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Packers Wire staff predictions: Week 4 vs. Vikings

Predictions from the Packers Wire staff on the Packers’ Week 4 showdown with the Vikings.

The Green Bay Packers can run their win streak to three games by taking down the undefeated Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

It remains unclear if Jordan Love, who is questionable to play, or Malik Willis will be under center for the Packers, but Matt LaFleur’s team is flying high after beating the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans with Willis under center the last two weeks.

Can the Packers start the NFC North schedule with a big win over the visiting Vikings?

Here’s how the staff at Packers Wire believes the Week 4 showdown with the Vikings will go down:

Zach Kruse: Packers 24, Vikings 23 (0-3)

After two weeks of doubting the Malik Willis-Matt LaFleur magic, we’re back on win-predicting train — regardless of who is playing quarterback on Sunday. The Packers have proven capable of four key winning factors: creating explosive plays, generating turnovers, protecting the quarterback and disrupting the opponent’s quarterback. LaFleur’s team probably needs to do all four to take down the unbeaten Vikings. Protecting the quarterback against Brian Flores’ defense will be a challenge, but if the Packers can handle business pre-snap and at the line of scrimmage, explosive plays could be abundant. And there are good matchups for the Packers defensive front against the Vikings offensive line. One takeaway or explosive play provides the difference for the Packers late in a one-point win.

Brandon Carwile: Packers 24, Vikings 23 (2-1)

After practicing the last two weeks without any setbacks, it appears that Jordan Love will make his return in Week 4. Love should provide a boost to the offense, but it’s worth noting that Malik Willis stepped up admirably, showcasing his mobility and poise under pressure. His success kept the Packers’ offense afloat, and Love will look to build on that momentum. The Packers lead the league in rushing, while the Vikings have the second-ranked run defense. Love’s ability to stretch the field and challenge the Vikings’ secondary could be the X-factor, especially if he creates some chunk plays for Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. Meanwhile, Sunday will also mark the return of Aaron Jones, who signed with Minnesota in the offseason after seven seasons in Green Bay. Quarterback Sam Darnold has the Vikings are off to an impressive 3-0 for the first time in eight years. Darnold and his supporting cast have been efficient for Minnesota’s offense this season, though they will now face a dictating Packers defense unlike any they have faced in recent memory. Darnold could struggle against Green Bay’s opportunistic pass defense and a relentless pass rush. The Packers hand the Vikings their first loss of 2024 on Sunday, with Love delivering in crunch time to secure the win.

Brennen Rupp: Packers 20, Vikings 17 (3-0)

Sam Darnold is off to a great start and Kevin O’Connell is pressing all the right buttons as the Vikings have stormed out to an impressive 3-0 start. They were in control the entire game during their win against the San Francisco 49ers and ran the Houston Texans out of US Bank Stadium. The key for Jeff Hafley is getting Darnold uncomfortable. Something I think Green Bay’s defense will be able to accomplish. Hafley’s unit is coming off a game in which they sacked Tennesse’s Will Levis eight times and added 20 pressures (via PFF). Minnesota’s offensive line is better built than Tennesses’s however if they have a weakness on the team it’s the interior of their offensive line. I expect Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt to spend plenty of time in the backfield Sunday afternoon as they force Darnold into a few mistakes. With Jordan Love expected to make his return to the lineup, the Packers will make enough explosive plays against Brian Flores’ defense to hand Minnesota their first loss of the season.

Greg Williams: Packers 30, Vikings 20 (2-1)

This Sunday’s Packers-Vikings matchup promises to be a competitive NFC North game. Green Bay enters the game with the No. 1 rushing offense in the league, but they’ll face Minnesota’s formidable No. 2-ranked run defense. The Packers’ defense has also been outstanding, forcing a league-leading seven turnovers so far, with Xavier McKinney leading the way with an interception in every game. Minnesota has shown big-play potential, but their offensive line has struggled and could be exposed by Green Bay’s pass rush. Jordan Love should make his return and should be a nice boost for the offense but if Malik Willis starts again for the Packers, expect them to lean on their ground game and a conservative passing attack to keep the Vikings off balance. Vikings Sam Darnold is off to a fantastic start but how long will this last? Darnold has a great support cast around him with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones, and a few others but defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has got the Packers defense playing at a lever we haven’t seen for a quite a while. Now, it was against the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts, but I do like the matchup for the Packers for their defensive unit.

