Vikings’ McCarthy returns; Packers’ Tune gets 2nd career start
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Green Bay (9-6-1) at Minnesota (8-8)
Day/Time/TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
Series record: Packers lead 67-60-3.
Last week: Packers lost 41-24 to Ravens; Vikings beat Lions 23-10.
Last meeting: Packers beat Vikings 23-6 in Green Bay on Nov. 23.
Packers offense: overall (10), rush (17), pass (10), scoring (13).
Packers defense: overall (11), rush (15), pass (7), scoring (11).
Vikings offense: overall (29), rush (25), pass (31), scoring (26).
Vikings defense: overall (5), rush (22), pass (3), scoring (9T).
Turnover differential: Packers even; Vikings minus-8.
Justin Jefferson has hardly been admired more by the Minnesota Vikings than during this season of frustration for their once-potent offense, despite production by the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver that has lagged well behind his remarkable standard. Helping him hit the 1,000-yard mark — against the rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday — would be at least be a nice parting gift. “I want to leave this year off with a good note,” said Jefferson, who has the most yards receiving in NFL history over a player’s first six seasons.
The Vikings were eliminated from contention for the playoffs before they took the field in Week 15, their earliest exit from the race since 2014, with a predictably rocky debut for quarterback J.J. McCarthy the primary reason. Backups Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer have also taken their turns struggling to keep afloat the down-field passing attack that has revolved around Jefferson since coach Kevin O’Connell his arrival in 2022.
Jefferson’s averages of 12.5 yards per reception and 59.2 yards per game are by far career lows, even though he has run his routes as well as ever and stayed healthy all season. But he has lived up to his role as a captain by never complaining, doing his best to encourage the developing McCarthy despite one of his prime years being squandered.
“It means a lot just to go out there and continue to compete, continue to give it my all and just show the effort,” said Jefferson, who needs 53 yards against the Packers to become the third receiver in league history to log 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons after Randy Moss and Mike Evans.
McCarthy, who missed the last game with a hand injury, will make just his 10th career start. His first one against the Packers on Nov. 23, was one of his worst.
“It starts with that offseason work and building that connection and eliminating those habits that he had that we felt hindered him throughout the season,” Jefferson said this week, publicly expressing his desire to have McCarthy as the starter again in 2026. “He still has learning to do and growing to do, so that’s all part of the game, but it’s up to me to require more of him and to work with him more.”
Packers name Tune
With Jordan Love playing it safe on the sideline after a concussion two weeks ago and backup Malik Willis dealing with injuries, Clayton Tune will start at quarterback for Green Bay. His only other NFL start came as a rookie in 2023 with Arizona, when he was sacked seven times and threw two interceptions in a 27-0 loss to Cleveland. “Obviously in practice you try to prepare for the game as much as you can, but once you’re in it for real, that’s when you get the full sense of it,” said Tune, who was a fifth-round draft pick out of Houston. “I’m excited to be in there and trust the training I’ve put in.”
Balancing rest with rust
The Packers, who are locked into the last wild-card spot for the NFC playoffs for the third straight time, had a remote chance of bettering the No. 7 seed entering the regular-season finale last year when they lost to Chicago and lost wide receiver Christian Watson to a torn ACL. With the injuries to vital players taking their toll this season, the Packers can’t afford to lose another one and will likely hold more healthy starters out beyond Love. But they would also prefer not to take a fourth straight loss into the playoffs. According to Sportradar, only three teams in NFL history – the Jets (1986), the Lions (1999) and the Steelers (2024) — have entered the postseason with a four-game losing streak or longer. Only the Jets won their first playoff game from that group. “That’s what practice is all there for, and I think we’ve done a great job of amping it up this week,” Love said. “Guys have been flying around at practice. We’ve been doing a great job.”
Green Bay’s cornerback concerns
Not only will McCarthy and the Vikings’ offense not have to face star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who tore his ACL last month, but the Packers are hurting at cornerback, too. Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine haven’t played particularly well during this late-season slump, and backups Kamal Hadden and Nate Hobbs went on injured reserve this week. The Packers claimed Trevon Diggs off waivers from Dallas this week, with the possibility the two-time Pro Bowl pick will play Sunday after just a few days of orientation. “The same coverages are same coverages,” said Diggs, who led the NFL with 11 interceptions in an All-Pro season in 2021. “It’s just different languages and different terminology. I feel like that’s just going to be the tough part.”
