Are we headed for a Vikings, Packers tank race?
Jordan Love has thrown four touchdowns and seven interceptions in his last four games and the Green Bay Packers have lost three straight. It would be four straight losses if Derek Carr wasn't injured in Green Bay's 18-17 come-from-behind win in Week 3 against New Orleans. Right now, the sky is falling in Green Bay, and that's not an apple bonking Love on the head.
Love threw six touchdowns and no interceptions in the first two weeks and had the football world thinking the Packers may be on the verge of another decade of high-end quarterback play following the Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers eras. But those thoughts have circled the drain and the 2-4 Packers now sit amongst the teams who will be picking in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The reality is that Love has 11 weeks to change minds or Green Bay will have to seriously consider moving on, which would likely mean using a first-round pick in 2024 to find a real franchise QB. If the draft were today, the Packers would be picking seventh.
Love is signed for cheap through 2024 before he can become a free agent in 2025. If the Packers aren't convinced he's their franchise quarterback, free-falling the rest of this season wouldn't be the worst thing since the draft class stocked with potential franchise QBs: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., and Bo Nix, among several others.
That's what makes the results of the Vikings' game Monday night against the 49ers even more interesting. If the Vikings win they could set aside thoughts of a fire sale and look to beat Green Bay next Sunday and then be off and running through an easier portion of the schedule. But a loss to the 49ers could put Minnesota in sell mode before the Halloween trade deadline, and that could lead to a free fall of their own.
Imagine the Vikings and Packers both fumbling out of control this season, with both eying the 2024 quarterback class. Minnesota trying to replace Kirk Cousins and the Packers punting on Love. Oh. The. Drama.
If it comes to that, here are some scheduling factoids...
Green Bay has one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league (25th of 32 teams), according to Tankathon. They still have to play the Chiefs (6-1), Lions (5-2), Steelers (4-2) and Buccaneers (3-3), but they also have games against the Panthers (0-6), Bears (2-5), Giants (2-5), Chargers (2-4) and Rams (3-4), not to mention two games against the Vikings.
That screams 10+ losses the way they are currently playing.
The Vikings have the 19th-hardest remaining schedule, which includes tougher games against the 49ers (5-1), Lions (5-2, twice), Falcons (4-3) and Bengals (3-3), and easier opponents in the Bears (2-5), Broncos (2-5), Raiders (2-4) and Saints (3-4), and of course two against the Packers.
If Minnesota loses to the Niners and starts selling players ahead of the trade deadline, they too look destined for 10+ losses.
Nothing is certain yet, but this is a storyline that has potential to develop.
