The Vikings missed an opportunity to move to the No. 7 seed on Sunday in a 33-10 loss to the Packers.
Minnesota fell to 7-9 on the season, finishing its home slate with a 2-6 record at U.S. Bank Stadium, the lowest win total by the team at the venue that opened in 2016.
Rookie Jaren Hall started at quarterback, but Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell turned to Nick Mullens in the second half. The Packers improved to 8-8 on the season and jumped to the No. 7 spot in the NFC by turning two critical turnovers into touchdowns in the first half and finding offensive success with the run and pass.
It was the fifth consecutive Border Battle decided by 14 or more points, which is a major departure from the majority of Vikings games.
Since 2021, the Vikings have played 50 regular-season games, and 39 have been decided by one score. Only one in the past six Border Battles has met that qualification.
There’s an outside chance in Minnesota vaulting back from the current No. 10 spot in the NFC to No. 7.
The ups from Sunday were few and far between, but it did seem like special teams had a solid game.
Thompson’s speed and determination on special teams has shown up consistently in a year of inconsistencies for the team’s roster and execution.
The operation of the field goal was nice and clean for the 54-yarder.
Six of 10 Packers possessions resulted in points, which is not a path to winning a football game.
Opponents have averaged 30 points a game against Minnesota in the past three weeks, a sequence that began in Cincinnati with the Bengals rallying for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Cincinnati maintained possession of the football for 8:59 in that fateful fourth quarter.
Detroit held the ball for 38:22, and Green Bay possessed it for 37:32.
The stretch that followed Minnesota’s field goal (a 10-play, 75-yard drive on which Green Bay’s only third down was third-and-1, quick exchanges of punts by each team, the sack fumble that gave the Packers the ball at the Vikings 37 and the quick touchdown) was disastrous.
Definitely understand O’Connell trying to cut into a 17-3 lead before halftime with the opportunity to get the ball back to start the second half, but giving up the sack fumble on second-and-2 at the 46 was absolutely critical.
O’Connell’s preference has been to be the offensive play caller since his hire. He works with Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips and other assistants on building the plan during the week.
Every year, every team and coach conduct deep evaluations. I don’t know if that will be among what O’Connell evaluates. Play-calling in general is usually a drumbeat, but there’s an execution factor, along with the propensity to turn the football over that has plagued this team all season.
