The Minnesota Vikings took an important step towards playoffs in the Sunday Night game. At 24:17 in the division duel against the Green Bay Packers, the last critic Kirk Cousins played big. Not only the rivalry made the duel between the Vikings and the Packers a very special one. Both teams could not allow themselves any more after the last defeats, because otherwise the playoffs would be back in the distance. Was it because of the nervousness that the teams got an unfortunate start? I suppose so. After three threes and outs, however, it was the Packers who set the game in motion. The main protagonist was Rodgers’ favourite weapon Davante Adams, who first forced a big passport interference penalty and then beat Xavier Rhodes for a touchdown. The Vikings understood the wake-up call and responded with a much faster and more aggressive offense. Dalvin Cook, who was completely switched off by the Bears the week before, caught a screen pass and ran into the end zone. The defenses didn’t seem to find any answers anymore. Aaron Jones for the Packers and Stefon Diggs for the Vikings came too much to easy touchdowns, but it was for the first run. Green Bays O-Line could not cope with the pressure of the Vikings anymore and Vikings kicker Dan Bailey had two kicks beside him.
Not only the rivalry made the duel between the Vikings and the Packers a very special one. Both teams could not allow themselves any more after the last defeats, because otherwise the playoffs would be back in the distance. Was it because of the nervousness that the teams got an unfortunate start? I suppose so. After three threes and outs, however, it was the Packers who set the game in motion. The main protagonist was Rodgers’ favourite weapon Davante Adams, who first imposed a large passport interference penalty and then beat Xavier Rhodes for a touchdown.
The Vikings understood the wake-up call and responded with a much faster and more aggressive offense. Dalvin Cook, who was completely switched off by the Bears the week before, caught a screen pass and ran into the end zone. The defenses didn’t seem to find any answers anymore. Aaron Jones for the Packers and Stefon Diggs for the Vikings came too much to easy touchdowns, but it was for the first run. Green Bays O-Line could not cope with the pressure of the Vikings anymore and Vikings kicker Dan Bailey had two kicks beside him.
The problems of the Packers didn’t get any better because of David Bakthiari’s knee problems. Minnesota could now afford to do without lightning almost entirely. In some plays even all four Rushers broke through and could have played Rodger’s hand. Sheldon Richardson, for example, dominated and came up with two of the four Vikings bags. Rodgers (17/28, 198 YDS, TD) showed himself again this season with light and shadow. The circumstances certainly didn’t help him.
Minnesota scored their first field goal win against the Packers this season in the third quarter. Bailey scored from close range and when the enormously strong Kirk Cousins found Adam Thielen for another touchdown, the game already seemed out of hand. The Vikings controlled the clock and even got support from a special team breakdown of the Packers. As in the previous week against Seattle, the Packers scored only 3 points on the scoreboard in the second half. So they lost their sixth away match this season.
The Vikings avoid falling from 5th place in the NFC to 9th place and keep up with the Bears, who still have some tough tasks ahead of them. Minnesota will have to compete in New England next week, while the Packers will have to deal with the Cardinals at home.
Dalvin Cook’s 26 yard touchdown reception has not only been his first touchdown this season. Cook has also captured the first receiving touchdown of his career.
The teams went into the break with the score of 14:14. After the draw in the first encounter, no one was able to win the match after more than 100 minutes of football between the two.
After Daniel Carlson’s three missed field goal attempts in the first match against Green Bay, Dan Bailey also sent two to Nirwana. Mike Zimmer said in the half-time after 0 of 5 successful field goal attempts against Green Bay in the second round 4th-Downs in scoring distance to play out. But he didn’t do that after all.
The Packers disaster series continues. They have lost their eighth away match in a row across the season. And in the last two away games in the second half, they did not score more than 3 points each.
Great answer from cousins to the game against the Bears. Cousins (29/38, 342 YDS, 3 TD) has a miserable record in prime time games and was therefore under close observation. But against the Packers he was made of clean pocket and against the lightning almost perfect. He played excellent passes in tight windows and made the right decisions, even in running when there was no break.
The Packers decided to line up Tramon Williams as slot defender before the game and put Josh Jones on safety. Williams, however, had big coverage problems and could not stop the alternating opponents in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen at all. Diggs made Williams look very old at his touchdown in the second quarter. Williams had his worst moment at a Vikings punt, which he made jump up completely inexplicably right in front of his nose. The Vikings secured the ball that jumped free of Williams’ helmet.
Minnesota showed Green Bay a lot of movement on the defensive side. Often even three men announced themselves for lightning, only to fall back into coverage with each of them. When David Bakthiari’s knee problems reappeared, Green Bay could no longer hold the four-men rush at all. As a result, Minnesota’s lightning rate decreased even further.