Zimmer: Need more wins vs. Packers to have rivalry

Minnesota and Green Bay share a natural rivalry in the rough-and-tumble NFC North, but Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says it's not a rivalry at all -- at least not right now.

"I think it's great for the fans," Zimmer said this week, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "We need to beat them a lot more often for it to be a rivalry."

Fair point.

The Vikings are 1-3 against the Packers under Zimmer, while Green Bay outright owns the series in recent seasons, having notched a 10-2-1 record against Minnesota since 2010.

This Vikings team, though, is a different beast than the previous Minnesota clubs that were regularly slaughtered by Aaron Rodgers. Zimmer will aim to clarify that when the Packers arrive to help Minnesota open U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday Night Football.

A win on national television -- which would hand the Vikings a share of first place in the division while shipping the Packers down the line -- would go a long way toward reigniting this head-to-head duel in the NFC North.