Tom to get burned.

Love attempted 34 passes in Week 1 before he suffered a sprained MCL late in Green Bay's loss to Philadelphia. Willis has attempted just 33 passes combined the past two weeks as the Packers have dominated the Colts and Titans on the ground. They ran the ball 37 times for 188 yards against the Titans after going for 261 yards on 53 carries against the Colts.

"We gotta take it up another notch," Greenard added. "We're going to their home field, it's going to be a hostile environment. It's going to be a great test for us to truly show how we can deal with adversity when we get a little bit of success. Now that we've kind of put it on tape, we have to expect everybody to be playing their best against us because we now have a target on our back. But we love that."

"Amongst ourselves in the locker room, we understood that this first couple weeks of our season was, kind of called it the gauntlet, playing two of the highest-caliber teams that have literally talent through this roof, with San Fran and obviously Houston," Greenard said. "Even coming up now with Green Bay that's still a really good team despite the injuries. They're still a really good team, they're playing some really good ball."