Green Bay Packers (8-8) – Minnesota Vikings (12-4): 41-17
Difficult to win a match when you lose 4 balls. Impossible when these lost balls turn into touchdowns. Kirk Cousins (18/31, 205 yards, 1 TD, 3 Int, 1 fumble lost) had a very dull evening at the Wisconsin rival. With a Justin Jefferson totally extinguished by the opposing secondary, the quarterback did not find a solution and multiplied the errors.
An authoritarian and opportunistic defense, a managerial and effective attack, the Packers are looking for the playoffs, and it shows. Even the special teams, the team’s traditional Achilles’ heel fell into step. By returning an engagement for 105 yards, Kesean Nixon ended 11 years of scarcity in the field for his team. Aaron Rodgers (15/24, 159 yards, 1 TD, 1 TD on the ground) did not have to force and was content to ensure by relying on a dominant running game.
With the defeat of the Commanders earlier in the evening, Green Bay has its destiny in hand and will play its ticket for the playoffs at home against the Lions.
A crazy start
It was not necessary to arrive late at Lambeau Field. A punt countered (again!), a return of engagement returned for touchdown, the special teams of the Packers went through all the emotions in less than 90 seconds.
The defense on his side is intractable. Two 3 & out forced, only one field goal conceded despite the leather placed 2 yards from the in-goal after the blocked punt. And a pick six. Rasul Douglas deflects the pass and Darnell Savage recovers the ball on the fly and goes all the way up the field for the touchdown. Green Bay makes the break in minutes.
A savage pick-6 for @darnellsavage_ 😳
📺: #MINvsGB on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/ePbCm6rlT4 pic.twitter.com/9TxFBH6JhB— NFL (@NFL) January 1, 2023
Jefferson off, Cousins beside the plate
Justin Jefferson is totally muzzled by Jaire Alexander and without his preferred weapon, Cousins lacks solutions. So much so that the quarterback forces. And of course it goes wrong. Under pressure, he is intercepted again.
Meanwhile, the Packers offense provides after-sales service. The running game moves the chains (7.4 yards per run in the 1st half), and Rodgers provides the essentials. He finds Robert Tonyan to aggravate the mark. 24-3. The greens and gold have improved their two turnovers with two touchdowns. And soon three. While the Vikings find a little progress during the 3rd quarter, Kenny Clark steals the ball from the hands of Cousins. Rodgers then unrolls a long drive concluded on the ground by Dillon.
Without respite, the evening of hell continues for the Viks’ quarterback. He launches a new interception on the 1st play of the following possession. And like the chorus of this game, the Packers improve the touchdown offering. And this time it’s the quadruple MVP in person who goes there with his personal touchdown. 41-3
The quarterback saves his evening on an anecdotal touchdown on the following series, before the linings enter on both sides. Nick Mullen also offers a touchdown at the very end of the game. A match very quickly forgotten for the Vikings two weeks before the start of the playoffs.
