PACKERVILLE, U.S.A.

Packers look to split season series with Vikings

Various sources

MINNESOTA (12-3) at GREEN BAY (7-8)

DAY/TIME/TV: Sunday, 3:25 p.m. CST, CBS

SERIES RECORD: Packers lead 64-57-3

LAST MEETING: Vikings beat Packers 23-7 in Minnesota on Sept. 11 in the season opener.

LAST WEEK: Vikings beat New York Giants 27-24 at home on Saturday; Packers won 26-20 at Miami on Sunday.

VIKINGS OFFENSE: OVERALL (12), RUSH (28), PASS (6), SCORING (7)

PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (16), RUSH (14), PASS (17), SCORING (18-T)

VIKINGS DEFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (19), PASS (32), SCORING (28)

PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (17), RUSH (27), PASS (3), SCORING (17-T)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Vikings plus-6, Packers even

Two weeks after ending the Green Bay Packers' three-year reign as NFC North champions, the Minnesota Vikings have a chance to give their division rival's playoff hopes a devastating blow. Green Bay lost 23-7 at Minnesota in the season's opening weekend as part of a 4-8 start but has since won three straight games to move back into playoff contention heading into Sundays' rematch with the Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Packers (7-8) can earn a fourth straight playoff bid if they win their final two games, and either the Washington Commanders (7-7-1) lose once or the New York Giants (8-6-1) fall twice. "We're building each week," Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb said. "And with every win, that snowball effect continues to grow, and we've just got to find a way to put ourselves in position to give ourselves a chance." The Packers can be eliminated from the playoff picture if they lose Sunday and either the Commanders win at home against the Cleveland Browns (6-9) or the Detroit Lions (7-8) win at home against the Chicago Bears (3-12). The Browns-Commanders game and Bears-Lions matchup should be finishing up right around the time the Packers and Vikings have their opening kickoff. Minnesota (12-3) is seeking its first regular-season sweep of the Packers (7-8) since 2017. The Vikings went 1-0-1 against Green Bay in 2018. "Vikings-Packers week, so everything is on the board," Vikings running back Dalvin Cook said. "It's time to go play some ball. I don't care if it was Week 20, it's time to go play some ball and live out this dream Vikings-Packers rivalry." The Vikings still have an outside chance of earning the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed and the conference's lone first-round playoff bye, but that goal might be out of reach by the time they start this game. Philadelphia (13-2) can wrap up the No. 1 seed by winning at home against New Orleans (6-9) earlier Sunday. Minnesota earned its playoff spot because of its ability to win close games. The Vikings' Sept. 11 triumph over the Packers is their only victory that was decided by more than eight points. The most notable example of the Vikings' tenacity came Dec. 18 when they clinched the NFC North title by erasing a 33-0 deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts 39-36 in overtime, completing the biggest comeback in NFL history. "You can tell they're playing with a lot of confidence," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. "They're going out there, they're competing at a high, high level. Obviously one of the best teams in the league, so we're going to have to play at our best and prepare at our best to give ourselves a chance because they've just been so consistent throughout the entire course of the season."

SMITH'S RETURN: Minnesota's Za'Darius Smith played for the Packers from 2019-21 and had a combined 26 sacks his first two seasons in Green Bay. After playing just one regular-season game and one playoff contest due to a back issue last year, Smith got released in a cap-saving move. Smith has bounced back in Minnesota with 10 sacks this year. The Packers have their own pass-rushing Smith in Preston Smith, who isn't related to Za'Darius. Preston Smith has a team-high 8½ sacks, including three in his last two games.

JEFFERSON'S RECORDS: Minnesota's Justin Jefferson already has set franchise single-season records in catches (123) and yards receiving (1,756). His record-setting season started when he caught nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings' victory over the Packers. Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander called Jefferson one of the top three receivers in the NFL, but said he was looking forward to rectifying things in Sunday's rematch. "He's a really good receiver," said Alexander, the Packers' lone Pro Bowl selection. "But at the end of the day, I'm a really good corner, we've got really good corners, we've got really good linebackers, D-line, whatever it is. You don't want to put too much focus on that one person because it's like, the first game, that was a fluke."

FORCING TURNOVERS: The Vikings have allowed the most yards passing of any NFL team. Only the Lions are giving up more overall yards per game or yards per play. Yet the Vikings are going to the playoffs in part because of a plus-6 turnover margin that ranks fifth in the league. The Packers also have done a good job of producing takeaways lately. The Packers have a plus-5 turnover margin during their three-game winning streak after being at minus-5 through their first 12 games.

WEATHER REPORT: The weather report in Green Bay calls for highs of around 37 and lows in the mid-20s. Midway through the week, the Sunday forecast didn't call for snow.

VIKINGS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Justin Jefferson. The 2020 first-round pick already has set Vikings single-season records for catches (123) and yards receiving (1,756) this year. He set the tone for his record-setting season by catching nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings’ Sept. 11 victory over the Packers.

