GREEN BAY – The Packers' defense suffocated the Vikings in the second half, and the offense got a 100-yard, two-TD performance from backup RB Emanuel Wilson to post a 23-6 victory on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
With the win, the Packers improved to 7-3-1 heading into Thursday's big showdown in Detroit. The Vikings fell to 4-7.
Green Bay's defense made Minnesota QB J.J. McCarthy's life miserable in the second half, sacking him four times and intercepting him twice. DL Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt had two sacks each, while LB Isaiah McDuffie and S Evan Williams had the picks. The defense had five sacks in all, with McDuffie and rookie DL Warren Brinson splitting one in the first half.
The defense limited the Vikings to just two long field goals of 50-plus yards in the first half, and also got a crucial stop on fourth-and-short in the red zone for a turnover on downs.
The Packers' offense didn't maximize on all its chances, but did enough to stay in control of the game. Wilson finished with 28 carries for 107 yards – both career highs and season highs for Green Bay – and the two TDs in Josh Jacobs' stead. QB Jordan Love was 14-of-21 for 139 yards and an 85.2 passer rating, and WR Christian Watson had five catches for 49 yards.
For the Vikings, McCarthy was 12-of-19 for 87 yards with the two INTs and 34.2 passer rating. RBs Jordan Mason (8-42) and Aaron Jones (9-41) combined for 83 yards on the ground, and WR Justin Jefferson had four catches for 48 yards.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers lead Vikings 7-3 after first quarter
Green Bay won coin toss and elected to receive. After a touchback, former Packers running back Aaron Jones broke a 13-yard run across midfield before J.J. McCarthy threw a 15-yard pass to Justin Jefferson over the middle.
The drive stalled at the Green Bay 34 after Micah Parsons pressured McCarthy into a throwaway on first down and Kingsley Enagbare blew up a third-and-10 screen pass.
Will Reichard made a 52-yard field goal to give Minnesota a 3-0 lead with 12 minutes, 53 seconds left in the first quarter.
Emanuel Wilson, starting in place of Josh Jacobs (knee), gained seven yards off a check down to set up a 12-yard out to Christian Watson on third-and-3.
Tight end Luke Musgrave drew a 24-yard defensive pass interference penalty against Vikings safety Josh Metellus on a pass down the left sideline. After a 4-yard Wilson run, Dontayvion Wicks powered through multiple Minnesota defenders on an 18-yard catch to the Vikings' 1.
Wilson powered in for the 1-yard TD on the next play to put the Packers up 7-3 with 9:15 left in the first quarter.
The Vikings gained the initial first down with a 6-yard checkdown to Jones and 2-yard Jordan Mason run. Edgerrin Cooper timed his blitz perfectly to help cause McCarthy dropping the snap and losing three yards.
Isaiah McDuffie, starting at middle linebacker in place of Quay Walker, dropped T.J. Hockenson on third-and-9 to force the Vikings punt. Green Bay took over at its own 2 after Ryan Wright's 53-yard punt bounced out of bounds.
A 9-yard out to Watson moved Green Bay to the 11. Wilson bounced outside for eight yards on third-and-1. The Vikings sent an all-out blitz on third-and-10, but Love showed great touch on a 14-yard pass to Wicks in the middle of the field to convert.
The drive ended after two incompletions, a false start and Love getting sacked on third-and-15. Minnesota took over at its 24 after a 63-yard Daniel Whelan punt and 11-yard return.
Keisean Nixon was slow to get up after colliding with Devonte Wyatt while defending Justin Jefferson's catch near the sideline. Kamal Hadden replaced Nixon.
Packers lead Vikings 10-6 at halftime
Mason carried the ball five straight times, including a 22-yard gain on second-and-6. The Vikings gained four yards on a play-action rollout to Josh Oliver and another five with an Aaron Jones cutback to the Green Bay 17.
The Vikings tried to convert on third-and-1 with a direct snap to motioning tight end T.J. Hockenson but were stopped. On fourth-and-1, Kingsley Enagbare tackled Mason for no gain and the turnover on downs.
Wilson powered through the middle for 11 yards on first downs and carried four straight times after that for another 17 yards. Vikings safety Joshua Metellus suffered an apparent knee injury after coming on a run blitz during that stretch.
Chris Brooks caught a 5-yard pass and converted the third-and-1 with a 2-yard run up the middle to the Minnesota 47.
