Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings Week 17 preview

A quick preview of the Packers’ Week 17 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

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The Green Bay Packers (12-3) will face the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) in the last regular-season game to be played at Lambeau Field during the 2021 season.

Temperatures at kickoff on Sunday night are expected to be well below freezing.

The Packers, already the champions of the NFC North, are inching closer to the top seed in the conference and can clinch the No. 1 spot without any help by securing wins against the Vikings and Detroit Lions over the final two games. The Vikings need a win to stay alive in the NFC playoff race.

Minnesota has beaten Green Bay in two straight games, including the first meeting this season at U.S. Bank Stadium (34-31). The Packers have won four straight games since that loss, while the Vikings are just 2-3.

At Lambeau Field, the Packers are a perfect 7-0 this season, including last Saturday’s win over the Cleveland Browns.

A win in primetime on Sunday night would ensure Green Bay’s third straight season with at least 13 wins.

Here’s a quick preview of the matchup between Matt LaFleur’s Packers and Mike Zimmer’s Vikings:

NFL Communications
PACKERS VIKINGS
Points per game 25.3 (13th) 25.6 (12th)
Points allowed per game 21.6 (13th) 24.8 (23rd)
Average scoring margin +3.9 (11th) +0.8 (15th)
Turnover differential +16 (1st) +9 (6th)
Yards per play 5.7 (12th) 5.7 (13th)
Penalties per game 4.5 (2nd) 6.9 (28th)
PFF grade 85.6 (9th) 81.7 (15th)
DVOA 10th 13th

Best offensive player by PFF grade: Packers – WR Davante Adams, Vikings – WR Justin Jefferson

Best defensive player by PFF grade: Packers – OLB Rashan Gary, Vikings – S Camryn Bynum

QB COMP Aaron Rodgers Kirk Cousins
Cmp/Att 323/475 358/539
Cmp% 68.0 66.4
Yards 3,689 3,971
Yards/att 7.8 7.4
TD/INT 33/4 30/7
Passer rating 110.8 101.3
Big time throws 32 27
Turnover worthy plays 12 17
QBR 67.8 50.7
PFF grade 86.5 86.4

From the team: Packers Dope Sheet