The Packers do not need a reminder of how their first meeting with Minnesota ended.
Green Bay had a 22-10 lead in the third quarter and left with a 39-22 loss. Defensive penalties extended the Vikings’ go-ahead drive. The offense failed to convert a fourth-and-1, then turned the ball over on consecutive possessions as the game slipped away. Not to mention the absolute joke of horrible calls on three consecutive third-down stops.
Nine weeks later, the Packers head into the rematch with reasons to believe they are better equipped to finish. They have won five of their last six games, and their 45-27 victory over New England offered the clearest look yet at what this team can become.
Jordan Love is playing outstanding football. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden are making defenses pay. The defense is consistently taking the ball away, and an offensive line that struggled through the opener has shown progress.
All You Need Is Love…and a Little Protection
Start with the quarterback, because everything Green Bay wants to accomplish becomes more realistic when Jordan Love plays the way he has been playing in recent weeks.
Against New England, Love completed 23 of 29 passes for 372 yards, three touchdowns, and a 153.2 passer rating. His afternoon ended with nine minutes remaining because the Packers had already taken control. Those are the numbers of a quarterback who deserves to be discussed among the league’s best.
Love is giving this offense room to operate even when the circumstances around him are imperfect. The running game has struggled. The offensive line has changed. Yet Green Bay can still create explosive plays because of the talent and trust Jordan Love has in his supporting cast
That matters against Minnesota. Brian Flores will show pressure, move defenders around, and try to force a protection mistake. Love has been particularly productive against those approaches this season, leading the NFL with 967 passing yards against the blitz and tying for the league lead with 10 touchdown passes against it.
That does not mean asking him to hold the ball while every route develops downfield. Give him answers underneath, opportunities to get the ball out quickly, and chances to find Watson or Golden when Minnesota leaves a favorable matchup.
Love is playing well enough to make the Vikings pay for bringing pressure. Green Bay has to give him the protection and supporting execution to do it.
Packers Defense Is Starting to Put It Together
The season opener remains a frustrating example of how a defense can make the play it needs and still fail to end a possession.
Three third-down stops were wiped out by penalties on Minnesota’s fourth-quarter go-ahead drive. Each time, Green Bay had a chance to protect its lead. Each time, the Vikings received another opportunity. The defense has since become a consistent source of possessions for the offense.
Green Bay forced four turnovers against New England, extending its streak to six consecutive games with multiple takeaways. Those turnovers led to 21 points. That is a substantial contribution to a team whose passing game can turn good field position into points quickly.
There were contributions throughout the defense, too. Xavier McKinney intercepted Drake Maye twice, Evan Williams added another interception, and Isaiah McDuffie forced and recovered a fumble. The Packers also sacked Maye four times.
Jonathan Gannon’s group is finding ways to affect games through pressure and takeaways. Against Minnesota, the next requirement is discipline. The Packers cannot keep a Vikings possession alive after doing the hard part. Get the stop, get off the field, and put the ball back in Love’s hands.
Veteran Guards, Better Security for Love
There is a meaningful difference between the interior line Green Bay brought to Minnesota in September and the options it has now.
Jacob Monk and Donovan Jennings made their first career starts at guard in the opener. The Packers now have Laken Tomlinson, Kevin Zeitler and Aaron Banks available as veteran options at those positions, with the starting combination still to be determined.
Playing at Lambeau also gives the offense a better environment to communicate than it had at U.S. Bank Stadium. That should help against a defense built to make communication difficult.
The New England performance provided encouragement. Love took five quarterback hits, and the Packers produced 478 yards while converting four of five red-zone trips into touchdowns.
There is still plenty for this line to prove. Minnesota will present different problems, and one productive afternoon does not erase the struggles that came before it.
But Green Bay does not need perfect protection to make this offense work. It needs fewer free runners, cleaner exchanges against movement, and enough time for Love to use the weapons outside.
Watson and Golden Are Ahead of the Pack
Watson already hurt Minnesota once. He had 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, while Golden added 95 yards on six receptions. Since then, the case for building the passing game around them has only strengthened.
They combined for 335 receiving yards against New England, catching 17 of their 18 targets. Watson finished with 171 yards and a touchdown. Golden had 164 yards and a score. Those performances give Minnesota more to consider when deciding how aggressively to attack Love.
A defense can send extra rushers, but somebody still has to cover Watson and Golden. Shift help toward one, and the other has an opportunity. Leave either in single coverage, and Love has a reason to take his shot.
The connection between the quarterback and his top two receivers is becoming one of Green Bay’s biggest strengths. It gives the Packers a way to change a game quickly, even when a drive has not gone according to plan.
Can Kaleb Johnson Get the Packers Back on Solid Ground?
The missing piece remains a dependable running game.
Johnson gave Green Bay something to work with against New England, carrying 14 times for 68 yards and his first career touchdown after Josh Jacobs left with a broken finger. The Packers finished with 129 rushing yards, their first time reaching 100 this season.
The Packers do not need him to carry the offense. They need productive early-down runs, manageable third downs, and someone who can take advantage when the blocking creates an opening. They also need to be able to run when everyone in the stadium knows they want to.
That was part of what went wrong in the opener. Green Bay built a lead but couldn’t close out the game. A running game that can produce a first down late would take some of that burden off Love and keep Minnesota’s offense on the sideline.
The Packers have spent the weeks since September giving themselves reasons to believe this rematch can end differently. Their quarterback is playing at a high level, their receivers are delivering, and their defense is creating opportunities.
Beating Minnesota would give that progress some weight. Green Bay has already shown it can build a lead against the Vikings. This time, it needs to leave with the win.
