The year came full circle for the Green Bay Packers as they beat the Vikings at home during the 2022-23 season on Jan 1., and once again on Dec. 31 during the 2023-24 season.
The most recent of those games proved to be the biggest of the current season, as Green Bay went into Minnesota and destroyed its longtime rival to a tune of 23 points, 33-10.
Quarterback Jordan Love registered another great performance for the Pack, as the first-year starter completed 24-of-33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.
As has been the case in victories for the Packers over the recent seasons, Aaron Jones was the sparkplug for the offense. Jones rushed for 120 yards on 20 carries.
As for the receiving game, second-year receiver Bo Melton became the first receiver to record 100 yards for Green Bay, as he logged 105 yards and one touchdown on six receptions. Jayden Reed also broke Sterling Sharpe’s record for most receptions in a season by a rookie in this game.
“That is God – that is all God,” said Reed, on his historic rookie season, which includes 10 touchdowns. “I put my faith in God and just work hard and have a different mindset. Just being coachable. I am a very coachable kid; I think I am mature for my age. That is all it really takes. People being around you that trust you and great teammates and coaches that push you to go hard every day. That is just how it happened.”
For the Vikings, rookie quarterback Jaren Hall was given the reins, as he started the game. Completing 5-of-10 passes, Hall was pulled at halftime in favor of Nick Mullens. Mullens completed 13-of-22 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown.
The Packers defense was stingy against the run, as Vikings rushers combined for just 67 yards. Without Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, Green Bay also held Minnesota’s superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson to just 59 yards on five receptions.
After both teams traded punts, Green Bay started its first scoring drive. Jones, Melton, tight end Tucker Kraft, Reed and running back A.J. Dillon all got touches, as Anders Carlson knocked a 34-yard field goal through the uprights to give Green Bay an early 3-0 lead.
Two plays later, Green Bay’s defense, which has been heavily criticized over the past few weeks for its poor performance, forced Hall into an interception by way of Corey Ballentine. The Packers immediately capitalized on the turnover, as Love threw a 33-yard dart to Reed in the end zone to take a 10-0 lead.
Green Bay then forced Minnesota to punt on its next drive. and Love and the offense took back over at their own 26-yard line. Jones and Dillon picked up a combined 24 yards, Melton picked up 28 yards and a 15-yard face mask penalty on Minnesota set Green Bay up with a fourth-and-one from the Vikings 24-yard line. On the ensuing play, Love dropped back and floated a pass toward the left sideline intended for Melton. As Melton was going to the ground, the ball bounced out of his grasp, and the Packers turned the ball over on downs.
From there, the Vikings marched down the field for a field goal. That was quickly followed up with a 10-play 75-yard drive from Green Bay that culminated in a two-yard rushing touchdown for Love.
Minnesota took back over with 39 seconds left in the half. On the second play of the drive, Packers linebacker Preston Smith sacked Hall and forced a fumble, which in turn was recovered by Packers rookie Karl Brooks to set up a first-and-10 from the Vikings 37-yard line with 26 seconds left. Green Bay once again capitalized on the turnover, as Love connected with Reed for a 25-yard touchdown.
“That was all Jordan trusting me in making a play,” said Reed, on his second touchdown. “I tried to run the best route that I could. Jordan trusted me, and I ran through the smoke and scored.”
Coming out of the half, Minnesota was immediately forced to punt the ball. Green Bay once again capitalized on the opportunity, with Love connecting with Melton for a nine-yard touchdown.
Down 30-3, Minnesota was once again forced to punt, but on the return, Packers receiver Samori Toure muffed the punt and the Vikings recovered at the Green Bay seven-yard line. Two plays later, Johnny Mundt scored the first touchdown of the game for the Vikings. Carlson then added another field goal to put the dagger in as Green Bay took home a 33-10 victory.
With the win, Green Bay finds itself in second place in the NFC North and seventh in the NFC. That means that all Green Bay needs to do is win its final game of the season against the Chicago Bears to make the playoffs.
“This is the exact position that we have been working for all offseason – all through training camp – to put ourselves in a position to make the playoffs,” said Love. “Like I said, it hasn’t been easy all year, a lot of highs and lows, a lot of adversity, and we didn’t have any expectations coming into the year. So I think everybody is continuing to work and continuing to find ways to get better.”
According to the New York Times Playoff Simulator, Green Bay currently has a 68% chance to make the playoffs. If they were to win, that number would go up to 100%.
If Green Bay were to lose and the Seattle Seahawks were to win, then Seattle would get into the playoffs. If both teams were to lose, then the playoff picture becomes a little murkier. The NFC South has yet to be decided, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints all still mathematically alive in the hunt.
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