There are few things in life that I enjoy more than watching Aaron Rodgers play football. Because of that, I am hoping that Rodgers’ banged up knee keeps him out of Sunday’s Packers-Vikings matchup. That may sound counterintuitive, but trust me, it’s not. And you’d know why if you watched Minnesota’s Week 1 victory over the 49ers.

Remember the first hour of Independence Day? When the aliens came through and destroyed everything and humans just sat there helpless? That’s what watching the Vikings defense felt like last Sunday. I don’t wish that on any NFL quarterback, especially one who can barely move.

I know I’m not breaking any new ground here by pointing out that Mike Zimmer’s team can play some defense. The Vikings led the league in both yards and points allowed in 2017 on their way to an NFC North title. But here’s the thing: They’re even better this year, and I don’t even know if it’s close.

We actually have footage of how it happened …

That’s Sheldon Richardson signing a modest one-year, $8 million contract. The signing made headlines, but it didn’t make major headlines. I’d even say the Vikings signing the former Pro Bowl defensive tackle flew under the proverbial radar with the team shelling out $84 million guaranteed on a quarterback. The Vikings defense adding Sheldon Richardson was not unlike the Warriors landing Kevin Durant after winning 73 games. Minnesota’s defense was already the best in the league; now it’s in a league of its own.

Against San Francisco, Richardson logged four tackles, three quarterback hits and a half sack. Good numbers, but they undersell the impact he had on the game, so let’s go to the film to see how he wrecked the 49ers’ offense and put the entire league on notice.

Richardson is known as a pass rusher, first and foremost, but his contributions in the run game stood out in Week 1. Due to injury, the 49ers played three guys at right guard during the game. None of them could block big No. 93, whether it was on perimeter runs or runs straight up the gut.

Here Richardson used his strength to ward off his blocker and his inexplicable quickness — the man is 300 pounds — to chase down the ball carrier …

Here he stuns the right guard with his power and stuffs a run at the goal line …

And it didn’t really matter how many blockers the 49ers threw at him. This was basically Thanos fighting off the Avengers in Infinity War…

San Francisco did not have any more success preventing Richardson from getting to the quarterback. He beat blockers with power rushes …

He also beat them with quickness. Here Richardson fires off the line, crosses up his blocker with a quick move and pressures Jimmy Garoppolo into the game-sealing interception …

As good as the Vikings were defensively a year ago, they didn’t have this. Now they do. And with this devourer of souls lining up next to big Linval Joseph, one of the league’s most underrated defensive tackles, opposing teams can no longer slide their protection to either of the freaks of nature Minnesota has at defensive end.

Here the 49ers keep a tight end to block Everson Griffen on the left and have the three interior linemen account for Joseph and Richardson in the middle. That leaves Danielle Hunter to do this to the right tackle, whose only recourse is to try (and fail) to trip him …

Laugh at Gary Gilliam all you want, but there are going to be a lot of helpless linemen who empathize with that struggle this season. Adding Richardson to this pass rush just isn’t fair, and the Vikings know it. Listen to this maniacal laugh that will haunt offensive coordinators’ dreams throughout 2018.

Sheldon Richardson's laugh tho pic.twitter.com/W5GptRSP4h — Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) September 13, 2018

On top of all that, the Vikings still have do-it-all safety Harrison Smith flying in like freaking Batman to pick off passes and setting a violent edge in the run game. Xavier Rhodes continues locking down No. 1 receivers on the outside. And Zimmer keeps bombarding quarterbacks with intricately disguised blitzes …

Not fair. I’m only half-joking when I say Roger Goodell should intervene and force the Vikings to trade Richardson in order to protect the competitive balance of the league. Or, at the very least, require Minnesota to play only 10 men on defense. Otherwise, offenses don’t stand much of a chance.

That’s obviously not going to happen, so here’s my final plea: Aaron Rodgers, if you’re reading this, please do not play this Sunday. It’s not worth it, man.