Packers vs Vikings Preview

 

           The Packers host the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field following the Viking’s huge win on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers. What should we expect from this game?

            For starters, it should be noted that the Vikings will again be without superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson who is currently on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury. This is a big break for the Packers defensively who also have injuries on their side of the ball as well. They most recently just sent Darnell Savage and Eric Stokes to the injured reserve list.

            The Packers' injury report to no one’s surprise is once again loaded with key names on both sides of the ball.

Final injury report for MIN-GB. pic.twitter.com/S61h3qebcI

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) October 27, 2023           

            Most notably, De’Vondre Campbell who has missed multiple weeks is listed as questionable heading into the matchup. We shouldn’t be surprised if Campbell is on a limited snap count as he works his way back from the high ankle sprain that he suffered in week three. Jaire Alexander, Josh Myers, and Luke Musgrave were the three others also listed as questionable. Myers was a full participant in Friday’s practice while Jaire and Musgrave were both limited.

Aaron Jones avoided an injury designation on the report, but who knows how heavy his workload will be. In Denver, he only handled the football a combined eleven times with rush attempts and receptions as the offense struggled. Depending on how Jones feels, he needs to be far more involved in the game plan.

The only other noticeable player on the Vikings with an injury was T.J. Hockenson who does not have an injury designation for the game.

The Packers are currently in a lull right now, they are on a three-game losing streak and are looking to get things back on track. Per @KyleMalzhan on X, the offensive players have begun to conduct players-only meetings and film-watching sessions to figure out how they can be better.

#Packers running back Aaron Jones spoke at length about these player-only meetings within the offense & how they're going to happen more.

Jones mentioned QB Jordan Love & OL Elgton Jenkins - but it was a collective thought to bring everyone together to go through the film. https://t.co/Amb26u5c3A pic.twitter.com/oUYubCzQFI

— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) October 27, 2023 

This is the type of attitude you want to see from a young team. The individual action to want to solve the issues and figure things out is what is going to help these young guys on offense grow and mold into a better unit overall. Against the Vikings, there is no doubt they talked about the blitz calls that are going to take place in this game. The offensive line has to be ready to pick up guys and give Love enough time in the pocket for plays to develop. The Packers need to start much faster offensively and not dig themselves into a hole that they can’t get out of in the second half when it’s too late.

Hopefully, we see an improvement in play calls for Jordan Love and also better decision-making than we have seen in the last few games.

On the defensive side of the ball, it is going to be a challenge. Even without Justin Jefferson, the passing attack is still a very big threat. Kirk Cousins may get a lot of hate, but he is still a top quarterback in the NFL. His weapons including rookie Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson are both players who bring big play potential. Addison being the most recent after having a breakout game against the 49ers with seven receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Hockenson didn’t have a bad game either with eleven receptions for 86 yards.

A big key that the Packers need to have defensively is bringing pressure early and often against Kirk Cousins throughout this game. The defensive line has the potential to be a game-changer if Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and the edge rushers can make Cousins uncomfortable.

The Vikings are highly dependent on their passing attack, so much so that they have not even scored a rushing touchdown this season. Although the rushing attack may not be a large threat, the Packers’ defense should still strive to keep the rushing yards low and not allow Alexander Mattison or Cam Akers in the endzone.

Week 7 just wrapped up and the Vikings STILL don't have a rushing touchdown. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Dp0cqCgBkw

— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) October 24, 2023

This game is a winnable one for the Packers. Most NFL fans have more likely than not written off Green Bay early this season. But why not win this game and start to slowly build momentum? The guys in the locker room have to be sick of the slow starts and ugly losses. This week has the potential to lay a foundation for the Packers to build upon for the remainder of the season.

Real Packer Fans Know🧀