Writer	Prediction	Score	Record
Zach Kruse	Win	24-23	0-3
Brandon Carwile	Win	24-23	2-1
Brennen Rupp	Win	20-17	3-0
Greg Williams	Win	30-20	2-1

Breaking down Packers’ final injury report of Week 4 vs. Vikings

Breaking down the final injury report of Week 4 before the Packers take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The Green Bay Packers listed quarterback Jordan Love and cornerback Jaire Alexander as questionable, cornerback Carrington Valetine as doubtful and offensive lineman Jordan Morgan as out on the final injury report before facing the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4.

How will the injury situation affect Sunday’s showdown?

Here’s an in-depth breakdown of the Packers’ final injury report ahead of Week 4:

Questionable (2)

QB Jordan Love (knee): The same song and dance this week. Love was limited in all three practices and is listed as questionable, clouding his availability for Sunday. Last week, the Packers elevated Sean Clifford and had Love go through an extensive on-field workout during pre-game on Sunday. We’ll see if there’s a pattern change this week. The Packers would need to elevate Clifford on Saturday. Malik Willis would start a third straight game if Love isn’t available on Sunday.

CB Jaire Alexander (groin/quad): He was limited on Wednesday and Thursday with a quad injury, and then didn’t practice on Friday with a new groin issue. Not practicing on Friday usually isn’t a good sign for availability, and playing through two lower-body injuries could be tough to do against Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. We’ll see. The Packers are banged up at cornerback entering Week 4 and Alexander is a veteran who could play through injury.

Doubtful (1)

CB Carrington Valentine (ankle): He appeared trending towards a return after practicing on Wednesday and Thursday, but a downgrade to DNP on Friday suggests a setback. Expect Valentine to miss his second straight game. He out-snapped Eric Stokes in Week 2 but injuries are usually a good way to lose ground in a competition. Given the injury issues at cornerback, Stokes will be a full-time player on Sunday.

Out (1)

OL Jordan Morgan (shoulder): The Packers’ first-round pick will miss his second straight game after re-injuring his shoulder in Week 2. Morgan hasn’t been put on injured reserve, so it’s possible the Packers think he’ll return in the near future. Last week, Andre Dillard and Jacob Monk were the only two active backups along the offensive line. Expect Sean Rhyan to be a full-time player at right guard for the second straight game. The Packers thought Rhyan played well against the Titans last Sunday.

No status designation

The following players have no status designation and will be available to play on Sunday vs. the Titans: DL Kenny Clark, OL Elgton Jenkins, TE Tucker Kraft, TE Luke Musgrave, C Josh Myers, WR Jayden Reed, OL Zach Tom and DL Devonte Wyatt.

Vikings injury report

The Vikings ruled out starting linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., but Kevin O’Connell said all other players will be available to play Sunday. That means quarterback Sam Darnold, left tackle Christian Darrisaw, receiver Jordan Addison, center Garrett Bradbury and rookie defensive lineman Dallas Turner are all good to go.

Packers vs. Vikings: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 4

Three matchups to watch when the Packers take on the Vikings in Week 4.

The Green Bay Packers aim to end the Minnesota Vikings’ perfect 3-0 start in this divisional showdown set for Sunday.

The Packers expect to have Jordan Love back after he missed the last two games recovering from a knee injury. Backup Malik Willis did an excellent job filling in for Love, leaning on the run game and well-designed game plans by head coach Matt LaFleur.

