GREEN BAY — ‘Tis the season for separating in the NFC North.
The Packers begin looking at playoff possibilities when they host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in the first of three consecutive games against division opponents.
The Packers (6-3-1) rallied for a 27-20 win at the New York Giants to snap a two-game skid. Green Bay, which has played just one division game to date, is a half-game behind division-leading Chicago and a half-game ahead of defending division champion Detroit.
Minnesota (4-6-0) lost at home to Chicago, 19-17, on a last-second, 48-yard field goal for its fourth defeat in five games.
“NFC North, going to Lambeau, always a very, very important game for the Minnesota Vikings and it is absolutely one this week,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday.
Since opening with dominant victories over the Lions and Commanders, the Packers’ offense has been trying to rediscover that rhythm. Green Bay has allowed just a total of 39 points in its three losses, raising concern about the ability of the offense to match that level of performance.
Green Bay trailed 20-19 against the Giants until Jordan Love hit Christian Watson with a 17-yard touchdown pass with just over four minutes remaining.
The Packers were outgained 336-296 in total yards and the Giants had an almost 12-minute edge in time of possession.
Green Bay is sixth in the league in yards allowed per game with 292.1 and seventh against the run with 96.8 yards per contest.
Love has completed 67.7% of his passes with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. Romeo Doubs has a team-high 39 receptions for 499 yards and four scores.
Josh Jacobs is the leading rusher with 648 yards at 3.8 per carry and is second in the NFL with 11 rushing touchdowns, but left the Giants game in the first half with a knee injury. He did not practice Wednesday.
“The plan is to try and get him healthy enough to go,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday. “He is truly day-to-day and we’ll see how he progress as the week unfolds.”
Backup Emanuel Wilson has rushed for 220 yards at 4.2 per carry and would step into the starting role if Jacobs is a scratch. Given the tight turnaround to a Thanksgiving date in Detroit on Thursday, the Packers are likely to resist temptation to play Jacobs in a diminished capacity.
Doubs (wrist) was limited participation in practice Wednesday, along with fellow receivers Matthew Golden (shoulder/wrist), Watson (knee), and Dontayvion Wicks (calf). Linebacker Quay Walker (shoulder), defensive tackle Karl Brooks (ankle) and cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee) did not practice.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who missed all of his rookie season last year with a knee injury and five games this season with an ankle injury, has struggled since returning. He has completed 52.9% of his passes with six touchdowns and eight interceptions and a passer rating of 61.7.
“I kind of make the analogy of just like a cork to come off a bottle,” McCarthy said Wednesday. “Just understanding that it’s one to three little things that I need to change about my game to make a huge difference.”
McCarthy completed just 16 of 32 passes against Chicago for 150 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown.
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson leads the Vikings with 56 caches for 747 yards. Tight end T.J. Hockenson has 34 receptions for 280 yards.
Jordan Mason is the leading rusher with 489 yards and five touchdowns. Former Packer Aaron Jones is next with 256 yards.
Minnesota gives up 127.0 yards per game on the ground and 190.5 through the air.
Guard Will Fries (knee) and linebacker Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) did not practice Wednesday.
The Packers and Vikings have split the last 12 games in the series.
–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media
