The Packers at Vikings: One Stat, Quote, and Matchup to Know Ahead of Week 17
There would be more hope for a Packers pounding if the Vikings were sitting at full health. Alas, that hasn’t been anywhere close to reality for Minnesota in 2023. Health issues aplenty while rolling into Week 17.
Giving fans a better understanding of what’s to come for the Packers at Vikings involves PurplePTSD offering up a single statistic, quotation, and matchup to keep in mind. The hope, valued reader, is that the information contained in this piece can function as a bit of a primer for the Sunday night matchup.
The Packers at Vikings: Week 17
Stat: 49.1%, 22.7%, & 42
Make Jordan Love uncomfortable in the pocket. Doing so will likely lead to good things for the Vikings.
Of course, the challenge becomes more profound given the absence of D.J. Wonnum. The fourth-year edge rusher has been having a career year, piling up 8 sacks along the way. Putting him on the shelf so he can recover means Patrick Jones and Andre Carter are going to get elevated. Will they be up to the task?
Under Brian Flores, the Vikings are first in the NFL by blitzing 49.1% of the time. Now, simply sending blitzers isn’t the goal. The goal is to hinder an offense by generating pressure on a consistent basis (and, to be sure, getting home for the sack on various occasions).
Even with some talent deficiencies, the Vikings are 11th in the NFL in pressure percentage: 22.7%. Can the defensive coordinator find a way to improve on that number without one of his top pressure guys? Simply continuing on their current trajectory — perfectly mimicking the 22.7% pressure rate — may not be enough. After all, the Vikings are sitting at 7-8 and the defense’s performance in recent weeks is a major reason why.
Flores has coaxed 42 sacks out of his crew but one wonders if clearing 50 will be necessary to see a 9-8 record. Averaging 4+ sacks in the final pair of games will point toward a defense that’s still finding a way of disrupting the opposing QB.
Quote: Jaire Alexander Not Quite Getting It
Vikings fans won’t be thrilled to admit it, but Jaire Alexander is one of the best corners in the NFL. No need to massage that fact or add too much else: he’s a legit CB1 who should be considered a top-10 option at the position.
The last time Justin Jefferson and Jaire Alexander got a chance to go toe-to-toe, the Green Bay defender picked up the win. And, to be sure, that’s a statement that applies individually and collectively. Alexander helped limit Jefferson to a single catch and just 15 yards as his team absolutely walloped Minnesota 41-17.
However, Alexander isn’t going to on the field for the upcoming game. Green Bay has suspended their top corner.
In Week 16, Alexander decided to nominate himself as a captain and he even called the coin toss. In fact, he almost made a major error by not deferring after winning the coin toss. Take a look at his rationale: “It’s only suiting. I don’t think coach knew I was from Charlotte […] The guys backed me up.”
When asked about almost giving away possession of the football for the opening half and the second half, Alexander brushed off those concerns.
At the end of the day, any shenanigans from Alexander are Green Bay’s problem. He truly is a fantastic player but the Packers also felt the need to make a decision about him being able to play in a must-win for both NFC North teams. Expect the story to grow larger if Justin Jefferson feasts on Sunday Night Football as the Vikings pull off the win.
Matchup: Jaren Hall vs. The Crazy Circumstances
Technically, Jaren Hall has been a starter before. He got the nod in Week 9 in Atlanta, but that game got cut short due to a concussion in the opening quarter.
So, a bit of a tough way to kick things off.
Let’s pretend, though, that injuries present no concern in the future and that Hall is locked and loaded for a full game on New Year’s Eve. Will he up to the task? The 25-year-old rookie is playing in prime time during a major holiday. Minnesota is going up against their foremost rival and the most dominant team in the division over the past 30 years. Oh, and then there’s the final major detail: losing the game will mean that the Vikings are almost guaranteed to miss the playoffs.
The Vikings’ leadership holds Hall in high regard. Even still, this can’t be what they had in mind. The BYU alumnus was chosen in the 5th round for a reason. A tremendous success would have involved seeing him prove capable of being an excellent QB2. Being a dragon slayer in the waning moments of the playoff push? That’s asking a lot, folks.
The Vikings are pinning their hopes on a youngster to get them into the postseason, and he’s doing so from within an offense that’s missing some of its top talent (T.J. Hockenson being the most notable name).
Hall, quite possibly, will rise to the challenge by putting together a marvellous performance. Or, perhaps, he can just be solid and maybe that will be good enough. At the end of the day, picking up the win is what matters. The journey that’s ahead, though, looks to be a perilous one.
In 22 NFL snaps, Hall gas gone 8/10 for 101 yards. He has yet to toss a TD or an INT. Hall’s 4 carries have gone for 10 yards.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.