MINNEAPOLIS – The Packers wrapped up their regular season by resting as many starters as they could and fell to the Vikings, 16-3, at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.
Green Bay will enter the playoffs as the No. 7 seed with a 9-7-1 record, having lost four straight and awaiting news on whether the wild-card opponent is Chicago or Philadelphia. Minnesota ended its season on a five-game winning streak and finished 9-8.
Playing backups against the Vikings' starters, the Packers couldn't do much on offense, not surpassing 100 total yards until their last possession, when they kicked a field goal on the game's final play. Green Bay was outgained 363-121 on the day.
QB Clayton Tune was 6-for-11 for 34 yards and a 60.4 passer rating, getting sacked four times, mostly by unblocked rushers. RB Chris Brooks had 13 carries for 61 yards, and RB Emanuel Wilson had 18 carries for 44 yards. WR Jakobie Keeney-James had two catches for 15 yards.
Green Bay's backups on defense held up reasonably well, only allowing one touchdown and getting a strip-sack with the Vikings in the red zone that kept points off the board. DL Brenton Cox Jr. was credited with the sack and forced fumble, and DL Barryn Sorrell made the recovery. Sorrell also had a zero-yard sack in the game.
QB J.J. McCarthy was 14-of-23 for 182 yards and an 85.8 passer rating before exiting the game early in the third quarter. Max Brosmer finished the game, going 7-of-8 for 57 yards and a 96.4 rating.
WR Justin Jefferson eclipsed 1,000 yards on the season by catching eight passes for 101 yards. RB Jordan Mason had 14 carries for 94 yards, and FB C.J. Ham scored the lone TD.
The Packers did report two injuries during the course of the game. WR Bo Melton and S Javon Bullard both left the game with knee injuries.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Vikings lead Packers 3-0 after first quarter
Green Bay won the opening coin toss and elected to defer. The Packers elected to sit most of their defensive starters, though Keisean Nixon and Trevon Diggs started at perimeter cornerback. Evan Williams also rotated in a safety in nickel when Johnathan Baldwin moved down to slot cornerback.
J.J. McCarthy led Minnesota down the field on the Vikings' opening possession before picking up a taunting penalty after a 6-yard run to push them back to second-and-19 at the Green Bay 38.
Minnesota gained 13 yards before settling for a 43-yard Will Reichard field goal to put the Vikings up 3-0 with 10 minutes, 27 second left in the first quarter.
With Jordan Love serving as backup, Clayton Tune started at quarterback for Green Bay. The Packers went three-and-out on their first possession after Emanuel Wilson gained one yard on two carries before Andrew Van Ginkel broke up a Tune pass on third-and-9.
Daniel Whelan boomed a 62-yard punt that Bo Melton downed at the Minnesota 2.
Jordan Mason gained 11 yards on first down, but the Vikings were forced to punt after Packers linebacker Jamon Johnson tackled Mason for no gain on third-and-1. Green Bay took over at its 30.
Chris Brooks broke a 10-yard run to open. The Packers went no-huddle and Tune completed his first pass to Drake Dabney for three yards. On third-and-5 from the Green Bay 45, Dallas Turner had a strip sack of Tune that the Packers recovered.
Whelan's 68-yard punt went for a touchback. Rookie fifth-round pick Collin Oliver, making his NFL debut, pressured McCarthy into a throwaway from the Minnesota 38.
That play helped set up Barryn Sorrell stopping Ty Chandler for a 1-yard loss on third-and-1 to force another Vikings punt. Green Bay took over at its 10.
Vikings lead Packers 13-0 at halftime
Green Bay punted after a 7-yard pass to Jakobie Keeney-James on fourth-and-10. Safety Kitan Oladapo nearly picked off J.J. McCarthy on first down after his pass was deflected in the air.
On third-and-6, McCarthy missed Jefferson high with Diggs in coverage. The Packers took over at their 30 and picked up the initial first down on a Tune sweep that gained seven on third-and-6.
Green Bay punted after Emanuel Wilson was dropped for no gain on third-and-4 from the Packers' 46. Melton tackled Jeshaun Jones for a 1-yard loss after Whelan's 43-yard punt but was slow to get up after the play. It was announced as a knee injury.
On second-and-6 from the Minnesota 13, McCarthy rolled out and hit Josh Oliver for a 22-yard pickup. McCarthy fired back-to-back 17-yard completions to Jefferson and then Jalen Nailor to move the ball to the Green Bay 30.
The Vikings went for it on fourth-and-1 from the 21. McCarthy gained a yard off a sneak. The Packers unsuccessfully challenged. Diggs came across the defense to end a 12-yard Mason run at the Green Bay 8.
McCarthy threw three straight incompletions and the Vikings settled for a 26-yard Reichard field goal to extend their lead to 6-0 with 3:02 left in the first half.
Wilson was tackled for an 18-yard loss on first down after trying to cut it back, leading to a three-and-out. The Vikings looked to add to their point total, with McCarthy connecting with Nailor for 26 yards to the Green Bay 21 on third-and-8.
Former Packers tight end Ben Sims caught an 18-yard pass to set up first-and-goal at the GB 3. C.J. Ham scored on a 1-yard fullback dive to push Minnesota's lead to 13-0 with 23 seconds left in the half.
Vikings lead Packers 13-0 after three quarters
Emanuel Wilson gained some momentum to start the third quarter, rushing four times for 28 yards, with a Keeney-James 7-yard card mixed in. The drive stalled at the Minnesota 34 after Chris Brooks was tackled for a 3-yard loss and Tune was sacked for a second time by Turner.
Minnesota took over at its 14 after Whelan's 30-yard punt. McCarthy left the game with a right-hand injury after an 8-yard pass to Jefferson. Max Brosmer replaced him.
Nazir Stackhouse nearly had a sack of Brosmer on third-and-2 but Sorrell stopped him to force Minnesota to punt.
Backed up to the Green Bay 7, Tune scrambled for 16 yards down the right sideline to convert on first-and-15. Brooks and Wilson gained 28 yards on consecutive carries to move the ball over midfield before the drive stalled.
The Packers were forced to punt after Tune was sacked on his third-and-9 drop back. Minnesota took over at its 8 after Whelan's 57-yard punt.
Vikings top Packers 16-3, Green Bay enters playoffs at 9-7-1
Jaylin Simpson was called for defensive pass interference against Tai Felton, a 32-yard penalty that moved the Vikings to the Green Bay 22.
Brosmer converted a third-and-1 situation with an 8-yard pass to Xavier Scott to the Green Bay 5. On the next play, Brenton Cox Jr. was credited for a strip sack that Sorrell recovered at the Green Bay 25.
The Packers went three-and-out again after Tune was sacked on first down. Javon Bullard, platooning with Evan Williams at safety, injured his knee at the end of a 19-yard Mason run.
Minnesota pushed the ball down to the Green Bay 18 before Jamon Johnson tackled Ty Chandler for a 1-yard loss on a third-and-11 screen. Reichard made a 37-yard field goal to put the Vikings up 16-0 with 4:09 remaining.
Green Bay started at its 40 after Wilson's 33-yard kickoff return. The Vikings took a timeout with 3:32 remaining to honor safety Harrison Smith.
An 8-yard pass to Matthew Golden moved Green Bay across midfield. Brooks gained 12 yards on the next carry to the Vikings' 37. The game reached the two-minute warning with a 4-yard Wilson run on second-and-5.
Wilson gained the first down off a pitch for five yards. He converted another first down with a 3-yard run to the Minnesota 11 on third-and-1. Brooks picked up four yards on third-and-9 and Brandon McManus made a 24-yard field goal as time expired.
