Vikings vs. Packers score, takeaways: Green Bay moves step closer to playoff berth with blowout win

The Packers are one win away from earning a postseason berth

The Green Bay Packers scored their biggest win of the season on Sunday night, defeating the Minnesota Vikings 33-10 and moving one step closer to clinching a playoff spot.

Thanks to their victory and the Seattle Seahawks' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier on Sunday, the Packers now have a chance to ensure themselves a trip to the postseason by beating the Chicago Bears next week. In the first year of the post-Aaron Rodgers era, and after dealing with injuries to their skill-position corps throughout the season, it would be a great accomplishment.

The win over Minnesota itself was a bit of a laugher, with the Packers taking an early lead and turning the game into a blowout before it ever reached halftime. Jordan Love had one of the best performances of his career as a starter, completing 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns while running for another. Aaron Jones was efficient and explosive on the ground, totaling 121 yards on his 20 carries.

The defense kept the Minnesota offense in check for almost the entire evening, though with the way the offense played, even that performance became a bit of an afterthought. Still, it all ended with the Packers evening their record at 8-8, claiming at least a temporary hold of the NFC's No. 7 seed, and putting themselves in position to have a win-and-in home game in the final week of the regular season. 

Here are a few more things to know about the game.

Why the Packers won

They had much better answers for Brian Flores and the Vikings defense than they did in the first matchup between these two teams. Love was on point for pretty much the entire night, calmly navigating the pocket and dealing with Brian Flores' various blitz packages with relative ease. The Packers averaged 6.4 yards per play and scored on six of their nine drives prior to garbage time, putting together one of their best offensive performances of the season. 

Why the Vikings lost

Their offense was D.O.A. with Jaren Hall under center, and by the time they realized it and made a change, it was too late. Hall went just 5 of 10 for 67 yards and an interception, while he also took three sacks and lost a fumble. The Vikings were trailing 23-3 at the break before they made the switch to Nick Mullens. It hardly mattered what Mullens was able to do in the second half; the Vikings were already out of it.

Turning point

The Packers staked themselves to a 3-0 lead by driving for a field goal on their second possession of the night. On Minnesota's ensuing drive, Jaren Hall tried to throw over the middle for tight end Johnny Mundt on a crossing route, but left the throw too far to the inside. The ball got tipped into the air, then intercepted by Corey Ballentine.

Two snaps later, Jordan Love connected with Jayden Reed on a touchdown throw up the seam. The Packers suddenly had a two-score lead, and they did not relinquish the advantage for the rest of the night.

Highlight play

Reed had himself a monster evening with six catches for 89 yards and not one, but two touchdown grabs before exiting with a chest injury. His second trip to the end zone was particularly impressive, with the rookie snapping off an angle route out of a stacked alignment, then shedding several potential tacklers on his way across the goal line.

That score put the Packers up 23-3 with mere seconds remaining before halftime, and removed any lingering doubt about the game's eventual result.

What's next

The Packers improve to 8-8 with the victory and at least temporarily take hold of the No. 7 seed in the NFC. Their final game of the season is next week against the Bears, at home. If they win, they're in the playoffs.

The Vikings drop to 7-9 with the loss. Their final game of the season is next week against the Lions, in Detroit. They need to win that game and get a lot of help in order to make the playoffs, but they are technically not yet eliminated.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 11:19 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

That'll do it, folks. Enjoy the final minutes of 2023, and we'll see you next year for Week 18.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 11:17 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Either way, Green Bay improves to 8-8 and has a win-and-in game against Chicago next week. Minnesota drops to 7-9 and needs a lot of help. 

[Dec 31, 2023 at 11:13 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

One more first down and the Packers will be able to kneel out the clock.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 11:12 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

I guess I technically understand why the Vikings are taking their timeouts, but man, this game is over. Let us all go to sleep and enjoy the final minutes of 2023.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 11:07 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

For the Vikings to get into the playoffs, they will need to beat the Lions, and have the Packers, Seahawks, and either Saints or Buccaneers lose.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 11:06 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

For those wondering, the league has announced that Texans-Colts will be played next Saturday night, while the Dolphins-Bills AFC East title game will be on Sunday Night Football.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 11:02 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

The only real question remaining here is whether the Vikings can get themselves a gar-bage time score. Packers defense has held up very well so far and certainly wants to prevent that.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:55 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

This will be the Packers' sixth score on nine drives. They should have scored on another if not for the missed throw on what should have been a TD on a fourth-down conversion. Very impressive performance.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:48 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

The Packers have just moved the ball so easily all night long. Still up at 6.7 yards per play. Minnesota has allowed just 5.0 per play on the season.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:37 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

There's the first Vikings touchdown of the night. Play-action to Chandler with Mundt coming across the formation into the flat on a slide route.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:35 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

NaJee Thompson had a near-penalty on the fair catch earlier in the game that went uncalled. Now he makes a huge play to give the Vikings their best scoring chance of the night.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:34 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Worth monitoring heading into Week 18 and the playoffs:

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:25 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Bo Melton could not have been more wide open. Packers are pouring it on.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:19 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Love has had all the answers for this Minnesota defense tonight. Great performance so far.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:14 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Mullens got clobbered on that throw. He was under immediate pressure and tried to step up and then hit Jefferson over the middle, but he couldn't get enough on the ball to get it there. Turnover on downs.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:13 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

That was a HUGE tackle by KeiSean Nixon. Just grabbed Ty Chandler by his ankles to stop what could have been a touchdown.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:11 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Mullens has already made more good throws than Hall did in an entire half. Vikes set up in the red zone.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:05 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

In case you're counting, Cris Collinsworth has now compared two of the three quarterbacks in this game to Brett Favre.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 10:03 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

The Vikings are turning to Nick Mullens for the second half.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 9:55 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Jayden Reed, by the way, has now broken the Packers' rookie receptions record. It was previously held by Sterling Sharpe. Really impressive. 

[Dec 31, 2023 at 9:46 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

WOWOW JAYDEN REED!!!

[Dec 31, 2023 at 9:43 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Yikes. The decision to go to Jaren Hall... has not worked out.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 9:41 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Packers took a big deep shot on third-and-short but Love overthrew Reed down the middle. Let's see if the Vikes try to put together a real drive with less than a minute left here.

[Dec 31, 2023 at 9:38 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

How in the world is that not a penalty?