Vikings

The first quarter of Sunday's Vikings-Packers game at Lambeau Field was a disaster for Minnesota in a multitude of ways. In terms of the actual results of ...

Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. The Vikings settled for a field goal after a blocked punt gave their offense first and goal at the Green Bay 1, then gave up a 105-yard touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. If that's the case with O'Neill, it would be a massive loss shortly before the postseason begins.

Barring a 20-point win at Chicago next Sunday, the Vikings will finish without scoring more points than their opponents, even though Minnesota will be 12-5 or ...

When the Vikings win, they don’t win by much. After losing 41-17 to the Packers on Sunday, the 12-4 Vikings has given up 19 more points than they have scored this year. When they lose, they don’t mess around.

Keisean Nixon returned a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown Sunday, the first time Green Bay had a kick return for a TD in more than 11 years.

THIS AND THAT: Adrian Amos had his first interception of the year and the 10th of his career. THIS AND THAT: The Packers had a fourth-and-1 at Minnesota’s 39-yard line midway through the first quarter and went for it. It was the longest field goal by a Green Bay kicker in Lambeau Field history and the second-longest of Crosby’s career. “I hit a good enough ball that whatever happened in that situation, I knew I hit it the way I needed to. “That’s not what I had in mind and what we had in mind as a team. And the interception TD was the first of Savage’s career. But I do believe in the power of manifestation and I do believe in momentum and I believe very strongly in the force of the mind. Dillon added 41 yards and a touchdown and Green Bay’s offensive line got the better of Minnesota’s defensive front throughout. Packers’ cornerback Rasul Douglas deflected the ball and it bounced right to Savage, who made his first interception of the year. I think I beat him to the end zone, too, when I was running because I knew he was going. But in Green Bay’s biggest game of the year, its defense stole the show. Green Bay, Detroit and Seattle (all 8-8) are tied for the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC.

Aaron Jones rushed for 111 yards on 14 carries and A.J. Dillon had a 2-yard touchdown run as the Packers won their fourth straight. Green Bay (8-8) will reach ...

This marked the first time the Packers scored on an interception return and a kickoff return in the same game since a 31-23 victory over the St. The Vikings lost two of their starting offensive linemen to injuries in the first quarter. Nixon's touchdown was the Packers' first off a kickoff return since Randall Cobb’s franchise-record 108-yarder against New Orleans in 2011. “I just felt like if we get one of those, we can win the last five, and 9-8 was going to get in. We’ve been in playoff mode for a while. Center Austin Schlottmann suffered a broken fibula and right tackle Brian O’Neill departed with a calf injury. Keisean Nixon scored on a 105-yard kickoff return and Darnell Savage had a 75-yard pick-6 of Cousins — one of four turnovers by the Minnesota QB. That kick gave Green Bay a 27-3 halftime lead. The Packers converted each of Cousins’ turnovers into touchdowns. Green Bay's latest bit of good fortune came earlier Sunday when Washington fell 24-10 at home to the Cleveland, putting the Packers in control of their postseason fate. 1 in the league. A lot of stuff’s falling our way.”

The Packers were dominant in another win. They embarrassed the Minnesota Vikings 41-17. They had an early kickoff return for a touchdown, then an interception ...

Things went from opportunistic to out-of-hand quickly Sunday for the Vikings. A blocked punt and a turnover on downs gave Minnesota an early opportunity to ...

We allowed our eyes to make us press a lot of the stuff they were doing," Hicks said. As a team, Minnesota held Rodgers to 15-of-24 passing for 159 yards and a score through the air, but it was the Packers run game that set the tone. Similar to its comeback victory two weeks ago against Indianapolis, Minnesota's defense was able to get a stop to start the second half. "At times we did and at times we didn't, and regardless of what mistakes were made in the other phases — 41 points for the whole team — giving that up is never good enough. It has to be 'How can we fix what we just did?' and 'What's going on and how can we fix it quick?" The Packers next two offensive possessions started at their own 40 after an interception by Cousins and a missed 50-yard field goal by Joseph.

The Vikings were walloped 41-17 by the Green Bay Packers and lost two starting offensive linemen for the game in the first quarter with injuries. Right tackle ...

After losing two offensive linemen and getting thoroughly outplayed in Green Bay, it might be time to worry about the Vikings' playoff fate.

