Packers Predictably Dominated by Vikings in Week 18 Preseason Game

The Green Bay Packers will go into the playoffs next week with a four-game losing streak. They rested most of their top players and were overwhelmed by the Minnesota Vikings.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Clayton Tune is sacked and stripped by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

MINNEAPOLIS – Jordan Love won the pregame coin toss.

That’s about the only thing the Green Bay Packers won on Sunday. The Packers were beaten, thoroughly and predictably, by the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. The final score of 16-3 was as meaningless as the game was to the Packers.

The Vikings (9-8) came into the game looking to end the season with a five-game winning streak. The Packers (9-7-1) were looking to end the regular season without any more injuries that could impact their ability to win in the playoffs next week.

It was mission accomplished for the Vikings. Not so much for the Packers, who lost receiver/cornerback Bo Melton to a knee injury in the second quarter and nickel/safety Javon Bullard to a knee injury in the fourth quarter.

As the No. 7 seed, the Packers will play at either the Chicago Bears or Philadelphia Eagles in the wildcard playoffs next week. It will be a return trip to Chicago if the Bears beat the Lions at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon.

Packers Never Led

While the final score suggested the game was competitive, the final stats were a landslide.

The Packers were outgained 363-121. They finished with minus-7 net passing yards. Other than the Jets finishing with minus-10 earlier this season, it was the worst for any team since 2001.

With Jordan Love serving as the brake-glass-in-case-of-emergency backup quarterback, Clayton Tune was surrounded by a bunch of backups. Predictably, the offense was no match against Brian Flores’ powerhouse defense.

After three quarters, Tune was 3-of-6 passing for 18 yards. With three sacks thrown into the equation, the Packers had minus-13 net passing yards.

The Vikings started the game with the ball and drove to an opening field goal as J.J. McCarthy completed three passes to Justin Jefferson.

Green Bay’s defense, with Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson and Jonathan Ford as the defensive tackles and Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper and Jamon Johnson as the linebackers, played sturdy run defense. On third-and-1 on the second drive, defensive end Brenton Cox and Johnson stuffed started running back Jordan Mason. On third-and-1 on the third drive, Barryn Sorrell rocked Ty Chandler.

The Vikings led 3-0 after the first quarter. It was 97-2 in yards.

It was more of the same to start the second quarter.

Minnesota’s first possession of the quarter went three-and-out; McCarthy’s first-down incompletion was broken up by Johnson and almost intercepted by safety Kitan Oladapo.

Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson (23) runs the ball against the Minnesota Vikings. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Green Bay’s first possession of the second quarter started with a drop by Matthew Golden but an old-school quarterback run by Tune with running back Chris Brooks making the lead block meant a third-and-6 conversion. But three consecutive runs failed to get another first down, so Green Bay punted.

Bo Melton made a terrific tackle in punt coverage but suffered a knee injury, which forced a key decision by coach Matt LaFleur: Play with two receivers the rest of the game or take the bubble wrap off Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson or Jayden Reed.

After the punt, the Vikings drove to a 25-yard field goal to make it 6-0. The Packers improved to 6-for-6 on third down with the red-zone stop.

It was 185-27 in yards, and the disparity only grew when Emanuel Wilson bounced off a would-be tackler and turned a loss of 2 into a loss of 18 when he kept running backward as if he were a five-star recruit playing against a Pop Warner defense. Unfortunately for Wilson, he was playing against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

The Vikings finally found the end zone late in the first half, with fullback C.J. Ham running through Collin Oliver for a 1-yard touchdown. That made it 13-0 with 23 seconds left in the half.

Given the total ineptitude of Green Bay’s offense, the lead might as well have been 130-0.

The halftime numbers?

The Packers probably will lose tomorrow and be a rare team to enter the postseason with a four-game losing streak. Nonetheles, here are three reasons why they should be nobody's underdog for the playoffs. ⬇️https://t.co/YZOHsxhRLY

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) January 3, 2026

• Yards: 244 to 12.

• First downs: 14 to 3.

• Rushing: 70 to 15

• Net passing: 174 to minus-3.

More of Same in Second Half

The Packers got off to a promising start to the second half. Runs of 2 and 9 yards by Emanuel Wilson preceded an 8-yard pass from Clayton Tune to Jakobie Keeney-James and a 12-yard run by Wilson in which he broke two tackles and gained 10 yards after contact. However, the drive stalled and, on third-and-8, Dallas Turner ran around left tackle Jordan Morgan for his second sack.

Green Bay’s next drive showed some promise, too. Tune rolled out to his right, eluded Turner and ran for 16. Four consecutive runs by Chris Brooks (two for 16 yards) and Wilson (two for 11) pushed the ball past midfield for the first time. But, on third-and-9, safety Theo Jackson ran unblocked between Morgan and left guard Jacob Monk for the sack.

The Vikings were in position to put the game away – well, it was put away before kickoff – to start the fourth quarter. Having replaced J.J. McCarthy, rookie quarterback Max Brosmer went deep to Tai Felton on a double move. The initial move resulted in an illegal-contact penalty by Jaylin Simpson. With the ball approaching Felton downfield, Simpson was flagged for interference for a gain of 32.

However, on first-and-goal from the 5, Brosmer tripped over his left guard. He got back up and was hit from behind by Brenton Cox, who forced a fumble that was recovered by Barryn Sorrell.

Fittingly, Tune was sacked on first down and Matthew Golden dropped a pass on the second down.

On the next drive, one of the few defensive starters who played a significant number of snaps, defensive back Javon Bullard, suffered a knee injury while making a tackle. The Packers listed him as questionable to return. A 37-yard field goal extended the Vikings’ lead to 16-0. The Packers could have played for another 16 hours and not scored 16 points.

At that point, it was 363-65 in yards.

The only question was whether the Packers would score or get to 100 yards. A kickoff return to near the 40 by Wilson, a 12-yard run by Brooks and a third-and-1 conversion by Wilson gave the Packers a first down at Minnesota’s 23 with 1:55 to play. The run by Wilson got the Packers past 100 yards.

With 1 second left, LaFleur called a timeout. With what was left of the crowd booing, Brandon McManus kicked a 24-yard field goal so the Packers could avoid the shutout.

Packers Treat Game Like Preseason

Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler (32) runs the ball against Green Bay Packers defensive back Javon Bullard. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The Packers played only a few starters. Quarterback Clayton Tune was surrounded by Emanuel Wilson at running back, Matthew Golden, Bo Melton and Jakobie Keeney-James at receiver and Drake Dabney at tight end. The offensive line was left tackle Jordan Morgan, left guard Lecitus Smith, center Jacob Monk, right guard Anthony Belton and right tackle Darian Kinnard.

When Bo Melton was injured in punt coverage, Jayden Reed played as the third receiver.

On defense, the starters were Brenton Cox and Barryn Sorrell as the ends, Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson as the tackles, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper and Jamon Johnson as the linebackers, Keisean Nixon and Trevon Diggs as the cornerback and Evan Williams and Javon Bullard as the safeties.

Williams and Bullard were replaced after the first snap by Kitan Oladapo and Jonathan Baldwin, though Williams and Bullard continued to alternate series with Baldwin when Oladapo moved into the slot. Nixon played one series. Diggs played a few series in his Packers debut. The first half ended with Jaylin Simpson and Shemar Bartholomew as the corners.