What were some of the best and worst moments from the Minnesota Vikings 16-0 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night?
It was not the prettiest of performances, but the Minnesota Vikings still got the job done in their Week 16 matchup with the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. Thanks to an excellent performance from their defense, the Vikings were able to defeat the Packers 16-0 this week and improve their record to 12-3 this season.
Thankfully their defense did step up to the plate and have an impressive performance on Saturday night because Minnesota’s offense did not look like itself against Green Bay this week. Still, the Vikings were able to put up 16 points on the scoreboard and that proved to be more than enough against a Packers team being led by the underwhelming play of quarterback Brett Hundley.
So what were some of the best, worst, and most interesting moments from the Vikings’ victorious night in Green Bay this week?
The Good vs. the Packers
1. Vikings get the shutout this week
After allowing a late-game score to the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday and missing out on a shutout, Minnesota redeemed themselves this week by not allowing Green Bay to score a single point on Saturday night. It is the first time the Vikings have shut out their opponent since Week 14 of the 1993 season against the Detroit Lions. Unlike last week, Minnesota still had a majority of their starters on the field during the Packers’ last offensive drive of the game. The Vikings made sure this shutout did not slip out of their hands.
2. A perfect evening for Kai Forbath
It’s been a bit of an up and down season for the Vikings’ kicker, but on Saturday against Green Bay, Forbath was perfect on each and every one of his attempts. Forbath converted on his lone extra point attempt and made all three of his field goal tries. Saturday night’s game was just the seventh time this season that the Vikings kicker did not miss any of his kicks.
3. Harrison Smith responds to Pro Bowl snub
A few days after the initial 2018 Pro Bowl rosters were released and he was not among those selected, all the Minnesota safety did on Saturday against the Packers was have the first multiple-interception game of his NFL career. Smith led the Vikings’ defense with eight total tackles this week as well. Hopefully he continues to prove the Pro Bowl voters wrong in all of Minnesota’s remaining games this year.
The Bad vs. the Packers
1. Nick Easton done for year with ankle injury
As the Vikings were driving down the field in towards the end of the first quarter, Minnesota running back Latavius Murray took a carry and turned it into an eight-yard gain. But Murray’s carry was not the most significant part of the play as Vikings left guard Nick Easton injured his ankle and had to be carted into the locker room.
Easton did not return to the game and Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer revealed in his postgame presser that the Vikings offensive lineman fractured his ankle and will require surgery. It is not the worst player for Minnesota to lose on their offensive line, but it is still obviously something the team did not want to happen at this point in the season.
2. Vikings forced to use backup long snapper
After a weird sequence of plays thanks to the chain gang not knowing what down it was, Minnesota was forced punt the ball back to Green Bay towards the end of the first half. Following a 46-yard punt, Vikings long snapper Kevin McDermott was seen on the broadcast holding his arm.
McDermott was later ruled out for the remainder of the evening with a shoulder injury and tight end David Morgan was forced to takeover Minnesota’s long-snapping duties for the rest of the game. Morgan did a pretty decent job filling in as the team’s long snapper, so much so that he got a game ball from Zimmer later in the locker room.
3. Vikings opponent rushes for more than 100 yards, once again
After giving up 100 rushing yards in a game just three times in the first 12 weeks of the season, Minnesota’s defense has allowed three of their past four opponents to rush for 100 yards or more on the ground. Against the Packers on Saturday night, the Vikings gave up a total of 113 rushing yards. It has not become a significant problem for Minnesota in the past few weeks, but it is definitely something to pay attention to.
The Interesting vs. the Packers
1. Mike Zimmer successful on a challenge
As the Packers were attempting to put some points on the board in the second quarter, Green Bay receiver Jordy Nelson hauled in a pass that was originally ruled a catch. However, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer threw his red flag out on the field to challenge if Nelson actually caught it or not. Replays showed the ball did indeed hit the ground and the call was changed to an incomplete pass.
#Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is 5-3 on challenges this year and has won five of his last seven.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 24, 2017
2. The refs were not a factor, finally
During some of Minnesota’s matchups this year, the game-officials have become an actual factor in the team being able to get a win or not. However, Saturday in Green Bay was not one of these times. The refs this week called a total of just eight penalties all night and they let defenders on both sides of the ball to use a little more physicality than some other groups of officials around the league might have allowed.
3. The Vikings’ offense was a bit M.I.A.
A week after putting up 34 points on the Bengals, Minnesota’s offense looked a little off against the Packers on Saturday. The Vikings finished with just 236 total yards against Green Bay, which is their lowest amount all season long.
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It is likely that the frigid-cold weather had something to do with the lack of production, but there were clearly some plays left out on the field by Minnesota’s offense this week.