Hockenson](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/tj-hockenson-Yp7BNMxs6Jyl4I97/) averaged 2.07 yards, and wide receiver [Adam Thielen](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/adam-thielen-wp50rfC8lPuVYJSf/) averaged just 1.77 yards of separation. [Greg Joseph](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/greg-joseph-DYrvjxyuyu7AwRMs/) missed two field goals, from 50 and 46 yards away. [Austin Schlottmann](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/austin-schlottmann-cs5y2T3zZLcVcxj1/) to step into the role. Osborn](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/kj-osborn-1tHeIAxCujRNa2WM/) averaged more separation than average. It’s unlikely to get any easier in the coming weeks. The Vikings also struggled to cover Packers kick returner [Keisean Nixon](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/keisean-nixon-K6LCDQxxVoii4r0b/), who chose a lane wide enough for an 18-wheeler to drive through in returning a kick 105 yards for a touchdown. Late in the first quarter, a Cousins pass was deflected over the middle and intercepted by Packers safety [Darnell Savage](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/darnell-savage-YNOny1J1fd4kJnLc/). He pleaded with the referees to call taunting on Alexander, who had performed the “Griddy” dance after an early pass breakup. [Christian Darrisaw](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/christian-darrisaw-nRkHjQw1LG5zfypH/) spotted him and ran over, but O’Neill, who ranks as PFF’s fifth-best tackle in the NFL this season, could not stand. Sure, the Vikings were slipping and sliding on the Green Bay grass. According to Next Gen Stats, the league-average amount of separation is 2.93 yards from the receiver. “(They were) trying to get Jaire to put hands on me, not giving me that free release off the line.

This isn't how the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings hoped to perform as they get ready for the playoffs.

"Just all the yards he had, that's what I was calling a fluke," Alexander said. That set them behind the 8-ball for sure." Alexander backed up that talk Sunday as the Packers held Jefferson to 15 yards. Jefferson opened the season by catching nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers. "I think it just comes down to the fact that when we've lost lopsided games is we directly contributed to those," coach Kevin O'Connell said. Their four losses have come by an average margin of 22.3 points, the closest a 34-23 defeat at Detroit.

Aaron Rodgers passed for a touchdown and ran for another, and Aaron Jones rushed for 111 yards to help host Green Bay rout Minnesota.

Green Bay outscored Minnesota 13-0 in the second quarter as part of a run of 41 straight points. Keisean Nixon took the ensuing kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown, giving Green Bay an advantage it wouldn’t relinquish. Capitalizing on two return touchdowns to help jolt a slow-starting offense, Green Bay rolled to a 27-3 lead at halftime.

Following a dominating win over the Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers control their playoff destiny thanks to a Washington Commanders loss earlier in ...

With help from Rasul Douglas, Savage made his way back into the good graces of fans with a pick-six in the first quarter. It was Amos’ first interception of the year after having two in each of his previous three seasons with the Packers. It was a night-and-day performance from the first matchup, in which Rodgers was sacked four times. The ball bounced off the crossbar and through the uprights to give Green Bay a 27-3 lead heading into halftime. Alexander also managed to break up a pass intended for Jefferson and mocked him with a Griddy celebration. The Packers took a different approach in covering the NFL’s leading receiver, as Alexander covered Jefferson on 65% of his routes compared to just 36% in Week 1, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. The Vikings, of course, have already clinched a playoff spot but were in contention for the top seed in the NFC before Sunday’s loss. The return came at a great time to counter a blocked punt by the Vikings to set up a short field goal to go up 3-0. Nixon made sure he scored this time when he burst through the middle of the field, only needing to beat kicker Greg Joseph to get into the clear. Fast forward to Week 17, and the script was completely flipped as Jefferson was stifled for just one catch of 15 yards. Last week, it was Tua Tagovailoa who threw three picks in the second half so Green Bay could secure their seventh win. In Week 1, the Vikings got the best of the Packers 23-7.

GREEN BAY, Wisc. — The Minnesota Vikings had a shot at Lambeau Field to eliminate the Green Bay Packers from playoff contention and quiet those who are ...

“We made a point throughout the week…you are never going to force people to wear [longer spikes] but it was strongly encouraged and a lot of our roster has played up here before,” O’Connell said. “They did a good job all game long of bringing the backside safety to prevent you from throwing those posts.” Instead of 17-10, the Packers turned the error into a touchdown of their own and stretched the lead to 24-3. The Vikings were trailing 17-3 with a chance to close the gap to one score with 6:00 remaining in the second quarter. “Secondly, it’s tough to do that twice on the same team…it’s tough only getting one catch in the game and wanting to be a big part of the offense.” Coming out of halftime, Minnesota’s defense forced a quick punt and Cousins got the offense rolling but on second-and-10 at the Green Bay 15-yard line, monster defensive tackle Kenny Clark strip-sacked Cousins. Green Bay returned it for a touchdown to take a 14-3 lead midway through the first quarter. “I was trying to be aggressive on fourth down to TJ,” Cousins explained. But the tides quickly turned as the Vikings allowed a 105-yard touchdown return to Keisean Nixon. This time around they had a very different plan, putting star corner Jaire Alexander on him at the line of scrimmage with plenty of help over the top. “It’s a factor, especially when you talk about being on your backup center to start and then having your third guy go in.” — The Minnesota Vikings had a shot at Lambeau Field to eliminate the Green Bay Packers from playoff contention and quiet those who are questioning their candidacy as a true contender when the postseason arrives.