The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers seem to meet late in the year on an annual basis and Sunday’s matchup in Minneapolis could be the biggest matchup in recent memory.
The Vikings come into Sunday’s game with a 13-2 record and a chance to earn home-field advantage for the first time since 1998. The Packers have a playoff spot clinched at 11-4 but could push to swap wild card spots with the Vikings with a win on Sunday and another win paired with a Vikings loss in Week 18.
Both teams want to send a message that they’re ready for a playoff run and have the chance to do so in a raucous environment at U.S. Bank Stadium. Everything about this game gives it a big game feel and there are several unpredictable layers to uncover along the way.
In this article, we’ll make three bold predictions for Sunday’s game and see if the Vikings or Packers can earn some late-season momentum.
Minnesota Vikings predictions for Week 17 vs. the Green Bay Packers
1. Vikings will hold the Packers under 100 rushing yards
Stopping the running game will be the Vikings’ biggest challenge on Sunday. Josh Jacobs ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing and the Packers have found other ways to move the ball on the ground, utilizing receivers Jayden Reed and Bo Melton and even tight end Tucker Kraft in short-yardage situations.
For as creative as Brian Flores is defensively, Matt LaFleur is just as creative in the running game. But the Vikings may have an advantage thanks to the duo of Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman.
Cashman and Pace both played in the Week 4 win over Green Bay in October and held Jacobs in check despite gaining 51 yards on nine carries. While both Vikings linebackers have been in and out of the lineup several times, Minnesota’s defense is better when they’re on the field allowing a 7.7 percent explosive play rate that is the lowest in the NFL when Pace and Cashman play.
Jacobs could still get his with a 51.1 percent success rate this season, but Pace’s return from a hamstring injury could go a long way toward keeping the Packers’ running game from breaking off some big runs.
2. Sam Darnold will have a 300-yard passing game
Darnold has captured the imagination of the Vikings fan base by leading them to a 13-2 record this season, but one of his biggest performances came against the Packers in October with 275 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.
While Kenny Clark and Devontae Wyatt are threats to blow up the Vikings’ interior offensive line, Darnold could be in for another big performance on Sunday. Linebacker Quay Walker hasn’t practiced due to an ankle injury and LaFleur didn’t sound optimistic about cornerback Jaire Alexander’s availability as he recovers from a torn PCL suffered in October.
The missing pieces could open the door for Darnold to attack through the air and utilize Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. If he strikes early, he could force the Packers to abandon the running game, as they did with a season-low 19 carries in the previous meeting, and add another strong game to his free-agent resume.
3. Vikings will win the turnover battle
While the first two predictions make it seem like this will be a blowout, turnovers can flip the script in a hurry. Minnesota forced four turnovers in their win over the Packers earlier this season but Green Bay also forced three turnovers, marking the strength of both defenses.
The Vikings rank second in the NFL with a 16.9 percent turnover rate this season but the Packers rank third at 16.6 percent. Darnold has just one interception since throwing three picks in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 10 but Jordan Love hasn’t thrown an interception since a Nov. 17 win over the Chicago Bears.
While Packer fans have cited a certain event as the cause for Love’s resurgence, both quarterbacks have been known to mix highlight-reel throws with mind-numbing plays during their careers. With the Vikings defense at full strength, it could be a Love turnover that decides this game and gets Minnesota one step closer to home-field advantage.
Prediction: Vikings win 28-27