The Minnesota Vikings seek to win at Green Bay for a third consecutive season when they face the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
The Vikings won 31-29 at Lambeau Field last season and 24-10 in 2023. The Vikings swept their two regular-season meetings with the Packers in 2023.
But it's been tough for the Vikings lately. Minnesota has lost four of its past five games as first-year starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy struggles with inconsistency.
"Big opportunity for our team, really good energy in the building today," head coach Kevin O'Connell noted earlier this week. "We'll hit the practice field and be outside all three days this week kind of getting ready for the surface, ready for the weather, the elements, things like that."
Packers and Vikings is always big. It's crucial for the Viking playoff hopes this year, and even for the Packers it's a big game. A loss to Minnesota puts a real dent in their chase for the NFC North in a crowded NFC playoff field.
"NFC North going to Lambeau, always a very, very important game for the Minnesota Vikings, and it is absolutely one this week," O'Connell explained. "And I know our guys are excited to get to work on the field this week and we'll be ready to roll when we we head to Lambeau."
The Packers are a half-game behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North.
O'Connell knows the offense needs McCarthy to play better, but he also knows running the ball will be key. The effectiveness of their running game provided a repeatable blueprint as he tries to balance McCarthy's development with a playbook predicated on a downfield passing attack.
Former Packer Aaron Jones, in his fourth game back from the hamstring injury that kept him out for four games, had a season-high 16 carries for 70 yards. He's averaging 5.7 yards per touch this season, including his receptions, for the third-best mark of his career and highest since his Pro Bowl season in 2020 with Green Bay.
“Our guys are out there competing. They're fighting. They’re playing with a physical play style, which is something every team is trying to emphasize,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “You see a lot of good things out there for us. It's more about consistency down in and down out across the board.”
Minnesota (4-6) at Green Bay (6-3-1)
Sunday, 12 p.m. on Fox.
BetMGM line: Packers by 7.
Against the spread: Vikings 4-6; Packers 3-6-1.
Series record: Packers lead 66-60-3.
Last meeting: Vikings won 27-25 in Minneapolis on Dec. 29, 2024.
Last week: Vikings lost 19-17 at home to Chicago Bears; Packers beat New York Giants 27-20 on the road.
Vikings offense: overall (27), rush (25), pass (23), scoring (22).
Vikings defense: overall (10T), rush (22), pass (7), scoring (17).
Packers offense: overall (12), rush (19), pass (11), scoring (13).
Packers defense: overall (6), rush (7), pass (10), scoring (7).
Turnover differential: Packers plus-1; Vikings minus-9.
Vikings player to watch
WR Justin Jefferson. Feeling the impact of QB J.J. McCarthy’s growing pains, after a five-game run with backup Carson Wentz while McCarthy recovered from a sprained ankle, Jefferson is carrying career lows in yards per catch and yards per game despite being one of the league’s top and double-covered receivers in his prime. The sixth-year star hasn’t had a 100-yard game in seven weeks and is overdue for a breakout game-breaking performance.
Packers player to watch
WR Christian Watson. In three games since returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Watson has emerged as Jordan Love's most reliable option while helping Green Bay withstand the loss of star TE Tucker Kraft to another torn ACL. Watson caught two touchdown passes against the Giants, including the game-winner with 4:02 remaining.
Key matchup
Vikings RBs Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason vs. Packers run defense: Although the Vikings rank 25th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (103.4), they're eighth in yards per carry (4.7). Jones and Mason combined for 115 yards on 22 carries against the Bears. Now they face a Green Bay defense that has given up an average of 138.7 yards rushing over its past three games. If Jones and Mason can gain consistent yardage, it could take some pressure off struggling Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Key injuries
Vikings: OLB Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) missed his first game in two seasons last week. He began the week being held out of practice, along with LG Will Fries (knee). ... C Ryan Kelly (concussion) has returned as a full participant in practice and said he’s fully ready to play after a precautionary six-game absence accounting for his concussion history.
Packers: RB Josh Jacobs left the Giants game with a bruised knee that leaves his status for Sunday's game uncertain. LB Quay Walker (neck) also left the Giants game. DL Lukas Van Ness (foot) has missed five straight games. CB Nate Hobbs (knee) has been out for two consecutive games. K Brandon McManus (quadriceps) didn't play against the Giants.
Series notes
The Vikings are seeking their first three-game road winning streak in the series since 1991-93 and their first three-game winning streak overall against the Packers since 2008-09. … Last season was the first time in the 64-year history of the rivalry that consecutive games were decided by two points or fewer.
Stats and stuff
With seven games to go, the Vikings already have twice as many losses as they did during the 2024 regular season. … McCarthy was the first Vikings QB to complete a game last week without being sacked in more than two years, since Kirk Cousins beat San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2023. The Vikings have gone sack-free only four times overall in 63 games, including the playoffs, under coach Kevin O’Connell. … McCarthy, who is 0-3 at home and 2-0 on the road, has the worst completion rate (52.9%) of any QB in the NFL this season to start at least one game. … Jones had a season-high 16 carries last week and is averaging 5.7 yards per touch, including carries and catches, for his best mark since his Pro Bowl season in 2020 with the Packers. … Vikings LB Blake Cashman has four straight games with 10-plus tackles, currently the longest active streak in the league and the longest by a Vikings player since Eric Kendricks in 2021. … Vikings LB Eric Wilson, who spent the previous three seasons with the Packers after playing his first four seasons in the league with the Vikings, leads the team with 63 tackles and two forced fumbles. Wilson is second on the team in tackles for loss (9) and sacks (3½). …The Vikings defense has allowed 2.05 yards per play inside the 20-yard line, the second-best red zone allowance in the league behind Denver. … The Vikings have forced 36 rushing plays for lost yardage this season, the second most in the NFL behind Cleveland. ... The Packers have allowed 24 points or fewer in each of their past 12 home games. ... Jacobs has 11 TD runs to rank second in the NFL, behind Indianapolis' Jonathan Taylor (15). ... McManus and Lucas Havrisik have missed four field-goal attempts and two extra points over Green Bay's past four games. ... Packers DE Micah Parsons has an NFL-leading 57 quarterback pressures this season, according to Next Gen Stats. ... Packers WR Romeo Doubs leads Green Bay in catches (39) and yards receiving (499). ... Packers QB Jordan Love set career highs in pass completions (32), pass attempts (54) and passing yards (389) and matched career highs in TD passes (four) and interceptions (three) in Green Bay's home loss to the Vikings last season. ... Packers CB Keisean Nixon has 14 passes defended to match Cincinnati's D.J. Turner for the NFL lead.
Fantasy tip
If Packers RB Emanuel Wilson is still available on your fantasy league's waiver wire, he's worth adding to your roster just in case Jacobs' injury keeps him from playing. Wilson filled in for Jacobs against the Giants and rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.