The Packers placed CB Kamel Hadden, CB Nate Hobbs, S Zayne Anderson, OL Donovan Jennings, WR Savion Williams, and DL Jordan Riley on the injured reserve.  The Packers released Quinton Bohanna. That opened up 7 roster spots on the 53-man roster.  The Packers claimed CB Trevon Diggs and DL Jonathan Ford off of waivers.  They signed WR Jakobie Keeney-James, OC Lecitus Smith, QB Clayton Tune, S Jonathan Baldwin, CB/S Jaylin Simpson, and CB Shemar Bartholomew from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, thereby opening 6 spots on the practice squad.  

The Packers elevated TE Drake Dabney and LB Jamon Johnson from the practice squad to the game-day active list.  They signed S Mark Perry and Damien Martinez to the practice squad after placing TE McCallan Castles on the practice squad's injured reserve. The Packers signed OG Karsen Barnhart, CB Tyron Herring, and QB Desmond Ridder to the practice squad.  The Packers have 2 open roster spots on the practice squad.  There are no openings on the 53-man roster.

The injured inactive players were Dontayvion Wicks, RB Josh Jacobs, RT Zach Tom, and QB Malik Willis.  The healthy scratches were Edge Rashan Gary, S McKinney, and LB Quay Walker.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:

The run blocking was not very good.  Running up the middle produced rather poor results.  I checked the play by play and found just two runs up the middle for 4 yards or more.  Both gained 4 yards, and one of them came on 2nd and 28.  There were far too many negative runs.  I am surprised that Minnesota only had 8 tackles for loss.  It became apparent early that LaFleur was trying to kill the clock from the opening gun.  Tune only passed 11 times, and then usually because he had to pass.  Again, checking reveals passes on 3rd and 24, 3rd and 10, 3rd and 9, 3rd and 5, and 1st and 10, in the first half.  That put Tune in a poor situation and it put the offensive line in a bind, as well.  The Packers' running backs gained 105 yards on 31 carries.  If one does not count Wilson's mad scramble for negative 18, they gained 4.10 yards per carry.

The pass blocking was not good, either.  The Packers allowed 4 sacks and 5 QB hits on 11 passing attempt and 13 drop backs.  The good news is I did not think any of the lineman got physically whipped at the line or just was not quick enough.  Minnesota just dialed up a blitz or even an unusual defense and the line did not know what to do.  Pro Football Focus listed Minnesota with only 2 unblocked pass rushing snaps, but that seems low.  PFF also listed only one offensive lineman with giving up a pressure, and that was Darian Kinnard for 1 hurry.  One seems a bit low but it accords with my take that most of the Vikings' pressure came from favorable schemes.  

PFF liked Belton (71.0 initial grade) and Jacob Monk (70.5).  I did notice that Monk is quick off the snap.  Did this game make you want to pay Sean Rhyan something like $8M AAV to be the center next year?  Do you want to pay Rasheed Walker $20M AAV?  Can they?

RUNNING BACKS:

Chris Brooks gained 61 yards on 13 carries (4.69 yard average) with a long of 12.  Brooks allowed a hurry.  Wilson gained 44 yards on 18 carries, a 2.44-yard average, with a long of 12.  If one removed the negative 18-yard run, his average improves to 3.65, which still is not good.  Wilson is a big back who probably should have just fallen on the ball rather than trying to emulate Barry Sanders.  PFF indicates that Wilson allowed a sack.

QUARTERBACKS:

Clayton Tune completed 6 of 11 (54.5%) passes for 34 yards (3.09 yards per attempt).  He was sacked 4 times for 41 yards. His job was not to throw any interceptions or fumble the ball.  Anything more would be gravy.  Well, there was no gravy, and he did fumble, though it was recovered by the guy who allowed the free rusher to squash Tune. None of Tune's passes traveled more than 8 yards downfield in the air.

LaFleur presented Tune with a Herculean task and it turns out Tune is fully mortal.  The Packers had a -0.79 EPA per pass play, which lands in the zero percentile.  They had negative 7 net passing yards.  I don't take too much from his performance other than than that no one (neither Monk or Tune) could set the protections pre-snap and he did not read the field well in the time he had to scan it.

I imagine the Packers will add a quarterback to their roster either via the draft or in free agency.

TIGHT ENDS:

Whyle caught 1 pass for 4 yards and Drake Dabney caught 1 of 2 for 3 yards.  PFF assigned the sack to Dabney but I don't think tight ends not named Kittle or Marcedes Lewis should be blocking Dallas Turner one on one unless it is a quick throw.  It did not look like it had occurred to Dabney to block Turner until it was far too late.  Dabney alertly fell on the fumble.    

