Inside The Vikings

5 things that stood out from Vikings' season-ending win over Green Bay

Dallas Turner looks like a problem for Minnesota's opponents next year and beyond.
Will Ragatz|
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) pressures Green Bay Packers quarterback Clayton Tune (6) during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) pressures Green Bay Packers quarterback Clayton Tune (6) during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings wrapped up their 2025 season on Sunday with a 16-3 victory over a Packers team resting most of its starters. It's the fifth straight win to end the campaign for Kevin O'Connell's team, which finishes 9-8 and just a half-game out of a playoff spot in the NFC.

Now the offseason begins. But first, here are five things that stood out from Sunday's somewhat meaningless — but relatively eventful — game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The full McCarthy experience

As the Vikings head into an offseason that will be dominated by quarterback rumors and speculation, the full J.J. McCarthy experience was on display in this game. The good was that he completed 14 of 23 passes for 182 yards and was well on his way to a career-high in passing yards (the previous being 250), even if it was against the Packers' B-team defense. McCarthy made several impressive throws in this one and showcased his ability to make plays out of the pocket.

The bad? There was plenty of that as well. McCarthy was too amped up on a physical early run and picked up a 15-yard flag for taunting, which O'Connell surely didn't love. He put the ball in harm's way by throwing back across his body a couple times, so he was a bit lucky to finish without a turnover. And he missed a couple open receivers, including a potential touchdown to Jordan Addison.

Unfortunately, McCarthy's day ended early due to pain in his injured throwing hand. He removed himself from the game after his first pass of the second half. Now a long offseason of QB questions begins.

Smith, Ham get emotional sendoffs

Those in attendance at U.S. Bank Stadium got to say a very-probable goodbye to future Hall-of-Famer Harrison Smith and Minnesota native CJ Ham on what was quite possibly their last appearances in a Vikings jersey, with both pending free agents and perhaps headed for retirement.

Smith, 36, was given the chance to leave the field with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter, with the game stopped to allow the crowd to stand in adulation for the legendary safety, who has been purple through-and-through since being drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Fullback Ham, a 32-year-old native of Duluth, Minnesota, celebrated with his family after scoring a one-yard touchdown, the Vikings' sole TD of the day. He too got a moment on the jumbotron late in the game.

Jefferson reaches 1,000 yards

This season hasn't gone the way Justin Jefferson wanted, but the star receiver still managed to maintain his record of at least 1,000 receiving yards, marking the sixth season in succession he has reached the landmark.

Jefferson hit the mark with a 17-yard catch in the second quarter, becoming only the third player in NFL history to have 1,000 receiving yards in each of their first six seasons, the others being Randy Moss and Mike Evans.

The abiding question for the Vikings now is whether Jefferson will be catching passes from J.J. McCarthy next season.

Dallas Turner continues to impress

As the season has rumbled on, Dallas Turner has grown into his role in Brian Flores' defense, and he produced another outstanding performance to finish the season.

The outside linebacker, drafted in the first round in 2024, twice sacked Packers third-string QB Clayton Tune, one of them forcing a fumble as he showed devastating speed off the edge.

With the Vikings already enjoying an embarrassment of riches on defense, Turner living up to his potential could be ominous for any offense facing the Vikings in future years.

The Packers lose 19 yards on a rush

The weirdest moment of the day came in the first half, when Packers running back Emanuel Wilson somehow contrived to lose 19 yards on a rushing play.

With the ferocious Vikings defense bearing down on the back, Wilson decided to go in reverse in the hope of creating an opening. Nope, no opening for you, with defenders hunting him down and almost forcing a safety. It was apparently the biggest loss on a rush by an NFL running back since 2007.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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