The Packers have hit their stride at exactly the right time, and a lot of eyes are pointing toward Green Bay in this week’s NFC North rematch with Minnesota.
After knocking off the New England Patriots on the road last week, the Packers moved to 6-3 and looked in control from the opening kickoff. It was the kind of performance that backed up the idea that Green Bay is finally settling in after a slow start to the season.
Now comes another big test at home, and it’s one the Packers know well. Minnesota beat Green Bay in Week 1 after storming back late in the fourth quarter, so this matchup brings a quick chance for revenge.
The Vikings arrive at 6-2 after a loss to the Buffalo Bills last week, and they still figure to create plenty of problems. Even so, Green Bay’s confidence is obvious, and that showed up in Bleacher Report’s weekly picks. Analysts Gary Davenport, Brad Gagnon, Kris Knox, Moe Moton, Brent Sobleski, Wes O'Donnell, and Ian Hanford all made predictions for every game on the schedule, and in this one, five of the seven backed the Packers.
Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, O'Donnell, and Sobleski all chose Green Bay to win at home.
A big reason for that belief is Jordan Love. The Packers quarterback is being asked to carry a heavy load again against a Minnesota defense that has been described as the best in football. Love has answered that challenge all season, leading the league in passing yard entering the week and giving Green Bay exactly what it needs.
Minnesota’s blitz packages will make life difficult, but Love has already seen this defense once this year and knows the Vikings well. That familiarity could matter when the game kicks off at 10:00 a.m.
PT/1:00 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Packers Division Push Now Runs Through One Familiar Rival
The NFC North race has tightened into a familiar kind of December pressure, with the Bears emerging as the most direct threat to Green Bays hold on the division lead. Minnesotas offense has sputtered enough to fade from the center of the conversation, and Detroits controversial win over the Packers only added more edge to a standings battle that already feels personal. Now the path through the division looks less like a broad chase and more like a head-to-head fight for control.
Chicagos rise makes the upcoming divisional slate feel even more consequential, especially with the Packers and Bears set to meet on Christmas Day. For Green Bay, these games carry the usual weight of rivalry, but this one comes with a little more attached to it: the chance to protect the top spot, settle some recent frustration, and keep the division race on its own terms. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Are Part Of A Rare NFC North Race Fans Need To See
The NFC North has turned into one of the more intriguing races in the league, and Green Bay is right in the middle of it. What makes the division stand out is the possibility that every team in it could finish the 2023 season with at least 10 wins, a rare outcome in NFL history that speaks to how competitive the group has been from top to bottom.
For the Packers, that kind of finish would underscore just how tight the margin has become in a division where the Bears, Vikings and Lions are also in the mix. The idea comes from simple simulations and hypothetical scenarios rather than anything locked in, but it gives the final stretch real weight for Green Bay and the rest of the NFC North, where one strong run or one stumble could reshape the whole picture. [Read more 🡒]
Keisean Nixon Adds Edge To New Packers Vikings Quarterback Drama
Kirk Cousins is back with Minnesota earlier than expected, and his return adds another layer to a Packers-Vikings matchup that already had plenty of edge. For Green Bay, the timing matters because Cousins could give a passing game that has struggled a needed boost, and it sets up another familiar duel for a defense that has seen him before.
Keisean Nixon was asked about the move and answered with a grin, turning the quarterback chatter into a light moment before the rivalry shifts back to the field. The two have squared off in previous seasons, and with the next meeting coming at Lambeau Field, the Packers will get a fresh look at how much Cousins can change the tenor of this matchup. [Read more 🡒]