PACKERS PLAYER TO WATCH: CB Jaire Alexander. Green Bay’s coaching staff got plenty of criticism after the loss at Minnesota for starting in zone coverage rather than simply having Alexander cover Jefferson the entire game. The Packers’ lone Pro Bowl selection figures to spend more time lining up against Jefferson in the rematch. Alexander has a career-high five interceptions, including two in his past three games.

KEY MATCHUP: Packers offensive line vs. Vikings pass rush. The uncertainty of Green Bay’s situation at offensive tackle makes this matchup particularly intriguing. LT David Bakhtiari has missed three straight games as he recovers from an appendectomy. RT Yosh Nijman left the Dolphins game with a shoulder injury. If one or both of those tackles can’t play Sunday, the Packers could have a tough time containing Minnesota’s pass-rushing duo of Danielle Hunter (10½ sacks) and Za’Darius Smith (10). Smith, a Pro Bowl selection, played for the Packers from 2019-21 and had a combined 26 sacks from 2019-20.

MINNESOTA: OUT: C Garrett Bradbury (back), DT James Lynch (shoulder). FULL: G Ezra Cleveland (shoulder). GREEN BAY: QUESTIONABLE: CB Keisean Nixon (groin), WR Christian Watson (hip). LIMITED: T David Bakhtiari (knee/abdomen), G Elgton Jenkins (knee), RB Aaron Jones (knee/ankle). FULL: CB Jaire Alexander (forearm), LB Krys Barnes (hand), S Rudy Ford (wrist, knee), TE Marcedes Lewis (nir-rest), T Yosuah Nijman (shoulder), QB Aaron Rodgers (right thumb/knee).

SERIES NOTES: The Vikings have won three of the past four meetings. The lone Packers victory during that stretch was a 37-10 blowout in Green Bay last season that Vikings QB Kirk Cousins missed because he was on the COVID-19 reserve list. That game gave the Packers the NFC’s No. 1 seed and knocked the Vikings out of playoff contention last season. The Packers have a 34-26-3 home record against the Vikings. The Packers have gone 16-11-1 against the Vikings when Aaron Rodgers has been Green Bay’s starting quarterback. Rodgers has 57 touchdown passes and eight interception passes against the Vikings.

STATS AND STUFF: The Packers have won three straight and can reach the playoffs if they win their last two games and either the Washington Commanders lose once more or the New York Giants lose both their remaining games… The Packers would be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose to the Vikings and either the Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears or the Commanders beat the Cleveland Browns… Packers kicker Mason Crosby has played in 256 consecutive regular-season games. In Green Bay’s victory at Miami, Crosby overtook Brett Favre to become the franchise leader in consecutive games played and total games played (also 256)… The Packers have punted only once in each of their past two games… The Packers have a plus-5 turnover margin during their three-game win streak… Packers OLB Preston Smith has three sacks over his past two games and five over his past five… Packers CB Rasul Douglas has intercepted a pass in back-to-back games… The Vikings already have clinched the NFC North title… The Vikings are 12-3, but have only outscored opponents 378-373. Their 23-7 triumph over the Packers was their only victory with a margin greater than eight points… Cousins has thrown 27 TD passes, his eighth straight season with at least 25. The only other NFL players to throw 25-plus TD passes in at least eight straight seasons are Peyton Manning (13), Drew Brees (11), Philip Rivers (11) and Tom Brady (10)… Vikings RB Dalvin Cook rushed for 64 yards against the Giants to increase his total to 5,929 and overtake Chuck Foreman for third place on the team’s career list. The only players to rush for more yards as Vikings are Adrian Peterson (11,747 from 2007-16) and Robert Smith (6,818 from 1993-2000)This is the first Vikings-Packers matchup in which the Vikings enter the game with at least five more wins than the Packers since the final game of the 1991 season, when 8-7 Minnesota hosted 3-12 Green Bay (Packers won, 27-7)… Last week marked the ninth time this season the Vikings were trailing in the second half and came back to win, the most second-half comeback wins by any team in a single season in NFL history… Justin Jefferson has 35 receptions for 479 yards over his last three games, making him the first player in NFL history to have 35+ catches for 450+ yards over a three-game span in a single season… Aaron Rodgers has not thrown more than one interception in any of his last 22 starts against the Vikings, the longest streak by any QB against a single opponent in NFL history. Rodgers' career interception percentage against the Vikings (0.9%) is the lowest by any player in NFL history against a single opponent (minimum 400 attempts)… The Packers went nine straight games without a regulation win from Weeks 4-12 this year. No team in NFL history has had that long of a streak without a regulation win and yet still made the playoffs that season (the longest is seven straight by the 2014 Panthers)… Green Bay has notched at least one takeaway in each of its last nine games, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest streak for the Packers since 2017 (11 straight).

WEEK 17 NFL SCHEDULE

Thursday, December 29
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans, 7:15 p.m., Prime Video

Sunday, January 1
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants, 12:00 p.m., CBS
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders, 12:00 p.m., FOX
San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders, 3:05 p.m., FOX
New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m., FOX
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, 3:25 p.m., CBS
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:20 p.m., NBC*

Monday, January 2
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, 7:30 p.m., ESPN/ABC