Melton’s two-way moment?
Another option at cornerback for Green Bay could be wide receiver Bo Melton, who has worked on defense in practice this season though all of his game action has been on offense and special teams. “I’m not going to take any opportunity and make it bigger than what it is — even though it could be, could not be,” Melton said. “At the end of the day, I’m going to go out there and be me.”
Packers player to watch
WR/CB Bo Melton: With the Packers planning to rest several top players with their spot in the playoffs secure as the No. 7 seed in the NFC, the versatile Melton could have a significant role. The fourth-year wide receiver, who has taken 83 snaps on offense and 176 on special teams, has actually spent the majority of this season working at cornerback in practice though he hasn’t seen any game action on defense. Injuries have thinned the secondary depth so much that Melton might get playing time on both offense and defense.
Vikings player to watch
FS Harrison Smith. The 14th-year player, who is again undecided about whether to return next season, has been performing as if he’s still in his prime down the stretch. Making many of the calls on the field for defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Smith won the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award with three passes defensed, one sack and one interception last week against Detroit.
Key matchup
Flores against Packers QB Clayton Tune. With Jordan Love resting for the playoffs and backup Malik Willis dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries, Tune will get his second career NFL start. His first came as a rookie in 2023 with Arizona. One of the league’s best schemers of aggressive pass rushing and pre-snap disguises, Flores and his players will be a handful for Tune. The Vikings have 22 sacks and 12 takeaways over the past eight games, with just two passing touchdowns and an average of 143 passing yards per game allowed.
Key injuries
Packers: Love has cleared the concussion protocol and is available, but coach Matt LaFleur wants to hold him out. Willis was listed as questionable… CB Kamal Hadden (ankle), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), DL Jordan Riley (Achilles tendon) and S Zayne Anderson (ankle) went on injured reserve after they were hurt against Baltimore. There are 10 other players on IR, including standouts DE Micah Parsons (knee), TE Tucker Kraft (knee) and C Elgton Jenkins (lower leg)… WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) is doubtful to play after he was injured against the Ravens… RT Zach Tom (back/knee) didn’t play last week and is listed as questionable.
Vikings: QB J.J. McCarthy (hand) will start after missing the previous game, and RT Brian O’Neill (heel) and RB Jordan Mason (ankle) will also return after being sidelined last week… TE T.J. Hockenson (shoulder) will miss his second straight game, and RB Aaron Jones (hip) and KR/WR Myles Price (ankle) are also out this week… Starters LT Christian Darrisaw (knee), C Ryan Kelly (concussion), OLB Jonathan Greenard (shoulder), S Josh Metellus (shoulder) have been shut down for the season.
Series notes
This is the first time since 2021 that Green Bay has finished the regular season on the road and the first time since 2021 that Minnesota has finished the schedule at home. The most recent time the division rivals met in the final game in Minnesota was 2012. The previous time they played in the final week was 2015… The Vikings have beaten the Packers in three of their past four meetings in Minnesota.
Stats and stuff
The Packers have the No. 7 seed for the third straight year. Every other team in the NFC North has won a division title since their most recent one in 2021… In Tune’s previous NFL start, he went 11 for 20 for 58 yards and two interceptions in a 27-0 loss to Cleveland… Packers WR Christian Watson’s six TD catches are one short of his career high as a rookie in 2022. His 611 receiving yards are nine off the career high he set last year. Watson has played in only 10 games… The 307 rushing yards the Packers allowed against Baltimore was the highest single-game total against them since Philadelphia (363) in 2022. Derrick Henry (216 rushing yards) had the most ever by a visiting player at Lambeau Field… Green Bay has only one sack over this three-game losing streak. DL Rashan Gary had 7½ sacks in the first seven games but has none in nine games since… The Vikings have won four straight games. This the largest spread with them as the favorite on the betting lines all season… Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, whose 8,379 receiving yards are the most in NFL history over a player’s first six years, needs 53 yards to hit the 1,000-yard mark this season. The only other players to do so in each of their first six seasons were Randy Moss and Mike Evans… The Vikings have multiple sacks in 14 of 16 games this season… Smith (202) has the third-most games started in Vikings history, behind Jim Marshall (270) and Mick Tingelhoff (240)… Vikings LB Blake Cashman is tied for ninth in the league with 137 tackles, despite missing four games early in the season with a hamstring strain. He has nine games with 10-plus tackles this season, the most by a Vikings player since 1987.
