Defensive MVP – honorable mention
The Minnesota defense did a great job all night long when it came to holding the Green Bay offense in check and these individuals deserve recognition but weren’t quite the MVPs.
Trae Waynes, CB
In a game where Xavier Rhodes struggled and was forced to leave due to a hamstring injury, Trae Waynes looked solid in his coverage as well as his ability to tackle the ball carrier. Waynes had four tackles, all of them solo, and a big pass defense where he knocked the ball out of the hands of a Packers receiver.
Eric Kendricks, LB
Tied for the lead in tackles during the game, Eric Kendricks was everywhere. He had seven tackles on the day, with only one of them being solo, but it was his disruption east and west on the field that helped to contain the run and sniff out some of the screens that were thrown by Rodgers on the day.
Harrison Smith, S
The stat line isn’t amazing for Harrison Smith this game, but his presence was a big difference maker. His four tackles were all solo and one play where he used his speed to circle around the offensive line to get a stop on fourth down put the ball right back into the hands of the Vikings. The threat alone of Smith to rush the passer or drop back and disguising that all day kept Green Bay guessing.