MINNEAPOLIS, MN (WTAQ) – The corks were supposed to pop at midnight, along with the noisemakers, toasts and more. The Green Bay Packers put on quite a New Year’s party a couple hours early with a dominating 33-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings to reach 8-8 on the season and put destiny in their hands in a finale and a playoff berth for the second year in a row. No need to bring up that disappointment now for the NFL’s youngest team continues to surprise and has endured a remarkable roller coaster ride to the cusp of the post-season.
This was without a doubt, the most complete game of the season as the Packers outgained the Vikings 470-211, they controlled the clock for more than 37 minutes, and had two young wide receivers light up US Bank Stadium in front of the national television audience.
Jordan Love was outstanding again, going 24 of 33 for 256 yards with three touchdowns and a passer rating of 125.3. He didn’t turn the ball over, wasn’t sacked. But his touchdown tosses were the story, two to Jayden Reed, who finished with 6 catches for 89 yards battling through another wicked blow to his chest. Reed now has 59 catches and 10 total touchdowns on the season. The reception number broke Sterling Sharpe’s franchise rookie record of 55 and it’s the third highest TD total for a rookie. With Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks down with injury, enter Bo Melton. A career practice squad member since joining the team before 2022 season, Melton caught his first NFL touchdown and also became the first Packer wideout top 100 yards in a game this year with 6 catches for 105 yards, 37 on the final catch, a dagger of a toss from mop up quarterback Sean Clifford in the final minute.
The offensive held up in protection for all those fireworks and also moved bodies in the run game. The Packers piled up 177 yards on 39 carries and Aaron Jones went for 120 yards on 20 attempts, his second straight 100 yard day, the first two of the season for Green Bay.
Let’s not forget the defensive effort. Sure the Vikes started a rookie in Jaren Hall but Tommy DeVito and Bryce Young had their way with embattled coordinator Joe Barry’s defense lately. Not this time. Barry dialed up extreme pressures against Hall and it led to an early interception by Corey Ballentine off a deflection. Hall was sacked three times in the first half and Preston Smith forced a fumble late in the second quarter that Green Bay recovered and turned into Reed’s second touchdown to make it a 23-3 game at the half. Nick Mullens took over in the second half and while he produced a touchdown on a 7 yard possession after Samori Toure muffed a punt, he was under duress as well. The Packers finished with 4 sacks and a whopping 14 quarterback pressures. The heat allowed the secondary, playing without the suspended Jaire Alexander, to lock down on Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. They combined for 8 catches and 87 yards.
The offense opened the scoring on its second possession, driving 64 yards in 12 plays before settling for Anders Carlson’s 34 yard field goal. Two snaps later came Balletine’s pick and two plays after that, Love hit Reed down the middle splitting deep cover safeties for a 33 yard touchdown. Minnesota answered with a 54 yard field goal from Greg Joseph with 9:25 left in the second. Love capped the next 75 yard drive with a keep around the left side where he hurdled a defender at the goal line and his hand with the ball crashed on the white paint. Originally called down by contact short, officials huddled and determined it was a touchdown for a 17-3 lead. After a Quay Walker sack, Minnesota punted and Reed signaled for a fair catch at the last minute and hung as NaJee Thompson nearly cut him in half with a collision. After Smith’s strip sack with :26 left in the half, Reed returned and took a crossing route, and in extreme pain, made a defender miss and carried another one the final four yards to complete a 25 yard touchdown with :08 left. Carlson’s extra point sailed left but the Packers had grabbed control of a game they would not relinquish.
Yes, both teams have been hit hard by injury this year. Kirk Cousins, who had the honor of blowing the Viking horn before kickoff (ripping off his shirt with a heavy gold chain around his neck to the delight of the crow), had his season ended in Green Bay when he tore his Achilles after lighting up the Pack and the league for the matter through the first 8 games of the season. But the Packer reserves have been stepping up all year and were needed again. Melton for Wicks, Eric Wilson for Isaiah McDuffie who was evaluated for a concussion. Rudy Ford pulled a hamstring, A.J. Dillon suffered a stinger. Didn’t matter, the Packers came to play and did.
Afterwards, Head Coach Matt LaFleur with some Auld Lang Syne for Minneapolis:
That game with Chicago can wait, Jordan Love on the big performance to ring in the new year:
Amidst whoops and roars from players in the tunnel post game, the biggest came from Watson and Doubs, mobbing the unlikeliest star of the night, Bo Melton, surrounded by the media a few minutes later.
The Packers need only help themselves to reach the playoffs as a Wild Card team. With Pittsburgh beating Seattle, Green Bay only needs to beat Chicago (finishing strong with a win at home over Atlanta today) next Sunday to get in and even though St. Louis clinched a playoff spot with a one point victory over the New York Giants (where Mason Crosby missed a potential 54 yard game winner), the Packers hold the head to head tiebreaker so if they should happen to lose their finale to San Francisco, Green Bay could climb to the number 6 seed.
Things looked just as promising in the first week of 2023 but the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers had one last disappointment which only hardened General Manager Brian Gutekunst’s resolve to turn the roster over and turn the reigns over to Love, and here we are.
The NFL has set the final weekend schedule and the Green Bay-Chicago game will kick off at 3:25 PM on Sunday afternoon with CBS covering it.
Bring on 2024.