After six years of Kirk Cousins, the Vikings handed the keys over to Sam Darnold in 2024. Darnold has looked reinvigorated in Minnesota, frequently targeting stud receiver Justin Jefferson and handing the ball off to former Green Bay running back Aaron Jones.

Defensively, the Vikings have been stout against the run (T-2nd in the NFL), while the Packers lead the league in interceptions and takeaways.

In addition to it being one of the NFL’s best rivalries, there’s a lot to like about this Week 4 meeting.

Here are three key matchups to watch out for:

CB Jaire Alexander vs. WR Justin Jefferson

This has become one of the best individual matchups in the league after Jefferson has gotten the best of Alexander in previous meetings, only for Alexander to turn around and shut down Jefferson in Week 17 of the 2022 season, hitting his patented “Griddy” celebration in the process. An injury to Jefferson and Alexander’s suspension robbed fans of this marquee matchup last season, but this year promises a high-stakes battle with both players at their peak. Totaling 273 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the first three games, Jefferson is off to another strong. On the other side, Alexander recorded his first career pick-six last week against the Tennessee Titans and might be starting to flourish in a new scheme. Get your popcorn ready for what will be a must-see matchup between Alexander and Jefferson on Sunday. (Note: Alexander missed practice Friday and has an uncertain playing status.)

DTs Devonte Wyatt and Kenny Clark vs C Garrett Bradbury

Wyatt is off to an impressive start in his third season, with three sacks in three games and a team-high nine pressures. Meanwhile, Clark has been relatively quiet to start the year, having not registered a sack or a single QB hit. However, the tides could change this week for Clark going up against a familiar foe. Clark has had some success against Bradbury in recent meetings, and this one comes when he could use a confidence boost. Wyatt could also exploit this matchup against Minnesota’s center, who has given up ten pressures, the second most at the position. Bradbury’s status is still up in the air after missing Wednesday’s practice and being limited on Thursday due to an ankle injury. If they face a backup, Wyatt and Clark could be licking their chops even more.

HC Matt LaFleur vs DC Brian Flores

Over these past two weeks, LaFleur solidified his place as one of the best offensive minds in the game. Winning with your backup quarterback, but LaFleur made it look very achievable by crafting an executable game plan and playing to the player’s strengths. This week, LaFleur has work cut out for him as he faces one of the best defensive minds in the game. Flores is excellent at disguising coverages and generating pressure in creative ways to cause disruption. LaFleur’s scheme is a well-oiled machine when Love and company are firing on all cylinders. However, that could be difficult to realize on Sunday against a defense predicated on causing chaos for the offense. As much as this game will be about the players on the field, it will also be a chess match between LaFleur and Flores.

5 keys to Packers beating Vikings in Week 4

Five keys to the Packers beating the undefeated Vikings at Lambeau Field in Week 4.

The Green Bay Packers will attempt to do what hasn’t been done to start the 2024 season: beat the Minnesota Vikings. Kevin O’Connell’s team is 3-0 to open the year, with big wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans. Now, the Packers — who have won back-to-back games with a backup quarterback under center — will welcome the Vikings to Lambeau Field for the first NFC North matchup of the season.

The Vikings have been dynamic on offense and disruptive on defense.

Can Matt LaFleur’s team crack the Norse code on Sunday?

Here are five keys to the Packers beating the Vikings in Week 4:

Interior pressure on Darnold

The Vikings have two excellent offensive tackles in Christian Darrisaw on the left side and Brian O’Neil on the right side. The question marks for the Vikings offensive line are on the inside, particularly at center and right guard. Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram have allowed 20 combined pressures in three games. Can Devonte Wyatt, Kenny Clark and the rest of the Packers interior rushers take advantage? Don’t be surprised if the Packers send A-gap blitzes and use stunts inside to stress the interior blockers in obvious passing situations. The Packers must consistently disrupt Darnold and collapse the interior of the pocket to keep the Vikings passing game in check.

Jaire vs. J.J.

