Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons talks about facing Minnesota Vikings
Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons shares thoughts on facing the Vikings and preparing for NFC North teams down the stretch.
GREEN BAY – Our Green Bay Packers coverage team predicts the outcome of the Week 12 game Sunday, Nov. 23, against the Minnesota Vikings.
Pete Dougherty
The starting point is that J.J. McCarthy has had a rough time in his first season as an NFL starting quarterback. His 61.7 rating is abysmal, and he’s thrown only six touchdown passes to eight interceptions. But he’s found a way to put up points in the fourth quarter of close games and has the league’s best receiver (Justin Jefferson) to throw to. The Packers have often played their worst this season in games they’ve been favored most, and they’re 6½-point favorites in this one. This is the start of a tough home stretch of the season for the Packers, with five NFC North Division games in the final seven weeks, as well as games against good AFC teams (Denver and Baltimore). It’s a home game the Packers really can’t afford to lose, and the guess here is Micah Parsons and Co. will get to McCarthy enough to make the difference. Packers 23, Vikings 17
Tom Silverstein
You’d be crazy to think the Packers are going to have an easy time of it against the Vikings. Besides the fact they’re playing like an 8-8-1 team, you don’t know if this is a week Minnesota flips the switch and plays like it did in Detroit. The game probably rests on how quarterback J.J. McCarthy plays because these two teams aren’t far apart in overall talent and, if McCarthy is throwing the ball all over the yard, the Packers should be the better team. This would be a good game for the Packers to start injecting some creativity into their offense, using Malik Willis for a few snaps, using tight end Luke Musgrave like a wide receiver and finding ways to get rookie Matthew Golden the ball out of the slot or via motion like they do with Jayden Reed. After playing arguably his best game of the year last week, quarterback Jordan Love needs to go on a hot streak. Whatever the case, this should be a close one. Packers 26, Vikings 23
Ryan Wood
Last week, safety Xavier McKinney said the Packers’ game in New York was a “must win.” Given the murderous schedule ahead, he might have been right. But if that was a must-win game, I don’t see how this is any different. The Vikings are essentially an average team that is much worse off at quarterback. They can beat anyone. They can lose to anyone. Sounds a lot like the Packers, except Jordan Love elevates their status in a way J.J. McCarthy does not. There aren’t a lot of average teams on the Packers schedule after this, starting with next week’s trip to the Detroit Lions. Of their last seven, this is probably the easiest game left on their schedule. If they drop this game and slip to 6-4-1, the idea of missing the playoffs might not be likely, but it certainly becomes possible. I expect the Packers to take care of business in a game they need to have on their home field. Packers 23, Vikings 17
Dominique Yates
It’s been a disappointing season for the Vikings. After winning 14 games last year, they sit at 4-6. However, two of their wins came on the road against NFC North opponents – Week 1 in Chicago and two weeks ago in Detroit – so this team is more than capable of winning at Lambeau Field. They’re still strong on defense and even though J.J. McCarthy has struggled, he has the luxury of throwing the ball to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. This is a crucial stretch for the Packers with three straight divisional games. I think they have to at least take care of the home games. Packers 20, Vikings 17
