This is a huge spot for the Green Bay Packers. In fact, a very strong case could be made that the Packers’ 2025 season will be determined over these next three games.
Green Bay is heading into a stretch that features three NFC North opponents in rapid fire. First up, though, is the Minnesota Vikings.
Advertisement
At 6-3-1 and at this stage of the season, the Pack can’t afford to take this anything but one game at a time. The interesting thing for fans this this: Which Packers team will show up in Week 12?
Will we see the clear Super Bowl favorite that showed up in Week 1 and Week 2 against the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders? There’s also that other team out there, though. That’s the one that lost to the Cleveland Browns or could only put up a combined 20 points in losses to the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles.
We’ll have to wait and see. If Team 1 shows up against the Vikings, though, this could be the start of an epic run for the Packers.
These three players will have to step up in order for that to happen.
Advertisement
More than likely, starting running back Josh Jacobs is not going to be playing in this one. The Packers will give him all the up to game time to figure that out, but the odds would suggest that he’s going to take this game to heal up from a knee injury he suffered in last weekend’s win over the New York Giants.
Backup running back Emanuel Wilson carried more of the load last week and he was a strong option for the Pack. He rushed 11 times for 40 yards and a touchdown, averaging a decent 3.6 yards per carry.
Even if Jacobs does play, you can bet he’ll be limited and on a snap count. More than likely, though, Wilson is going to be Green Bay’s starter and the Packers are going to need him to play like one.
Advertisement
Let’s be frank, J.J. McCarthy may be a bust for the Vikings. He’s the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He missed all of his rookie season with a torn meniscus in his left knee and has been banged up this season. In fact, he’s only played in five games so far.
That’s a problem for the Vikings. Even bigger of a problem is that he hasn’t looked good when he has played. He’s thrown for six touchdowns compared to eight interceptions. He’s completing just 52.9 percent of his passes and he’s seemed incapable of taking advantage of all the offensive weaponry around him.
In the meantime, the Packers have one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL in Micah Parsons, and if there’s anything that can wreck a young quarterback’s day, it’s a player like Parsons.
Advertisement
If Parsons can get after McCarthy early and often, it will be a long day for the Vikings’ offense.
The kicking situation has been a disaster this season and you can make the case that several of the losses in 2025 came because of inconsistencies in the kicking game. It has been so bad that kicking legend Mason Crosby actually called the Packers out.
McManus is supposedly healthy once again as he’s dealt with a quad issue that has plagued him all season, which means he’s going to get the nod over Lucas Havrisik
McManus has made just 11-of-17 field goals this season. Two of those misses were because of blocked kicks, but he’s been inconsistent just a season after being nearly perfect for the Packers in 2024.
Divisional games often are close, so the Packers can’t afford to have any more misses from their kicker — whomever that may be at the time.