The biggest matchup of the game. Jaire Alexander could and likely will shadow Justin Jefferson, arguably the best receiver in football. Can Alexander keep Jefferson from taking over the game in big spots? The Vikings passing game is diverse, and Darnold has done a nice job distributing the football to a variety of targets, so Jefferson isn’t the only threat. But he’s the biggest one by far, and Alexander — who struggled with A.J. Brown in the opener but who is also coming off his best game of the season last week — must play at an All-Pro level. The Packers can’t let Jefferson beat them.

Beating the blitz

This matters regardless of who is playing quarterback for the Packers. Brian Flores is blitzing at a top five percentage once again this season, and it’s possible no defensive coordinator throws a wider range of blitzes at an offense than the Vikings. If Malik Willis starts, Flores will want to speed up his decision-making from the pocket. If Jordan Love starts, Flores will want to test his movement in the pocket. Expect to see blitzes from Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace from the second level, so Matt LaFleur must have pre-snap answers available to his quarterbacks. Also, this will be a big spot for Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson, who will likely be asked to pick up all the various blitzes coming from the Vikings on Sunday.

Run game test

The Packers have used a complex run game to help Malik Willis stay on schedule and unlock big-play opportunities during the last two weeks. Can the Packers stay productive on the ground against one of the NFL’s best run defenses to start 2024? Sunday could go sideways in a hurry if the Packers can’t run on early downs and get stuck in obvious passing situations against Brian Flores. Once again, it shouldn’t matter who is playing quarterback. The Packers need a diverse run game that utilizes misdirection to attack an aggressive defensive front and avoid tricky third-and-long scenarios.

Explosive plays, turnovers

The Packers’ winning formula is fairly simple: Create explosive plays on offense and generate turnovers on defense. It’s a winning blueprint for Sunday, too. The Packers offense hasn’t been great down to down, but the sheer number of explosive plays — Green Bay leads the NFL through three weeks — have provided more than enough scoring opportunities. The explosive plays in the run game have been consistent, and more could be expected (or available) in the passing game if Jordan Love returns Sunday. Defensively, turning pressure into takeaways will be key. Forcing Sam Darnold into a bad decision or two could provide the difference in the game. Darnold has been excellent under pressure this season, but no quarterback can consistently avoid turnovers in disrupted pockets.

Packers vs. Vikings: Statistical breakdown entering Week 4

A look at the important numbers behind Packers vs. Vikings in Week 4.

The Green Bay Packers will host the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field for an important NFC North showdown in Week 4. The Packers have won back-to-back games, while the Vikings are a perfect 3-0 through three weeks.

Here’s a glance at the important numbers entering Week 4:

	GB (2-1)	MIN (3-0)
Points scored per game	25.0 (6th)	28.3 (3rd)
Points allowed per game	19.3 (12th)	10.0 (2nd)
Point differential	+17 (8th)	+55 (3rd)
Yards per play	6.4 (2nd)	6.0 (6th)
Yards per play allowed	5.5 (21st)	4.7 (9th)
Success rate (offense)	237.2% (29th)	47.3% (9th)
Success rate (defense)	44.6% (20th)	37.4% (4th)
Third down conversion	42.9% (8th)	45.7% (3rd)
Third down allowed	28.1% (6th)	31.0% (10th)
Red zone TD%	27.3% (29th)	70.0% (7th)
Red zone TD% allowed	60.0% (21st)	33.3% (7th)
Turnover differential	+7 (1st)	+2 (6th)
Passer rating	102.8 (10th)	117.3 (2nd)
Passer rating allowed	71.6 (7th)	71.5 (6th)
Yards per attempt	8.6 (5th)	8.4 (6th)
Yards per attempt allowed	7.3 (21st)	6.7 (11th)
Yards per carry	5.5 (2nd)	4.8 (8th)
Yards per carry allowed	4.7 (26th)	3.6 (4th)
Sacks	11 (5th)	16 (1st)
Sacked allowed	5 (8th)	9 (18th)
Penalties	26 (26th)	19 (16th)
Pass-blocking efficiency	91.4 (2nd)	78.7 (29th)
EPA/play	+0.03 (10th)	+0.04 (8th)
EPA allowed/play	-0.18 (9th)	-0.24 (4th)
TD scored	6 (17th)	9 (3rd)
TD allowed	7 (19th)	3 (2nd)

