MINNEAPOLIS — During a recent locker room address celebrating the Minnesota Vikings’ success, head coach Kevin O’Connell’s heartfelt words were playfully interrupted by veteran right tackle Brian O’Neill. O’Neill shifted the focus of the moment by throwing a game ball to O’Connell, recognizing his achievement of guiding the team to its second 13-win season in only three years.
The Vikings have surprised many by achieving a remarkable 13-2 record this season, heading into their upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers. This impressive performance places O’Connell as a strong candidate for the NFL Coach of the Year title. “It’s a credit to who he is as a person, as a coach and as a leader,” noted tight end T.J. Hockenson. “We’re very fortunate to be able to play under him.”
Currently, the Vikings are in a position to not only reclaim the NFC North title for the second time in three years, but they could also secure home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs by winning their next two games against the Packers and the Detroit Lions. Despite the enticing prospect, O’Connell insists that the team remains focused on the present. “It can be a very tired cliché to talk about going 1-0,” he commented after their eighth consecutive victory. “It becomes part of your football foundation and the makeup of your locker room.”
On the other side, the Packers, sitting at 11-4 and two games behind the Vikings and Lions, have also clinched a playoff spot despite not winning the division title. Head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged the challenging competition, stating, “I think that just all of us going against one another, it’s forced you to be at your best every week.” The Packers have struggled against top-tier teams this season, going winless in four attempts against NFC leaders, including the Vikings and Lions.
In their previous encounter this season, which saw the Vikings narrowly beat the Packers 31-29, running back Aaron Jones shone by gathering 93 yards over 22 carries. Released by Green Bay to make way for new talent, he recently surpassed the 1,000-yard mark and looks forward to facing his former squad. “They respect you because they were on your team,” Jones remarked. “But you want to gain their respect in another way from playing against them.” Meanwhile, running back Josh Jacobs has also been impressive, ranking fourth in the NFL with 1,216 rushing yards, marking the best season by a Packers player since Ryan Grant in 2009.
Both teams understand the importance of minimizing turnovers; their earlier clash resulted in a total of seven turnovers, with the Packers committing four. Currently, Green Bay holds a turnover margin of plus-12, while Minnesota stands at plus-10, both among the league’s top performers in this metric. Notably, the Packers have allowed only three sacks and have recorded just two turnovers over their last five games.
As the Vikings prepare for their upcoming match, they are eager for the return of second-year linebacker Ivan Pace, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. O’Connell expressed optimism about Pace’s impact, highlighting his capabilities alongside fellow linebacker Blake Cashman. “When you can really get him and Cash out there at the same time, they both can really play to their strengths,” O’Connell stated.
The Packers also made a change in their kicking game, releasing Brayden Narveson after he missed two field goals in their close loss to the Vikings earlier this season. Veteran kicker Brandon McManus has stepped in and performed admirably, successfully completing 16 of 17 attempts.
The stage is set for an exciting matchup between these two rivals, both eager to showcase their skills as they continue their push toward the playoffs.
