Packers’ offense vs. Vikings’ defense
The last time these two teams met, Green Bay’s offense was in a tailspin. They had just been shut down by a Broncos defense that had recently given up 70 points. Prior to that, the Raiders had held the Packers to 13 points.
This Packers offense is different. They hit a turning point in late November with a 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jordan Love’s first 300-yard game as a passer appeared to take a lid off this offense.
Since then, they’ve performed well in every game save for a Monday night performance against the New York Giants.
Love has turned the ball over three times in the last six games, and has surpassed a 100 passer rating in seven games this season.
Any questions about the Packers’ long-term future at quarterback appear to be answered.
This is a bit of a different test.
Minnesota’s defense is not the group that it was under Mike Zimmer that used to give Aaron Rodgers and company fits, but they have been much better in 2023 than they were in 2022. Brian Flores is likely to be one of the hottest candidates for a head coaching gig when the 2023 season ends.
The Vikings are led by Danielle Hunter as one of the top pass rushers in football. He has 15.5 sacks on the season and is headed toward a career year.
Harrison Smith is still around as a veteran presence as the team essentially breaks in an entirely new secondary.
Josh Metellus was a thorn in Green Bay’s side the first time these two teams met. He recently signed a contract extension in Minnesota, and will be around for the foreseeable future. He snatched a ball away from Jayden Reed for an interception in the team’s first meeting.
Unfortunately for Minnesota, injuries and turnovers have been their bugaboo this season on the offensive side of the ball. Kirk Cousins is out for the rest of the season. Justin Jefferson has been in and out of the lineup.
The defense has picked up the slack. They shut out the Las Vegas Raiders two weeks ago in a game where had they allowed any points, they would have lost.
Green Bay’s offense is on a roll, but the Vikings could relish a chance to effectively end Green Bay’s season.
This will be the matchup that decides the game.
Packers’ defense vs. Vikings’ offense
Joe Barry is on the hot seat. There’s no question about that. After the Packers lost 34-20 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Matt LaFleur was asked whether he would relieve Barry of his duties.
LaFleur is sticking by his embattled defensive coordinator and hoping for a late season surge toward the postseason.
Green Bay has not done anything particularly well in terms of slowing teams down, and their longest standing trend is the inability to stop the run game.
The good news is Minnesota is one of the worst teams in the NFL in the run game.
They average 98 yards per game on the ground. That is good for 23rd in the NFL. They’ve been missing Alexander Mattison and relying on Ty Chandler to carry the load in the backfield.
The Packers are built to get after opposing passers. If the pass rush does well, the defense has a chance. If it doesn’t, they have struggled severely.
Rashan Gary and the rest of his crew will have their hands full as Christian Darrisaw is one of the best left tackles in football.
Nick Mullens has a tendency to hold the ball and take some horrendous sacks. That could give the Packers opportunities to make plays on the quarterback.
This team is only one game removed from allowing Baker Mayfield to become the first visiting quarterback to post a perfect passer rating at Lambeau Field.
This game could feature two of the very best at their positions going head-to-head.
Jefferson has bounced in and out of the lineup with a hamstring and chest injury. He should be good to go for Sunday’s action.
Jaire Alexander, Jefferson’s biggest nemesis, has struggled with injuries of his own. He’s missed time with a back and shoulder injury. His situation remains unclear.
The Packers have some help in the return of Eric Stokes. He’s played two games since being activated from injured reserve before their loss to Tampa Bay.
He’s been up and down in those two games, which is to be expected considering his injury situation prior to being activated.
Minnesota’s receiving corps is wounded with Jefferson sitting on the sidelines but still has some talent. Jordan Addison has had some nice moments as a former first-round pick.
TJ Hockenson is a dangerous player at tight end. KJ Osborn, the team’s third receiver, made some plays when Jefferson was out of the lineup as well.
Special teams
The Packers’ kicking game has been up and down all season. Anders Carlson has yet to find any sort of consistency.
Carlson’s big leg has flashed at times. Other times, he looks like a golfer who mis-hits his wedge. The ball doesn’t always explode off of his foot. Despite that, Carlson has been given a vote of confidence. The team will be sticking with him for the rest of the season.
As these games get bigger, the bigger the kicks will be for Carlson. An indoor environment should give him some confidence to kick without worrying about any elements.
Keisean Nixon just has not been the weapon on special teams he was a year ago. The temperatures at Lambeau Field have not allowed for shorter kickoffs. Nixon has not had one kick that even looked like he might return for a touchdown. There are still signs of electricity, but right now his signature play of the season was fumbling a punt that turned the tide of a game against the New York Giants.
Minnesota’s special teams has Greg Joseph kicking for them. He’s been rock solid for most of the year.
Ty Chandler has been the primary returner during the season, but has taken a step back with an increased role being given to him on offense.
Kene Nwangwu has taken on that role and has a long return of 38 yards on the season.
Minnesota’s special teams ranked right in the middle of the pack according to Rick Gosselin’s special teams rankings in 2022.
Average might be enough to have a big advantage. The Packers are ranked toward the bottom of the league in special teams DVOA once again, calling into question if their investment in Rich Bisaccia is paying off.
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