The Green Bay Packers will travel a state over to take on the Minnesota Vikings in the regular-season opener.
- It is just the second time ever that Green Bay has played at Minnesota in Week 1 (2020).
- It is the fourth straight year and the eighth time in the last 10 seasons Green Bay has started the season on the road.
- It is the fourth time in the last five years that Green Bay has opened the season with an NFC North opponent.
- Of the past 39 regular-season meetings between the teams, 25 of those games have been decided by seven points or less.
- The Packers have a 30-30 record in away games against the Vikings, including wins at Minnesota in two of the last three seasons.
- Through 122 meetings, which includes two postseason contests (1-1), the Packers hold a 64-56-3 edge over the Vikings in the all-time series.
- Green Bay (eight) and Minnesota (four) have won 12 of the last 14 NFC North titles (2008-21).
- RB Aaron Jones (4,163) ranks No. 5 on the Packers all-time rushing list, trailing Tony Canadeo (4,197) for fourth place.
- QB Aaron Rodgers has posted a 100-plus passer rating in 12 straight divisional games. Over that span he has completed 277 of 377 (73.5 pct.) passes for 3,238 yards, 38 TDs, zero INTs and a passer rating of 132.7.
WITH THE CALL
FOX Sports, now in its 29th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game.
- Play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt joins analyst Greg Olsen and sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi.
- DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game with NFL Sunday Ticket on Channel 716.
- ESPN Radio will be broadcasting to a national audience with Jay Alter (play-by-play) and Kirk Morrison (analyst) on the call.
- All Packers games can be heard on the Packers Radio Network, which is made up of 49 stations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and South Dakota. This year, the Packers transitioned to a new flagship station in Milwaukee, iHeartRadio Milwaukee's 97.3 The Game WRNW. For a full listing of radio affiliates, go to packers.com/video/radio-network. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) call the action. McCarren first joined the team's broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 28th season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 24th season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago.
- The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed).
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
Packers at Vikings:
- Regular season, all-time: 63-55-3
- All-time, postseason: 1-1
- All-time, at Minnesota (regular season): 30-30-0
- Streaks: The Packers have won four of the last six meetings.
- Last meeting, regular season: Jan. 2, 2022, Lambeau Field, Packers won, 37-10
COACHES CAPSULES
- Matt LaFleur: 41-13-0, .796; (2-3 postseason); 4th NFL season
- Kevin O'Connell: 0-0-0, .000; (0-0 postseason); 1st NFL season
- Head to Head: LaFleur 0-0 vs. O'Connell
- vs. Opponent: LaFleur 4-2 vs. Vikings; O'Connell 0-0 vs. Packers
MATT LaFLEUR…In his fourth season as the Packers' 15th head coach.
- In his 14th season in the NFL, having served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (L.A. Rams, 2017; Tennessee, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington, 2010-13; Atlanta, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston, 2008-09).
- In his first three seasons leading the Packers, has authored one of the greatest starts to a head-coaching career in NFL history. With a 13-4 record in 2021, led the Packers to a third straight NFC North crown while also earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the second consecutive season.
- Became the first coach in NFL history to post 13-plus wins in three straight seasons and his 39 wins from 2019-21 passed George Seifert (38) for the most wins by an NFL head coach in his first three seasons in the league (Elias Sports Bureau). His 39 wins are also tied for the second most by a coach over any three-season span in league history, trailing only Mike Ditka's 40 wins with the Chicago Bears from 1985-87 (Elias).
- Has guided the Packers to a 22-2 record (.917) in the regular season at Lambeau Field, the top home mark in the NFL from 2019-21 and the best home winning percentage by a Packers head coach in his first three seasons. His 22 wins at home are also the most in NFL history by a coach in his first three seasons.
- In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, became the first coach in club history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season. Also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven).
KEVIN O'CONNELL…In his first season as the Vikings' 10th head coach.
- Joined the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams the past two seasons.
- Led the Rams to a No. 9 ranking in total offense (372.1 ypg.) last season while also helping his unit rank No. 2 in plays of 50-plus yards (10), No. 4 in yards per play (5.98) and No. 8 in offensive touchdowns (51).
- Helped guide Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp to prolific years in 2021, with Stafford setting the single-season team record for passing yards (4,886) and Kupp earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors from The Associated Press after leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving TDs (16).
- Prior to joining the Rams, worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019.
THE PACKERS-VIKINGS SERIES
- The Packers began the series with six straight wins before Minnesota rattled off 22 victories in 32 contests from 1964-79.
- Green Bay started a run of its own in 1979 that generated 16 wins over 21 games and lasted until 1990.
- Since 2000, the Packers are 26-16-2 (.614) in regular-season contests versus the Vikings.
- Green Bay is 16-10-1 against Minnesota with QB Aaron Rodgers as the starter.
- The Packers are 30-30 on the road all-time versus the Vikings.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers LB De'Vondre Campbell played at the University of Minnesota from 2013-15…Vikings LB Za'Darius Smith played for Green Bay for three seasons (2019-21) and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection…Vikings CB Chandon Sullivan played for the Packers from 2019-21…Packers defensive backs/passing game coordinator Jerry Gray coached the defensive backs in Minnesota from 2014-19...Packers inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti's father, Tom, coached on the Vikings' staff from 1996-99…Vikings assistant head coach Mike Pettine was the Packers' defensive coordinator from 2018-20...Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell held the same position with Green Bay from 2000-03...Vikings tight ends/passing game coordinator Brian Angelichio served as the Packers' tight ends coach from 2016-18...Vikings outside linebackers coach/pass rush specialist Mike Smith coached outside linebackers for Green Bay from 2019-21...Vikings assistant linebackers coach Sam Siefkes was born in Oconomowoc, Wis., and coached at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (2012-14), the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2015) and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (2016-17)...Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones coached the same position at the University of Wisconsin in 2015…Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst attended high school at Robbinsdale Armstrong in Plymouth, Minn., and Totino-Grace in Fridley, Minn…Gutekunst's father, John, served as the head coach at the University of Minnesota from 1985-91...Packers executive V.P./director of football operations Russ Ball served as senior football administrator for the Vikings from 1999-2000…Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was Vikings QB Kirk Cousins' position coach in Washington for two seasons (2012-13)…LaFleur and Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell coached on the staff in Washington together in 2010-11...Cousins and Packers LB Preston Smith played together in Washington from 2015-17...Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia were both on the coaching staff in San Diego in 2012 when Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell was with the Chargers as a quarterback during the 2012 preseason...Kirk Olivadotti coached with O'Connell on the staff in Washington in 2017-18 and with Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips in Washington from 2014-18...Packers player personnel executive Lee Gissendaner spent time on the Vikings' practice squad in 1996.