Wilson gained 10 yards on his next carry and Romeo Doubs moved Green Bay into the Vikings' red zone with an 18-yard catch over the middle.
Doubs caught a 5-yard out on second down, but the Packers settled for a 32-yard Brandon McManus field goal to push their lead to 10-3 with 2:25 remaining in the first half.
The 14-play, 68-yard series last 8:01, marking the Packers' longest scoring drive of the season.
With Minnesota starting at its 27, Jones gained eight yards to reach the two-minute warning. Jones converted a third-and-1 with a 5-yard run up the middle. McCarthy then hit Jefferson on a 19-yard corner route to the Green Bay 40.
Rookie sixth-round pick Warren Brinson combined with McDuffie to sack McCarthy for a 7-yard loss on second-and-10. After a 6-yard screen to Jones, Reichard drilled a 59-yard field goal to cut the Packers' lead to 10-6 with 10 seconds left in the half.
Packers lead Vikings 17-6 after three quarters
After starting at the Green Bay 28, Love and Wilson connected for 11 yards on second-and-7. Love scrambled for 13 yards to the Minnesota 45 before two runs that lost five yards.
Green Bay punted after Love's third-and-15 pass fell incomplete and regained possession of the ball after Daniel Whelan's 42-yard punt bounced sideways and caromed off Vikings returner Myles Price. Zayne Anderson recovered at the Minnesota 5.
Two plays later, Wilson powered in for a 1-yard touchdown to put Green Bay up 17-6 with 10:53 left in the third quarter. It's Wilson's first career two-TD game.
Micah Parsons sacked McCarthy for a 7-yard loss on first down. The Vikings went three-and-out after two Hockenson passes netted just nine yards.
Green Bay started at its own 8 and converted the initial first down with a 6-yard out to Watson on third-and-5. Watson caught an 11-yard out on the next play, but the drive stalled at the Packers' 39 after Wilson was dropped for a 2-yard loss on third-and-1.
The Vikings took over at their 13 after a 50-yard Whelan punt but quickly went three-and-out.
Evan Williams came on a run blitz to tackle Jones for a 1-yard loss on first down. Parsons sacked McCarthy for a 5-yard loss on second down, notching his fifth straight season of 10-plus sacks. On third-and-16, Parsons helped generate the inside pressure that led to Devonte Wyatt sacking McCarthy for a 6-yard loss at Minnesota 1.
Wright banged a 59-yard punt out of his own end zone that was returned five yards to the Green Bay 45. Wilson ran the ball three straight times for 26 yards to the Minnesota 29, as the third quarter ended.
Packers rout Vikings 23-6, improve to 7-3-1
Wilson went over the 100-yard mark on his first carry of the fourth quarter, an 11-yard gain to the Vikings' 18. Wilson lost a yard on a third-and-3 carry and McManus made a 30-yard field goal to extend Green Bay's lead to 20-6 with 12:13 remaining.
The eight-play, 43-yard scoring drive consisted of only running plays.
With Minnesota starting at its 19, Parsons knifed through to aid Colby Wooden in dropping Mason for a 2-yard loss. A false start penalty on second down pushed the Vikings back to the 12.
Adam Thielen dropped a second-and-17 pass and Wyatt sacked McCarthy for a 10-yard loss to the Minnesota 2. Doubs returned Wright's punt 16 yards to the Vikings' 40.
The Packers gained 11 yards on a play-action pass to John FitzPatrick on first down. A false start penalty pushed Green Bay back, but an 11-yard out to Watson set up McManus' 40-yard field goal to make it 23-6 Packers with 7:36 remaining.
Rashan Gary came off the edge on first down and got a hand on McCarthy's pass that McDuffie then picked off over the middle for his first career interception. Green Bay took over at the Minnesota 40.
The Packers went three-and-out, and Whelan punted the ball 32 yards out of bounds to the Minnesota 7. The Vikings converted their first first down of the second half on an 4-yard pass to Jones on second-and-2.
On second-and-5 from the 33, Evan Williams picked off McCarthy on an overthrown pass to Jalen Nailor and Green Bay took over at its 37. It's Williams' team-leading third INT of the year.
Malik Willis replaced Love at quarterback with 3:37 remaining. Chris Brooks gained 10 yards to the Packers' 49 and the game reached the two-minute warning after a 2-yard Brooks carry.
Willis connected with Luke Musgrave on a play-action rollout for seven on second-and-8 and Willis gained three yards on a run up the middle on third-and-1 to run the clock out.