Packers vs. Vikings preview: Get to know Green Bay’s Week 4 opponent

Previewing the Vikings ahead of Sunday’s important NFC North battle in Week 4.

The Green Bay Packers (2-1) have won back-to-back games and are now preparing to welcome the rival Minnesota Vikings (3-0) to Lambeau Field for the first NFC North game of the 2024 season.

The Packers avoided an early season disaster, winning games against the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans with Malik Willis starting in place of Jordan Love. The Vikings, meanwhile, are one of the surprise teams of the season. Kevin O’Connell’s team has big wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans.

Here’s a closer look at the Vikings entering Week 4:

Last week (Win, 34-7 vs. Texans)

The Vikings dismantled the Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium, using four touchdown passes from Sam Darnold, another 100-yard game from Aaron Jones and another suffocating defensive performance to blowout the AFC South-leading Texans. C.J. Stroud threw an interception on the second play from scrimmage, setting up a quick Vikings score, and the rout was on after the Texans missed a field goal and Jones scored on third down on the ensuing possession. The Vikings held the Texans scoreless on their first eight possessions. Even after the Texans cut the lead to 21-7, the Vikings responded with a field goal, interception and touchdown to retake full control. Four different players caught a touchdown pass from Darnold, Jonathan Greenard had three sacks after his former team and Kamu Grugier-Hill and Camryn Bynum had interceptions of Stroud.

Quarterback play

Darnold, the third overall pick in the 2018 draft, is enjoying a Geno Smith-like revival in his first year as the Vikings starter. He leads the NFL with eight touchdown passes, and he’s also completing 67.9 percent of his passes and averaging 8.4 yards per attempt. Darnold’s passer rating of 117.3 ranks second behind Josh Allen. He is playing confidently from the pocket in Kevin O’Connell’s dynamic passing game and also handling pressure (four touchdown passes under pressure). The Vikings attack all areas of the field and Darnold has proved to be a capable distributor. He is dealing with a knee bruise suffered last week, but he was a full participant at Wednesday’s practice.

Line of scrimmage

On offense, the Vikings have a pair of excellent offensive tackles (Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neil) and big question marks inside (especially center Garrett Bradbury and right guard Ed Ingram). Sam Darnold has been under pressure on roughly 40 percent of dropbacks this season, and the Vikings rank 29th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency. In the run game, the Vikings are averaging 4.8 yards per carry, although much of the production has come late in wins. Defensively, the Vikings lead the NFL in sacks (16) and rank third in yards per rushing attempt (3.6). Jonathan Greenard, a free-agent pickup, has been disruptive (17 pressures).

Turnovers

The Vikings rank sixth in the NFL at +2 in turnover differential. The defense’s six takeaways rank third. Sam Darnold has thrown two interceptions, C.J. Ham lost a fumble in Week 1 and Aaron Jones lost a fumble in Week 2. On defense, the Vikings thrive on chaos within Brian Flores’ complex and confusing scheme. Five different players have an interception through three games. The Vikings have won the turnover battle once (Week 3) and tied the battle twice.

Injury situation

The Vikings held a walkthrough practice on Wednesday, so it’s possible some of the participation estimates to start the week are off. Center Garrett Bradbury and linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. both missed Wednesday’s practice, and rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner was limited after missing last week’s win. Receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) might return.

Stat to know

The Vikings have allowed only three total touchdowns in three games and currently rank second in the NFL in points allowed per game (10.0). Brian Flores’ defense dominated against Daniel Jones, Brock Purdy and C.J. Stroud. Can the Packers finally unlock one of the NFL’s best defenses to start 2024?

