Getting smoked 33-10 on New Year’s Eve in their home stadium isn’t the night the Vikings were hoping for, but it was their reality as the Packers triumphed in Minneapolis to send the Vikings into desperation mode with one week to go in the regular season. Here are five things that stood out in the loss…
1. Getting sacked in critical moments
Minnesota had opportunities but ill-timed sacks routinely killed momentum.
Trailing 10-0, the Vikings had a 2nd-and-6 situation from the Green Bay 35 only to have Hall get sacked for a 10-yard loss. Minnesota got nine yards back on third down but had to settle for a field goal.
Trailing 17-3 late in the first half, the Vikings had a 2nd-and-6 near midfield when Jaren Hall was sacked for a 10-yard loss. They punted two plays later.
Trailing 17-3 with 32 seconds left in the first half, Preston Smith strip-sacked Hall and Green Bay wound up scoring a touchdown in three plays for a 23-3 halftime lead.
2. Harrison Smith’s missed tackle
It might not have mattered in the end, but at the time it happened it was a critical whiff as Harrison Smith’s missed tackle on Packers rookie Jayden Reed allowed Reed to find space and wrestle his way into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night and a 23-3 halftime lead for the Packers.
ANOTHER @JaydenReed5 TD! #GBvsMIN | #GoPackGo
đź“ş: NBC pic.twitter.com/FT58FpKFbq
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 1, 2024
If Smith makes that tackle, the Packers might’ve had to settle for a field goal attempt and at worst the Vikings would’ve trailed 20-3 with the ball coming back to them to begin the third quarter.
Smith reportedly slammed his helmet to the ground on the sideline after the play.
3. Vikings couldn’t stop anything
Green Bay ran the ball at will from start to finish. They carried the ball 39 times for 177 yards, and with 10 minutes to go in the game they were averaging 5.0 yards per rush.
The passing game was extremely efficient as Jordan Love completed 24-of-33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.
Love had his way, averaging 7.8 yards per pass, despite playing without wide receiver Christian Watson (hamstring). Instead, he sat in the pocket and calmly connected with Jayden Reed six times for 89 yards and two touchdowns, five times with Bo Melton for 69 yards and a score and six times with tight end Tucker Kraft for 48 yards.
Melton, by the way, had five receptions all season prior to Sunday night.
4. Vikings must take QB situation seriously
Kirk Cousins has been good when healthy for the Vikings, but Minnesota has not invested in a quarterback of the future. Nick Mullens and Josh Dobbs are career backups and Hall doesn’t look like the future starter. Even if Cousins signs a one- or two-year extension, there is no long-term plan.
The Packers, meanwhile, invested in Jordan Love when Aaron Rodgers still had years of high-level football ahead of him. And if Love’s future is anything like what he showed against the Vikings Sunday night, then the Packers have very little to worry about with the most important position in the game.
Had the Vikings invested in a young quarterback years ago like the Packers, maybe the situation wouldn’t have been so grim when Cousins ruptured his Achilles eight weeks into the season…
5. Vikings need a miracle to make the playoffs
For Green Bay, it’s simple. Beat the Bears at Lambeau Field next Sunday and they’re in the playoffs. The path to the playoffs for the Vikings is far more complicated and will require a win in Detroit plus a Packers loss to the Bears, plus a Seahawks loss to the Cardinals and plus a Buccaneers loss to the Panthers or a Saints loss to the Falcons.
According to Upshot’s playoff simulator via the New York Times, Minnesota’s playoff chances are a measly 4%.
