Packers vs. Vikings: Three Reasons to Worry

The Green Bay Packers are consensus 13-point favorites for Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings. There are reasons to be concerned, though, led by Dalvin Cook.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With an Aaron Rodgers vs. Sean Mannion matchup at quarterback, the Green Bay Packers are heavy favorites to dispatch the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night at Lambeau Field.

There is some precedent. In the 2012 playoffs, Minnesota starter Christian Ponder was a surprise inactive. Joe Webb got the start and was awful – 11-of-30 passing and a 54.9 passer rating – and the Packers got two touchdowns from John Kuhn for a 24-10 victory.

Nonetheless, there are three reasons to worry, including one that’s the most obvious thing on earth.

1. Cooking with Dalvin

Dalvin Cook is one of the best running backs in the NFL. He’s fourth with 1,067 rushing yards, ninth with a 4.72-yard average and fifth with 45 missed tackles forced, according to Pro Football Focus.

He’s had big games against Green Bay, including in last season’s upset victory at Lambeau in which he carried 30 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns and added two catches for 63 yards and another score. Of their 49 offensive plays and 324 total yards that day, Cook accounted for 65.3 percent of the touches and 70.7 percent of the yards. Against Pittsburgh three weeks ago, Cook rushed for 205 yards, with 153 coming in the first half. He is that dominant of a player.

Without Cousins and veteran receiver Adam Thielen, in brutally cold conditions and in a game that’s critical for their playoff hopes, it’s easy to guess that the Vikings will roll with a Cook-centric game plan.

Green Bay’s run defense, meanwhile, is coming off a miserable performance against Cleveland. The Browns rushed for 219 yards and averaged 8.8 yards per try. Other than the 2019 NFC Championship debacle at San Francisco, it was the worst run-defense performance in Matt LaFleur’s three seasons as coach.

The Packers are trending the wrong way at the wrong time. After allowing 90 rushing yards or less in five consecutive games, the Packers have yielded 137 to Chicago, 143 to Baltimore and 219 to Cleveland in the three games since the bye. In those three games, the Packers are 30th in rushing yards allowed per game (166.3) and 32nd in yards allowed per carry (6.7; 1.5 yards worse than any other team).

So, expect it to be Cook to the left, Cook to the right, Cook up the middle, play-action fake to Cook and repeat.

“This group has taken pride in defending the run and stopping the run,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said this week. “As a whole, we’ve really played the run well this year. There were 10 plays that we really, really dissected, that was 140 yards of rushing. We corrected those, we hit those, and that’s the great thing about this group is that they take that coaching. ”

2. Strength vs. Strength

Green Bay’s offense has gotten going, fueling a four-game winning streak that has it in command of the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Minnesota’s defense has suffered some key losses. The standout defensive end tandem of Danielle Hunter (pectoral) and Everson Griffen (personal) are out for the rest of the season, and big defensive tackle Michael Pierce (illness) will be inactive. That’s Minnesota’s top three on the front.

While Mike Zimmer’s unit ranks 23rd in points (24.8) and 29th in yards (379.0), it will pose some challenges.

First, Minnesota’s third-down defense is excellent. Even after the Rams converted 7-of-14 last week, the Vikings have allowed just 20-of-62 the last five games. That’s 32.3 percent – even better than their fourth-ranked mark of 35.5 percent for the season. Green Bay’s offense ranks a ho-hum 11th with a 41.7 percent conversion rate.

Second, the pass defense has improved and should challenge MVP front-runner Aaron Rodgers. Last week, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford finished just 21-of-37 passing for 197 yards. While he wasn’t sacked, he threw three interceptions. Rodgers enters the week ranked No. 1 in passer rating, touchdown percentage and interception percentage.

Third, turnovers come in bunches and the Vikings are hot. They’ve posted back-to-back games of three takeaways. Over the past four games, the Vikings have forced nine turnovers. For the season, the Packers have only 10 giveaways.

3. Kicking Off to Kene

Green Bay’s special teams are coming off a strong performance vs. Cleveland. Sunday will be a challenge, though. The weather will be an issue. It’s a challenge to kick a cold football. It just doesn’t travel as far. So, it’s going to be hard for Mason Crosby to keep the ball out of the hands of Minnesota’s big-play rookie returner, Kene Nwangwu.

