Minneapolis, Minnesota Before the Green Bay Packers walked the field at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday night, the situation was obvious.
If the team with the youngest roster in the NFL at the beginning of the season defeats the Minnesota Vikings and then the Chicago Bears at home the following Sunday, they will advance to the postseason.
The Packers handled the first task on their playoff to-do list with aplomb on Sunday night, thoroughly humiliating their NFC North rivals 33-10. This set up a win-and-they’re-in situation against the Bears, whom the Packers defeated 38-20 in the season opener at Soldier Field on September 10. The Packers will play the Bears at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
In their first season without legendary quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, who combined for 22 postseason berths in their 31 years under center, the Packers (8-8) will secure the seventh and final seed in the NFC and make it to the playoffs if they defeat the Bears (7-9) at Lambeau Field on Sunday at 3:25 p.m.
Unflappable quarterback Jordan Love, who had a difficult game in the Packers’ 24-10 loss to the Vikings at Lambeau Field on October 29, put on another outstanding display to highlight his growth thus far this season. This time, Love had total control as he completed 24 of 33 throws for 256 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 125.3 passer rating.
However, the defense of the Packers,
After Mullens threw four interceptions in a loss to the Detroit Lions a week earlier, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell decided to start Hall on Sunday night with starting quarterback Kirk Cousins still sidelined due to a ruptured Achilles tendon during that Vikings victory in Green Bay two months ago. Cousins was limited to being a cheerleader and blower of the Gjallarhorn.
Going forward, the Packers’ ahead-of-schedule offensive ought to be even more effective.
However, O’Connell went to Mullens to begin the second half after the Vikings managed just 82 first-half yards, with Hall completing just 5 of 10 passes for 67 yards.
Even though Mullens got the Vikings offense going on their first play of the third quarter, the drive ultimately resulted in a fourth-down stop by the Green Bay defense.
The Vikings were outmatched, even after a muffed punt by Samori Touré led Mullens to Johnny Mundt, the team’s lone touchdown of the game.
Following the touchdown, Love guided the Packers on a 13-play, 57-yard drive that used up almost 8 minutes of time. Running back Aaron Jones did the majority of the heavy lifting during this drive, which ended with a 36-yard field goal from Anders Carlson to make the score 33-10 with 6 minutes, 11 seconds remaining.
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