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Golden played every snap and caught 1 of 3 targets for 8 yards.  He dropped 2 passes.  Maybe I jinxed him after writing that Golden should have been on the hands team for the onside kick.  Keeny-James caught both of his targets for 15 yards.  Melton did not have any receptions and was only targeted once.  Melton left the game but reports are that he will be fine.  That forced Reed to play.  He got no targets - maybe by design.  Other than writing that receivers have to catch passes that hit their hands, I don't think the game plan leaves a lot of avenues for discussion.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES:

The defensive line looked much stouter than expected, and they did that while playing 1.89 defensive tackles per play on average.  I note that the Vikings offensive line is not great.  They played Justin Skule ($2M/year) at left tackle and Michael Jurgens ( a 7th round pick in the 2024 draft with 242 snaps, all this season) at center.  Skule is having a decent year.  Jurgens is probably the fish, the below average player.  They played Will Fries at right guard: Fries and Aaron Banks are the free agent offensive guard I looked at last offseason but decided they both wanted too much money.  Fries got $17.5M and he has been as average as average can be.  He has been healthy.  Their right tackle, Brian O'Neill, is good and he played. The Vikings gained 137 yards on 31 carries, a 4.42-yard average.  Minnesota finished at -0.10 EPA per rush.  The Packers were at -0.12 EPA.  The line got some push at times.  

Jonathan Ford had 2 solo tackles.  Stackhouse had 2 assisted tackles and Brinson had 1 QB hit and one offsides penalty. PFF listed Ford with a run stop and Stackhouse with 2 missed tackles and a run stop.    

DEFENSIVE ENDS:

Sorrell had 8 tackles (5 solo), 1 tackle for loss and 1 sack.  He had 3 pressures (2 hurries and a sack) in 25 pass rushing snaps, a decent 12% pressure rate.  PFF credited him with 4stops but dinged him for a missed tackle.  He allowed 1 reception on 1 target to be completed for 6 yards, a 91 passer rating.  Cox had 2 tackles (1 solo), 3 QB hits, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and a tackle for loss.   PFF listed him with no run stops and 1 missed tackle.  Cox did have 6 pressures (3 hurries, 2 QB hits, 1 sack) on 26 pass rushing snaps, good for an excellent 23.1% pressure rate. Oliver had 1 solo tackle, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 QB hits.  PFF credited Oliver with 2 pressures (both QB hits) on 17 pass rushing snaps, an 11.8% pressure rate, about the same as Sorrell's pressure rate.  Oliver had a missed tackle.  Oliver dropped into coverage but was not targeted.  Mosby had no conventional statistics.  PFF credited him with 2 hurries on 6 pass rushing chances, a 33% pressure rate.

This was an encouraging performance.  The Packers won't pass up an Edge prospect in the draft if he is good, but they might look elsewhere.

LINEBACKERS:

Johnson had 10 tackles (3 solo) with a pass defensed.  He had 1 stop.  He allowed 6 of 8 passes for 86 yards (109 passer rating).  Hopper had 5 tackles (1 solo).  He had 2 stops and a missed tackle.  He allowed 1 of 2 passes to be completed for 18 yards (81 passer rating).  More importantly, he played the mike position in the absence of Quay Walker.  Hopper looked pretty good in his audition to the Mike backer in 2026. Since Quay Walker will be a free agent, the Packers have a decision: pay Quay $12M to $15M or so per year, draft a replacement, or hope for internal development.  McDuffie had 5 tackles (4 solo).  PFF listed him with 3 stops including a tackle for loss/no gain.  He allowed 1 reception on 1 target to be completed for 12 yards (112 passer rating).  PFF gave McDuffie an initial grade of 78.4.

The Packers only had 3 linebackers active.  I wonder if Oliver or Sorrell might have taken a handful of snaps at off the ball linebacker had there been an injury.  

DEFENSIVE BACKS:

Jaylin Simpson had 8 tackles (5 solo).  He allowed 4 of 7 targets to be completed for 52 yards, an 80.7 passer rating.  Jonathan Baldwin had 7 tackles (4 solo).  He allowed both of his targets to be completed for 27 yards (118 passer rating).  PFF credited him with a run stop and a tackle for loss/no gain.  Olopado had 5 tackles (4 solo) with 1 pass defensed.  He had a run stop per PFF and a missed tackle.  He allowed 4 of 4 passes to be completed for 33 yards, a 101 passer rating.  Bullard had 3 tackles (1 solo).  He was not targeted.  Evan Williams had 3 assisted tackles.  He no pressures but only 1 pass rush snap.  He was not targeted.  

Justin Jefferson is the only Viking who hurt the Packers (8/11 for 101 yards).  Jordan Addison (610 yards) needs a change of scenery.  I imagine the Vikings will pick up his 5th year option for $17.5M

.  

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Whelan punted 8 times for 431 yards with a net average of 53.  He placed 5 inside the 20 and had 1 touchback.  He flipped the field at times.  McManus made a short field goal at the end of the game.  LaFleur did not want any issues and put the number one field goal unit on the field. 
That is why Rasheed Walker, Banks and Rhyan each have 1 snap.   

All statistics nflgsis or pro football focus.

Photo courtesy of Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network.

OL: 5.00

RB: 1.00

TE: 1.65 (why such a high number given who is available?)

WR: 2.35

DT: 1.90

DE: 2.12

LB: 2.39

DB: 4.60