A fourth-round draft pick, he returned kickoffs all four seasons at Iowa State with a 26.8-yard average. His one and only touchdown came as a freshman. Of the eight kickoff-return touchdowns in the NFL this season, Nwangwu has two of them. He has a 35.0-yard average, by far the best in the league. Clearly, for an outmanned team led by a backup quarterback, a big return or two would be just the ticket.

Minnesota enters the week ranked second with an average starting point of the 26.9 after a kickoff return; Green Bay is 24th with an opponent average starting point of the 25.4 after a kickoff.

“This guy can really go,” special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton said. “So, we have a big, big challenge and we’re up for the challenge. The guys are putting in the work.”

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Packers Year in Review: 2021 in Photos

Green Bay Packers Year in Review

Here's the story of the Green Bay Packers' 2021.

Relive 2021 through words and photos from Imagn.

Jan. 2: The Packers placed All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari on injured reserve. Arguably the best offensive lineman in the NFL suffered a torn ACL at practice on New Year’s Eve. Had he been healthy, would the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have recorded five sacks and defeated the Packers in the NFC Championship Game? Probably not but we’ll never know.

Jan. 16: The Packers beat the Rams 32-18 in the divisional playoffs. With 7,439 in attendance, the Packers clinched the game on Aaron Rodgers’ 58-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard midway through the fourth quarter. The touchdown came just a few plays after Rodgers recovered AJ Dillon’s fumble. “I’m definitely a little emotional, just thinking about what we've been through,” Rodgers said. “It got me emotional with the crowd out there today.”

Jan. 23: Aaron Rodgers finally got a home game for the NFC Championship after losing at Seattle in 2014, Atlanta in 2016 and San Francisco in 2019. It didn’t matter. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Packers 31-26 in front of 7,772 fans who made as much noise as possible by pounding cardboard signs into the metal bleachers. Tom Brady threw three interceptions but the Packers couldn’t take advantage. Trailing 31-23 late in the fourth quarter, coach Matt LaFleur opted for a 26-yard field goal rather than keeping the offense on the field for a fourth-and-goal at the 8. The Bucs ran out the clock on Kevin King’s jersey-tugging pass interference.

After the game, Rodgers acknowledged his uncertain future and even thanked reporters – a strong hint that he wasn’t sure if he’d be back for 2021. “There’s a lot of unknowns going into this offseason now. I’m going to have to take some time away, for sure, and clear my head and just kind of see what’s going on with everything. But it’s pretty tough right now, especially thinking about the guys that may or may not be here next year. There’s always change. That’s the only constant in this business. It’s really tough to get to this point. Really, really tough, especially with there being only one bye week in the playoffs. It’s a grind just to get to this point. And that makes the finality of it all kind of hit you like a ton of bricks. That’s why it’s a gutting feeling in your stomach. Ugh.”

Feb. 6: Aaron Rodgers won his third MVP after leading the NFL in completion percentage, touchdown percentage, interception percentage and passer rating – a feat done only once over the last 80 seasons.

“Obviously, growing up and being a big Niners fan first, but then a big Favre fan once Joe (Montana) and Steve retired, watching Brett do it three straight years in the ‘90s was incredible, and something that will probably never be done again,” Rodgers said on Favre’s SiriusXM NFL Radio show.

“I mean, legitimately. To be able to dominate like that for an extended time and to win three in a row is just kind of unheard of. To be able to join that group would be really special. And a lot of times people will talk about, like, ‘I don’t want to talk about awards,’ or whatnot. I just don’t really subscribe to that. We’re competitors first, and getting recognition for what we do is special and it feels good. To be able to win that for a third time, (it) would be really special to join that group of names.”

March 14: Having dug his way out of a mammoth salary-cap hole, general manager Brian Gutekunst scraped up enough money to re-sign Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones to a four-year, $48 million contract that included a $13 million signing bonus. “I feel like this is a perfect fit for me,” said Jones, who would have been the top available running back in free agency. “I’ve been in this offense. I know what comes with it. I know my teammates here, and we feel like we have unfinished business, so I just feel like it was the right fit for me.” In his first four seasons, Jones tied for fourth in franchise history with 37 rushing touchdowns and 11th with 3,364 rushing yards, and ranked among the NFL’s all-time leaders with his 5.17-yard average. This year, he’s topped 1,000 scrimmage yards and reached 10 scrimmage touchdowns for a third consecutive year.

