Keys to the Game (Dec. 23)

The Green Bay Packers (11-3) travel to take on the Minnesota Vikings (10-4) at 7:15 p.m., Monday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. ESPN televises the game.

Coaches

Green Bay — Matt LaFleur, first season (11-3). Minnesota — Mike Zimmer, sixth season (57-36-1).

History

The Packers lead the series 60-53-3, including a 21-16 win at Lambeau Field in Week 2. The Packers are 0-3 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

When the Packers have the ball

Another week, another challenge for Green Bay’s challenged offense. After scoring 20 points against Washington and 21 points against Chicago, it’s a trip to Minnesota to face the vaunted Vikings.

Minnesota is sixth in the league with 18.4 points allowed per game. Zimmer’s unit isn’t as dominant as past seasons, ranking 14th in total defense (338.9 yards per game), 14th in rushing per play (4.10) and 11th in passing per play (6.41), but it’s fourth in the red zone (47.5 percent touchdowns) and takeaways (27).

At home, Minnesota is allowing only 14.2 points per game, the second-best in the league, compared to 21.8 on the road.

It is a unit with star power at each level. Up front, the ends are Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen. The tackles are mammoth Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen.

Hunter, who was picked for the Pro Bowl, is third in the league with 13.5 sacks. Griffen, a former Pro Bowler, has eight sacks but more quarterback hits (24) than Hunter (21).

Middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, who not only leads the team with 110 tackles but 12 passes defensed, is flanked by Anthony Barr and Eric Wilson. Barr is an all-around weapon with 73 tackles, seven quarterback hits and four passes defensed.

Cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes and safety Harrison Smith have played thousands of snaps together. Mackensie Alexander mans the slot and the other safety is Anthony Harris.

Smith is Zimmer’s chess piece. He has 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and 11 passes defensed. Harris, meanwhile, has been a playmaker in center field with a team-leading five interceptions.

While the names in the secondary are familiar, the results and playing time are a departure from normal. Rhodes, a former Pro Bowler, has seen his playing time slashed in recent weeks. Against the Chargers last week, he played 14 snaps compared to 46 for Mike Hughes and 31 for Holton Hill. It’s all part of Zimmer trying to find answers for a defense that’s allowed 23 touchdown passes this season after yielding a total of 28 the past two years combined. However, only eight of those touchdown passes have come at home.

From Green Bay’s perspective, will Aaron Rodgers finally have a good day at U.S. Bank Stadium against a not-as-good-as-usual Vikings pass defense? Or will Minnesota’s home dominance continue? Green Bay is 0-3 at the Vikings’ new home. Rodgers has completed 57.4 percent of his passes with two touchdowns, one interception, one broken collarbone and a paltry 79.8 rating.

When the Vikings have the ball

Minnesota’s offense has been exceptional. The Vikings enter the week tied for fifth in scoring with 27.0 points per game.

They are fifth in yards per play (6.00), 15th in rushing per attempt (4.38) and second in passing per attempt (8.03). They have been just as good situationally, checking in at No. 9 on third down (44.1 percent conversions) and No. 4 in the red zone (66.0 percent touchdowns).

After a slow start, quarterback Kirk Cousins is fourth in the league with a 111.1 rating. He is as efficient as any quarterback not named Drew Brees, ranking third in accuracy (70.5 percent) and fourth in yards per attempt (8.43). He’s thrown 25 touchdowns vs. only five interceptions, including 23 touchdowns vs. three interceptions since tossing two picks at Lambeau Field in Week 2.

A running game is a quarterback’s best friend, and the Vikings have an elite one with Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook. Cook is seventh in the league with 1,135 rushing yards and is second on the team with 53 receptions despite dealing with a shoulder injury that knocked him out of last week’s game against the Chargers.

“It’s too early, but I think an extra day obviously helps,” Zimmer said on Monday. “We’ll just have to see how the week goes.”

Cook rushed for 154 yards in round one against Green Bay, though that was skewed by a 75-yard touchdown. If he can’t play or is limited, backup Alexander Mattison is no slouch. The hard-charging rookie has 462 rushing yards and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Fullback C.J. Ham averages 23 snaps per game.

With Adam Thielen dealing with a hamstring injury, Stefon Diggs has emerged as the No. 1 threat. He has 60 catches for 1,073 yards and five touchdowns. His 17.9 yards per reception is fourth in the league. Thielen returned from essentially a six-game absence to catch three passes last week. He’s caught only 30 passes this year after hauling in 113 last year.

Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph has 38 receptions and six touchdowns. He doesn’t run very well anymore but he catches everything in the vicinity. Rookie tight end Irv Smith has contributed 33 catches. They will be a major test for a Packers defense that was beaten badly by a string of top tight ends earlier in the season.

The offensive line consists of left tackle Riley Reiff, left guard Pat Elflein, center Garrett Bradbury, right guard Josh Kline and right tackle Brian O’Neill.

According to Pro Football Focus, only two guards have given up more sacks than Elflein’s six. Bradbury, a rookie, has been vulnerable, too. They will face a big challenge against defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

O’Neill, a second-round pick in 2018 who is tailor made for a zone-blocking scheme, has not allowed a sack, according to PFF.

Special teams

The Vikings retooled their kicking units and have been rewarded by their veteran additions. Punter Britton Colquitt is averaging 44.8 yards on 53 punts, of which only 19 have been returned. Kicker Dan Bailey is 22-of-24 on field goals, though he’s missed four extra points.

Backup running back Ameer Abdullah is averaging 24.8 yards per kickoff return while Hughes is averaging 6.2 yards per punt return.

For Green Bay, Mason Crosby has missed only one field-goal attempt all year and returner Tyler Ervin has provided a huge lift on special teams. All five of his punt returns have gone for 10-plus yards and he added a 45-yard kickoff return last week. The Vikings rank 29th in kickoff coverage.