Greg Jennings Will Be X-Factor For Minnesota Vikings In Week 7

By C.J. Wallace @camwallace42 on October 16, 2014

If anyone thinks the Minnesota Vikings have an easy game this week, they’re not giving the Buffalo Bills enough credit. Understandably, watching a 2-4 team go up against a 3-3 team on the road is comparable to listening to a recording of nails on a chalkboard on repeat. However, in regards to the Vikings, I think fans will be pleasantly surprised. One would expect the quarterback to be the driving force behind the game, but I’m convinced Greg Jennings will step up this week and be the X-factor the Vikings need to pull through.

Although the Bills have had an iffy year, defensively and offensively, they have managed to pull some pretty impressive wins. The Chicago Bears are no pushovers, but the Bills managed to outscore them by an admittedly poor three points. The Miami Dolphins have shown how they’ve improved, yet in Week 2 the Bills put them down hard. By all rights, the Bills should be 1-5 right now. Yet, they sit quite comfortably at 3-3.

The Vikings, on the other hand, have been pummeled from Week 1! Every team they’ve played should have beaten them solidly. Except, the Vikings have two wins, and both of those wins were against strong teams that ended with stunning scores!

So how do fans watch such a painful ordeal? If the Vikings want to score touchdowns, they won’t be able to employ a running game. The answer lies in the Vikings’ passing game and in the hands of Jennings.

With Cordarrelle Patterson still not at 100 percent, even if he does play, he’s not going to be as effective as he typically would be. Even if he’s back to 100 percent by Sunday, I don’t think he’s the go-to guy. He’s fast, he can read the movements and get to where he needs to be, but he’s a predictable target.

Jennings has the experience, he has the speed, and he can work seamlessly with both Teddy Bridgewater and Christian Ponder. Of course, it helps that Jennings respects Ponder. Last year he released a statement praising Ponder’s personality and presence on the field. Of course, back then there was a variety of receivers to throw to.

The only flaw I can see with this prediction is, even if Jennings gets to the right place at the right time, catches the ball and makes the touchdown, the quarterback will get all the credit being the one who threw the ball. Luckily, Jennings isn’t the type to care about who did what, as long as it’s done right and they get the job done.

Despite who the starting quarterback for the Vikings, if they fail to utilize Jennings they’re going to have a tough time against the Bills. Jennings will be able to penetrate their defense and take the ball deep into their territory, if not for a touchdown. I think both Bridgewater and Ponder have seen what Jennings can do, and I believe they are waiting to catch everyone off guard with how well they work together.

C.J. Wallace is a Packers Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on twitter:@camwallace42, like her on Facebook or add her to your network on Google.