March 23: The Packers re-signed cornerback Kevin King. He had a strong season in 2019, the only season of his career in which he stayed relatively healthy, but gave up two touchdowns in the championship game. With minimal interest in free agency, King stayed with a one-year, $5 million deal that included four void years to decrease his cap hit. Entering Sunday night’s game against Minnesota, he’s played only 29 percent of the defensive snaps with one interception and three passes defensed.

March 24: The “Big Dog,” Marcedes Lewis, was re-signed to bring blocking and leadership. It was a two-year deal worth $8 million that included two void years for accounting purposes. He’s caught 23 passes this season – five less than his combined total from 2018 through 2020. At age 37, Lewis is the NFL’s oldest tight end. His 27-game starts streak is the longest at the position. “I feel like I’m a secret weapon, just in case,” Lewis said. “It’s team-first for me. If I have to put a guy on his neck so ‘33’ can score a touchdown, then I’m going to put that dude on his neck so Aaron Jones can get in the end zone.”

April 29: Just hours before the NFL Draft started, word broke of Aaron Rodgers’ fractured relationship with the Packers. Sensing no commitment from the franchise, Rodgers reportedly wanted out of Green Bay, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

Meanwhile, the Packers selected cornerback Eric Stokes with their first-round pick. While he’s struggled here and there, Stokes has had a strong rookie season.

June 9: During Day 2 of the mandatory minicamp, De’Vondre Campbell walked out of the Hutson Center with a No. 59 jersey draped over his shoulder. A 70-game starter in five seasons, Campbell wound up being one of the great free-agent signings in the NFL. The Packers gave him a one-year, $2 million contract that included four void years for accounting purposes. He ranks 55th among off-the-ball linebackers in annual salary but has posted elite production. “He’s playing at a really high level, a Pro Bowl level, in my opinion,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “He’s been a great addition to this football team, and I’ve just got so much respect for him. He’s just been everything that we could ever want in a player and then some.”

July 27: After a tumultuous offseason filled with all sorts of rumors and speculation, Aaron Rodgers arrived at training camp for his 14th season as the team’s starting quarterback. As part of a restructured contract to create cap space, the team agreed to void the 2023 season, his final year under contract, and would “review” the status of the 2022 season after the upcoming season. That set the stage for a “Last Dance” scenario.

July 28: On Day 1 of camp, Aaron Rodgers aired his list of grievances. “I just have to focus on this season. To be in my 17th season is really special. I don’t take that for granted. I’m not a victim here at all, I just want to reiterate that. I’ve been paid a ton of money by this organization. I’m so thankful to be a starter here for my 14th season. Not many guys have the opportunity to do that. So, I don’t feel like anything has been done to me. It’s a business. It’s an incredible opportunity to play this game. But it’s a tough business, too, though, and this is part of it. I totally get that point and that’s not lost on me. That’s why I’m just going to enjoy this season like I did last year, have the right perspective, and then make decisions at the end of the season.”

July 28: The Packers acquired Randall Cobb from the Texans for a sixth-round draft pick. General manager Brian Gutekunst made clear the trade was done for Aaron Rodgers. “We’re always going to do what we think is best for the Green Bay Packers, and that is for the Green Bay Packers as a whole,” he said. “And sometimes when you isolate it, it may not look that way, but when it incorporates other things like your quarterback and things like that, then it becomes what’s best for the Green Bay Packers.” Rodgers was right. Cobb has caught 28-of-39 targets and generally delivered when the Packers needed him. Against the Rams, he provided a big chunk of the first-half offense by catching 4-of-5 balls for 95 yards and one touchdown. He scored two touchdowns apiece against Pittsburgh and Arizona, the latter coming with Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling out of the lineup. Cobb was designated for return from injured reserve on Thursday following core-muscle surgery.

Aug. 31: The Packers sent a sixth-round pick to the Rams in exchange for punter Corey Bojorquez and a seventh-round pick. Bojorquez has been phenomenal, ranking among the league leaders in net average until a December debacle against Chicago.

Sept. 12: After keeping almost all its starters in bubble wrap for the preseason, Green Bay looked totally ill-prepared in its 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the season-opening game in Jacksonville. It was a rough one for us. Offensively, we were bad. Defensively, we couldn’t get off the field.” Those silver-lining messages were right. The Buccaneers were whacked 38-3 by the Saints last season but won the Super Bowl. Green Bay’s championship odds plunged from +1000 to +1400 after the game but it's a prime championship contender heading into the playoffs.