Players to know

Dec 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) runs after the catch against the Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

WR Jalen Nailor: Everyone knows Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones, but Nailor has proved to be a capable complementary weapon with Jordan Addison on the sideline to start the 2024 season. In three games, Nailor has seven catches on nine targets for 106 yards and three scores.

S Josh Metellus: The Vikings use three safeties more than any team in football. That’s because Metellus can stop the run like a linebacker and cover like a traditional safety. He’s been dominant against the run and also has an interception.

CB Stephon Gilmore: The Vikings signed the veteran late in the offseason to stabilize the position, and he’s been solid in coverage. The Packers burned him up in Dallas during last year’s postseason.

Edge Andrew Van Ginkel: The former Badger is another versatile player for Brian Flores. He can rush the passer but also drop into coverage. He has eight pressures on 64 pass-rushing snaps.

It’s Devonte Wyatt time for Packers on Sunday vs. Vikings

Devonte Wyatt might be one of the most important players on the field for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday against the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings.

The interior disruptor needs to be as his pass-rushing best in a favorable matchup against the middle of the Vikings offensive line.

Sam Darnold is well protected by tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neil on the edges. In fact, Darrisaw and O’Neil might be one of the best pass-blocking tackle duos in football. Where it falls apart for the Vikings offensive is inside.

Center Garrett Bradbury has allowed 10 pressures, the second most among centers, per Pro Football Focus. Guard Ed Ingram has also allowed 10 pressures, the fifth most among guards.

Wyatt, a 2022 first-rounder, looks like one of the breakout interior defenders in the NFL to start this season. He has three sacks and nine pressures on 64 pass-rushing snaps through three games, plus six stops, or tackles creating a failure for the offense. Wyatt was disruptive as a second-year player in 2023, but he’s now converting opportunities for negative plays at a higher rate to start 2024.

https://twitter.com/PackerScribe/status/1838277376213684582

Wyatt — an explosive athlete at over 300 pounds who looks unleashed in Jeff Hafley’s aggressive, upfield scheme — must make the most of opportunities to beat Bradbury and Ingram on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The matchup is also a good chance for Kenny Clark to break out of a mini-slump to start the year. He’s been quiet against the run and only so-so as a pass-rusher. Clark has historically done very well against Bradbury in previous matchups. Karl Brooks is another interior disruptor who could benefit on Sunday.

Darnold has been a revelation as a starting quarterback for Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings, and former Packers running back Aaron Jones is enjoying a terrific start (325 total yards, two touchdowns) with his new team. Add in all-world receiver Justin Jefferson and the Packers will have their hands full with a Vikings offense that is third in points scored and averaging 6.0 yards per play in 2024.

Wyatt must be a game-wrecker. In a new scheme, he’s blossoming into the disruptive force the Packers expected. But games like Sunday’s against the Vikings — a key divisional matchup early in the year — are where great players must take over. Can Wyatt dominate in a plus matchup and help the Packers score a big win in the NFC North?

Saints have lost 5 of their last 6 games without Taysom Hill

Don’t let anyone tell you Taysom Hill isn’t an important part of the Saints’ success. They have lost 5 of their last 6 games without him:

Don’t let anyone tell you Taysom Hill isn’t an important part of the New Orleans Saints’ success. After Sunday’s defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, they have lost 5 of their last 6 games without him, putting up just 15.3 points per game. Hill has missed just 8 regular season matchups since he became a regular piece of the offense back in 2018, and the Saints are 3-5 in those matchups.

The numbers don’t lie, but they can be manipulated. And we should consider all angles here. After all, we’re comparing the 94 regular season games the Saints have played with Hill in the lineup to 8 games he’s had to watch from the sideline. And a couple of those happened during the team’s disastrous 2021 COVID outbreak that put dozens of players out of commission. That context matters.

