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TOTAL AtoZ SPORTS
By: Wendell Ferreira
Packers reestablish themselves as true contenders
The Green Bay Packers played to win. It got somewhat boring in the second half, but it was absolutely the type of game the Packers needed, beating the Minnesota Vikings, 23-6, improving their record to 7-3-1 on the season and to 2-0 in the NFC North division.
It’s a short week ahead with a Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday, but the Packers finally found the formula that the team was looking for throughout the entire regular season.
Complementary football, finally
Head coach Matt LaFleur has talked all season about the importance of playing complementary football. The game against the Vikings was probably the closest the Packers have gotten this season to achieving that.
The defense had some issues trying to stop the run, but did a better job getting off the field. Special teams are not necessarily a strength, but punter Daniel Whelan is a real weapon — and the unit forced a huge fumble and recovered it early in the second half. The offense took advantage of that, scoring immediately after to open a more comfortable advantage and put extra pressure on young Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
That sequence forced the Vikings to throw the ball more, allowing more opportunities for the pass rush to get home — and Micah Parsons did, making Christian Darrisaw look like an average tackle on multiple occasions.
The Packers’ brand of football in 2025 might not always be pretty and consistent, but it was a strong effort on Sunday to have all phases of the team performing in consonance. It’s particularly notable considering that the offense was without Josh Jacobs, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Tucker Kraft — it’s hard to produce and be explosive with so many impactful absences.
You may fairly argue that LaFleur was conservative at times, like when he decided to run twice on third-and-threes and then kick field goals deep in Vikings’ territory in the fourth quarter. But that approach is at least more palatable when the defense and special teams are consistently putting the offense in a favorable field position throughout the game.
Up-tempo offense may be a good idea
On the first drive, the Packers tried to combat the Vikings’ unique defense with a fast tempo. Emanuel Wilson looked like a more dynamic running back than Josh Jacobs, and Jordan Love quickly would go back to the line of scrimmage to run the next play.
That was a smart way to prevent Brian Flores from calling extravagant blitzes, and they scored a touchdown on that initial possession (and their only one in the first half) by stressing Minnesota’s defense snap after snap.
The idea was kept in their pocket for the rest of the game, for the most part, but it’s absolutely something that LaFleur can explore again throughout the rest of the season.
Offensive line adjustments
Early in the game, the Packers started a new right guard rotation. With Sean Rhyan starting at center, last year’s first-round pick Jordan Morgan and second-round rookie Anthony Belton rotated drives in the first half.
After halftime, though, Belton took over and kept the spot, which is especially notable for a young player who had practiced exclusively at tackle until this week. He was effective, especially in the run game, and the Packers generated solid rushing production from Wilson, even without Jacobs active.
If Belton can be a better option than Morgan at right guard, that move also opens the door for Morgan to compete with Rasheed Walker at left tackle. It’s a big move with both short- and long-term implications, considering that Walker and Rhyan are slated to hit free agency next offseason.