Sept. 17: Za’Darius Smith was placed on injured reserve. Dogged by a back injury, Smith practiced just once during training camp and gave it a go during the season-opening loss to the Saints. Smith eventually had back surgery. At this point, the odds seem against him playing for the Packers again this season – or, perhaps, ever again.

Sept. 20: The Packers beat the Detroit Lions 35-17 to improve to 1-1. They trailed 17-14 at halftime but righted the ship to their season by dominating the second half to kick-start a seven-game winning streak. Aaron Jones scored four touchdowns. “Sometimes, it just takes one play,” Rodgers said. For Green Bay, it was a 50-yard completion to Davante Adams on a third-and-12 to start the third quarter.

Sept. 26: Mason Crosby made a 51-yard field goal as time expired as the Packers beat the 49ers 30-28. Starting at their 25 with 37 seconds remaining, Rodgers connected with Davante Adams for gains of 25 and 17 yards to set up the winning kick. “Celebrating with the guys in the end zone, seeing that energy and feeling that juice is what it's all about,” Crosby said. “And then carrying on into the locker room and guys pouring water all over my head and on everybody, that's what this game is all about. It was really special.”

Oct. 3: All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander delivered a jarring blow to the Steelers’ punishing rookie running back, Najee Harris. Alexander made a key stop on fourth-and-4 but suffered a shoulder injury. Alexander and the Packers opted against surgery, and he’s got a chance to return for the playoffs. He was activated off injured reserve on Thursday. “When we get him back full-time, it’s a great problem to have when you’re throwing a Pro Bowler into the mix,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said on Thursday. “We’ll just keep taking it day by day, but he had a really good today. Just running around, we were in pads, so it’s just great to hate to have him back.”

Oct. 6: The Patriots announced they were going to part ways with former All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Having just lost Jaire Alexander, the Packers were in but the Panthers, with more salary-cap space, acquired him for a sixth-round pick. Shortly after that transaction was announced, the Packers announced they had signed cornerback Rasul Douglas off Arizona’s practice squad. Douglas has been nothing short of magnificent. Making his Packers debut off the bench at Chicago in Week 6, Douglas is fourth in the NFL with five interceptions. Two of them were game-saving plays: at Arizona in Week 8 and against Cleveland in Week 16. “When you see what he’s about now, I think it’s pretty safe to say he’s a superstar at the cornerback position,” receiver Davante Adams said. “He’s a great dude more than anything, man. Humble. I can’t say enough about that dude. He’s a joy to be around and, obviously, a hell of a player, too.”

Oct. 10: Green Bay beat Cincinnati 25-22 in overtime on Mason Crosby’s 49-yarder with 1:55 remaining in overtime. Crosby, who was perfect on field goals in 2020 and off to a perfect start in 2021 to extend his streak to 27 in a row, missed three consecutive field goals but the Packers survived because Evan McPherson missed two field goals. Davante Adams caught 11 passes for 206 yards and one touchdown. It was the fifth straight win by the Packers but the start of a lengthy slump for Crosby.

“I said, ‘Mo, is he going to make it?’” Aaron Rodgers said of special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton. “He said, ‘Hell, yeah, he’s going to make it.’ I said, ‘Let’s kick it then.’ He was confident. I was confident. I ended up standing way down on the end. The first couple, I was more toward the middle of the team. So, maybe the good juju’s down on the end, so I’m going to make sure I’m down on the end for future game-winning kicks.”

Nov. 3: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was placed on the COVID list, meaning he wouldn’t play at the Kansas City Chiefs a few days later. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers’ explanation of why he misled the public about his vaccination status, and his vaccination comments, in general, set off a firestorm that continues today.

Oct. 25: The Packers placed receiver Davante Adams on the COVID list.

Oct. 26: The Packers placed receiver Allen Lazard on the COVID list.

Oct. 28: Without Adams, Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (hamstring), the Packers handed the Arizona Cardinals their first loss of the season, 24-21. Rasul Douglas’ end-zone interception clinched the victory. Tight end Robert Tonyan, however, suffered a torn ACL and missed the rest of the season.

Nov. 7: With Jordan Love getting the start, the Packers lost 13-7 at Kansas City. Other than one fourth-quarter drive, Love had a miserable game: 19-of-34 passing for 190 yards with one touchdown vs. one interception. From the big-picture perspective, will his performance have any impact on the team’s decision with Rodgers? Love looked totally overwhelmed by the moment. In his defense, the pass protection was bad, the field position was mostly terrible and the special teams were of no help.