Still, here’s what we found. With Hill active and taking snaps on offense (he only played special teams as a rookie in 2017), the Saints averaged 26.6 points per game across 94 matchups. That number falls to 17.6 points per game in the eight kickoffs he’s had to miss, including Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. That’s a major swing. You can take away outliers like their 2021 losses to the Miami Dolphins (20-3) and Buffalo Bills (31-6), and they’re still averaging 4 fewer points per game without Hill.

And it matches what we’ve seen in these games. The offense lacks an element of physicality when Hill isn’t out there. They don’t have many players who are willing to bowl over a defender in the open field and set the tone. Hill’s versatility is missed, too; Alvin Kamara’s doomed wildcat rushing attempt against Philly was a textbook short-yardage play for Hill that he typically converts.

Just having Hill out there as a chess piece who can help keep the defense honest and dictate coverage matchups is valuable. Dennis Allen isn’t alone in hoping Hill can play next week. The Saints need him. We didn’t count playoff games for this exercise, but the Saints lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 without Hill on the field, too (30-20). He led the team in rushing yards a year earlier in their playoff exit against the Minnesota Vikings. They missed him then too.

But they have to learn to win without him someday. They’ve been lucky to get as much mileage out of Hill as they have. He just turned 34. He suffered season-ending injuries three times in four years at BYU, including a knee injury, a broken leg, and a fracture in his foot. His last game of college football ended with an elbow injury before he turned pro. He’d probably be the first to tell you he’s grateful for dressing out in 99 games with the Saints (and counting). Other players need to step up and fill his niche on offense as tone-setters who can fight for tough yardage. Until that happens, every absence is going to continue to make an outsized impact on the scoreboard.

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Matt LaFleur on facing Vikings RB Aaron Jones: ‘He’s a problem. He looks really good’

The Packers will welcome back RB Aaron Jones when they face the Vikings on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Green Bay Packers will welcome back running back Aaron Jones to Lambeau Field for the first time during Sunday’s NFC North showdown with the Minnesota Vikings.

Coach Matt LaFleur knows facing Jones — who has 325 total yards and two touchdowns on 54 touches through the first three weeks — will be a big challenge.

“He’s a problem. He looks really good,” LaFleur said Monday.

Jones is averaging 5.4 yards per rush. His success rate as a rusher is 64.3. Twice in three games, Jones has produced over 100 total yards and a score for the unbeaten Vikings. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones had forced 12 missed tackles and is averaging over 2.0 yards per route run — highlighting his versatile playmaking ability.

LaFleur said Jones remains one of his “favorite” players.

The Packers released Jones — a favorite in both the locker room and fan base — after he refused a pay cut in March, replacing him at running back with veteran free agent Josh Jacobs. Through three weeks, Jacobs has 278 rushing yards and 303 total yards on 65 touches. Both Jacobs (sixth) and Jones (10th) rank in the top 10 for rushing yards entering Week 4. The Packers lead the entire NFL in rushing yards.

The battle at running back will be in the spotlight during Sunday’s important early season clash. The Packers are 2-1 and coming off back-to-back wins with Malik Willis under center, while the Vikings are 3-0 and one of the NFL’s surprise teams of 2024.

Jones is averaging 18 touches a game for the Vikings and continues to be a sparkplug and a playmaker.

In a league of youth at running back, Jones is a rare difference-maker. Through three weeks, Jones and Derrick Henry are the only players in their age-30 season with at least 100 rushing yards in the NFL.

It’s still early, but Jones is averaging 6.0 yards per touch for the Vikings, which would set a new career high.

Can the Packers contain their old friend on Sunday at Lambeau Field?

Gallery: Vikings secure 34-7 win over Texans in Week 3

Check out the best photos from Sunday’s performance at U.S. Bank Stadium between the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings.

The Texans fell to 2-1 after losing 34-7 to the Minnesota Vikings on the road at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 3. Here are the best photos from the afternoon in Minneapolis.