What the Vikings Can Expect Different From the Packers Since Their Last Meeting

The Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to host the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. While that is already a huge game for the NFC North, it is even more interesting because the two played the last game of the 2025 regular season against each other as well.

During that Week 18 matchup, the Vikings were victorious, defeating the Packers by an 18-3 score. However, things will be quite different for the green and gold when the two teams take the field on Sunday compared to January's contest.

Here are some of the significant ways that the game between Minnesota and Green Bay will look very different for the Packers when the teams take the field in the season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium.

What differences should the Minnesota Vikings expect from the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 compared to the two teams' previous meeting?

1. Quarterback play

In the season finale last year, the Packers started Clayton Tune at quarterback. He completed six of his 11 passes for 34 yards while being sacked four times for a loss of 41 yards. That means Green Bay had a passing yards total of -7 yards.

On Sunday, Jordan Love is expected to be the starting quarterback, and he will not have negative yards when passing the ball. Plus, there is absolutely no chance Green Bay picks up only one first down through the air.

2. The running back

Chris Brooks was the primary running back for Green Bay in their January matchup against the Vikings. He had a solid day, running the ball 13 times for 61 yards, while Emanuel Wilson carried the ball 18 times for 44 yards.

In Week 1, the Packers will again be without Josh Jacobs, though MarShawn Lloyd is expected to get the start. Lloyd is still a question mark as to what he offers Green Bay's rushing attack since he has only carried the ball six times since joining the NFL. However, he's a big-play threat who could give Minnesota troubles if it doesn't take him seriously.

3. General roster composition

In general, the Packers will be playing most of the starters they were sitting in their last meeting against the Vikings. Green Bay was locked into the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, so they had no real reason to play their starters and put them in any kind of danger.

This weekend, expect all available players to be on the field. Josh Jacobs and Micah Parsons will not be suiting up, but this Packers team will be significantly more dangerous than the one that allowed J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer to get the victory in Minnesota.

4. Offensive game plan

In the regular-season finale last season, the Packers ran the ball 35 times compared to throwing only 11 passes. That is highly unlikely to be the ratio on Sunday unless the Vikings can't stop the run in the trenches.

Instead, expect Love to throw the ball much more often. In fact, Green Bay will probably throw the ball three times as often against the Vikings on Sunday to give their exciting young quarterback an opportunity to get the best of Minnesota's pass defense.

5. Agressive defense

With superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons out for this game, expect the Packers to dial up aggressive blitzes and interesting schemes to get pressure on Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray and smother receivers in coverage.

Since Parsons isn't available, Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell will be tasked with creating pressure on the edges. While they are not on the same talent level as Parsons, new Green Bay defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will have to be creative.

The bad news for Vikings fans is that Gannon is very familiar with Minnesota's starting quarterback. Murray played under head coach Gannon from 2023 to 2025 in Arizona. That familiarity should give the green and gold a great handle on the Murray's preferences and tendencies.

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