As usual when things go poorly, coach Matt LaFleur took the blame for Love’s struggles. “The environment, the amount of pressure, the hits he took, standing in there and still delivering the ball and giving us an opportunity at the end of the game, he showed a lot of resilience. And that's a great quality to have in a quarterback.”

Nov. 10: In what seemed like a piece of major news, Green Bay activated five-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari from the physically unable to perform list. Having practiced for three weeks, coach Matt LaFleur left the door open for Bakhtiari to start that week vs. the Seattle Seahawks.

Nov. 12: On the Friday before the Packers faced the Seahawks, Bakhtiari did not practice. Ultimately, he had a second procedure done on his left knee in hopes of getting him back for the stretch run.

Nov. 14: Aaron Rodgers returned from the COVID list on Saturday and helped beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-0. Rodgers, playing without practicing and with a broken toe, had a good game but the defense dominated. Green Bay became the first team to post a shutout against a team coming off its bye in a decade. “First and foremost, it's hard to shut out anybody, but then when you got a guy that can extend who has the pedigree and everything that he has done, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and everything, that's a tough task,” said safety Adrian Amos, whose three breakups included two deep shots in the waning moments.

Nov. 21: Elgton Jenkins was a Pro Bowler at left guard in 2020. In 2021, he showed he was more than just one of the best guards in the NFL. Having replaced David Bakhtiari at left tackle, he proved he was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL, period. “I feel like I’m the type of person that I can only get beat if I do something to beat me,” Jenkins said. “The person that lined up ahead of me, I don’t feel like they can do anything spectacular to beat me no matter what position I play. The only way how I can get beat is if I beat myself, basically.” However, during the fourth quarter of the loss at Minnesota, Jenkins suffered a torn ACL. Given the late date of the injury, the Packers might not have him for the start of the 2022 season – a big one for Jenkins as he enters his final year under contract.

Dec. 12: Right tackle Billy Turner suffered a knee injury during the first half against Chicago. The Packers hope he can return this season but the injury left the Packers without four-fifths of their preferred starting line for the stretch run.

Dec. 15: David Bakhtiari surprised coach Matt LaFleur by returning to practice. He practiced all three days before the game at Baltimore but his latest comeback appears to have hit another snag. He hasn’t practiced since Dec. 17 and on Friday – the one-year anniversary of tearing his ACL – Bakhtiari has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against Minnesota. Yosh Nijman will make his eighth start and might be the blind-side protector the rest of the season.

Dec. 19: Green Bay survived at the Baltimore Ravens 31-30 when Eric Stokes and Darnell Savage combined to break up a two-point play with 42 seconds remaining. The Packers led 31-17 in the fourth quarter but had to survive backup quarterback Tyler Huntley’s comeback.

Dec. 25: Facing Baker Mayfield meant a Merry Christmas for the Packers. Mayfield threw four interceptions, including one to Rasul Douglas with 43 seconds remaining that clinched a 24-22 win. Green Bay improved to 30-0 in regular-season games when winning the turnover battle but needed to finish plus-4 to beat the Browns. Aaron Rodgers broke Brett Favre’s franchise record with his 443rd touchdown pass and took the lead in the race for his fourth MVP. But, for the second consecutive week, the inability to slam the door on an outmanned foe caused a lot of heartburn.

Dec. 29: Aaron Rodgers spoke about his future. Importantly, his relationship with general manager Brian Gutekunst has improved, perhaps opening the door a bit further for Rodgers’ return for 2022 and beyond. “There will be a lot of things that I’ll weigh in the offseason. Saying that doesn’t mean I’m thinking about elsewhere. The things that I’ve said about the team this year, about Brian’s and I’s relationship, has been heartfelt and genuine. I do appreciate a lot of the things that I’ve seen from the team that are directly related to conversations we had in the offseason, and that was meaningful to me. I’ve enjoyed being a part of conversations that directly affect my job, which I talked about in the offseason, and Brian’s taken the lead in that, and I do appreciate the way our relationship has grown.”

Dec. 31: Aaron Rodgers practiced for the Packers and Kirk Cousins tested positive for COVID. So, in the first big calendar-year event of 2022, it will be Rodgers vs. Sean Mannion as the Packers host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football.