Sunday Six-Pack: Packers Ring In New Year by Blowing Out Minnesota
The stakes for the final game of 2023 for the Green Bay Packers against the Minnesota Vikings were simple.
Win and be in position to clinch a playoff berth next week. Lose and be eliminated.
The Packers, led by Jordan Love's career day, gave a resounding answer.
They blew out the Vikings 33-10 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The score was 23-3 at halftime, and it was not as close as the scoreboard may have indicated.
The Packers were in control from the start as Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall was overwhelmed by Joe Barry's defense.
Without the ability to put much together on offense, the Vikings' defense was beaten like a drum.
The Packers piled up 265 yards in the first half and put the exclamation point on the game with a 13-play 91-yard drive that ended with Love finding Bo Melton in the corner of the end zone.
That made the score 30-3, and the story from this week gets even simpler for next week.
If the Packers beat the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field, they'll be in the playoffs.
Here are our awards from Green Bay's statement victory over Minnesota
Game Ball: Jayden Reed
Admit it. Many of you were upset when the Packers did not take Ohio State receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba in the first round of last year's draft.
It's true. They took Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness, who has come on of late, but not had the season-long impact that fans would hope for.
One player who has was the receiver they took in the second round after trading down twice.
Jayden Reed has been arguably the team's best receiver this season. Tonight, he broke Sterling Sharpe's record for receptions as a rookie.
He scored Green Bay's first touchdown of the night on a deep ball down the middle of the field to give them an early 10-0 lead.
His second touchdown of the night totaled 25 yards, and running through Minnesota defenders.
Reed would only play the first half due to a chest injury, which is something to monitor for next week's showdown against the Bears.
Lame Ball: Samori Toure
This is a bit of a tough luck spot. Samori Toure isn't a punt returner. He was only pressed into duty due to an injury to Jayden Reed.
With Reed leaving the game due to a chest injury, the Packers put Toure back to return a punt to start the fourth quarter instead of Keisean Nixon.
The result was a disaster. Toure muffed the punt that set the Vikings up deep in Green Bay territory.
Thanks to the scoreboard, a turnover like that did not hurt as much as it normally would, but it could have implications down the road.
Bo Melton scored a touchdown tonight. He is out of practice squad elevations. If the Packers want to add him to the roster, it could be Toure's spot that he takes.
Play of the Game: War Daddy Reed
Bill Huber's tweet said it all.
Matt LaFleur likes to use the phrase "war daddy" to describe receivers with a specific mentality in regards to catching and running with the ball.
Reed's ability to be a war daddy was on display on a 25-yard touchdown late in the 2nd quarter that gave the Packers a 23-3 lead.
He caught a simple slant over the middle of the field and carried Josh Metellus into the end zone.
It was a bit of a full-circle moment for Reed. The last time these two teams met, Metellus stole a pass from Reed's hands resulting in an interception.
Tonight, Reed gets play of the game for getting revenge.
Pivot Point: Packers Defense Makes a Stand
The Minnesota Vikings were desperate for a spark when they benched Jaren Hall at halftime for Nick Mullens.
Mullens was their starter for the last two games but was benched in favor of Hall to start this game.
Why the Vikings would start Hall if they were willing to bench him after two quarters of football is anyone's guess.
Nonetheless, Mullens moved the ball deep into Green Bay territory on his first possession of the night.
The Packers lead was 23-3 at the time. 23-10 could have given the Vikings a semblance of hope.
Instead, Lukas Van Ness, Karl Brooks, and Quay Walker got enough pressure on Mullens to affect his throw that fell incomplete.
The Packers would put together a 91-yard drive for a touchdown and the game was over.
Back To Back
The Packers had not had a 100-yard rusher on the season before Aaron Jones broke out for 121 yards last week against Carolina.
This week, Jones made it two games in a row with another 121-yard performance.
Jones has been in and out of the lineup all season with leg injuries that have hampered his ability to play his best football.
There's no doubt now that Jones is playing his best, and the Packers are much better when he is in the lineup.
Of the games that Green Bay has scored 30 points on offense, Jones has been active for all of them.
Looking Ahead
For the second consecutive year, the Packers will welcome an NFC North opponent into Lambeau Field with a chance to win and get into the playoffs.
Last year, the Packers lost 20-16 against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football to end their season.
That night ended the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay. If you were able to get an honest moment out of everyone within the Packers organization if they thought they'd be in that scenario a year later, they likely would have been skeptical at best.
They're back in that position one year later.
This time, however, they'll be hoping for a different result.
These are not the same Bears that Green Bay beat 38-20 to start the year.
Justin Fields and the Bears have won four of their last five games including a 37-17 blowout over Atlanta on Sunday.
The Bears have not won at Lambeau Field since 2015. They'll likely relish the opportunity to end Green Bay's season.
