Green Bay Packers Defense Will Have Its Hands Full; Minnesota Vikings Star Wide Receiver Cleared to Play in Week 17

It has not been a good week for the Green Bay Packers defense. After giving up 30 points to the NFL’s worst offense (the Carolina Panthers) in Week 16, the team announced the suspension of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander and that Eric Stokes is getting put on injured reserve for the third time this year. In other words, the Packers will face the Minnesota Vikings without their two top cornerbacks.

Of course, this is nothing new for the Packers this season. Stokes has played in just three games while Alexander has played in six. When they were both on the field last week against Carolina, neither played well (as both were obviously less than 100% healthy).

Without their two top cornerbacks, the Packers will start rookie Carrington Valentine and journeyman Corey Ballentine as their outside defensive backs. Green Bay is 3-2 when they start this season, with wins over the Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs.

Still, this Week 17 matchup is going to be as fierce as challenge as they have faced all season. The Vikings, like the Packers, are also 7-8 and need to win tonight if they are to have any shot at making the playoffs. Furthermore, the Minnesota offense got some good news overnight on Saturday.

Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver Jordan Addison Will Play vs the Green Bay Packers

Earlier this week, the Vikings announced that 2023 fifth round pick Jaren Hall will start at quarterback instead of Josh Dobbs or Nick Mullens. The elusive Hall, despite having just 101 career passing yards, may provide the best matchup against the Packers’ poor run defense.

Despite having an inexperienced quarterback, the Vikings do still boast wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who is arguably the best pass catcher in the NFL right now. Covering him will be a challenge for Valentine and Ballentine (or, knowing Joe Barry, Preston Smith).

Jefferson missed the Packers’ first game against the Vikings this year, but rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison lit up the Green Bay defense with seven receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown. The dynamic rookie has been dealing with a sprained ankle and was listed as questionable on the Minnesota injury report this weekend. However, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported overnight that Addison will play on Sunday night:

#Vikings WR Jordan Addison (ankle) is listed as questionable and is playing today, source said.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2023

In 15 games this season, Addison has 63 receptions for 826 yards and nine touchdowns.

Getting to the Quarterback Will Be Key for the Green Bay Packers Defense

Obviously, facing the Vikings’ two best wide receivers with two backup cornerbacks as the starters is not ideal. However, the Packers’ defense must take advantage of Hall’s inexperience in the NFL. Putting pressure on him while (and this is key) not allowing him to scramble for big gains will be vital to the team’s success.

In their loss to the New York Giants, a game which also saw Valentine and Ballentine as the starting corners, the Packers defense held Tommy DeVito to just 158 yards passing. However, they also allowed him to rush for 71 yards, and allowed the Giants as a whole to run for over 200 yards.

This simply cannot happen against the Vikings. The Packers need to complete sacks and clog the running lanes. The Vikings are one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL this season, and Green Bay needs to take advantage of that. While Minnesota may have two excellent wide receivers, they have a young undeveloped rookie starting at quarterback and no essence of a run game, averaging just 93.8 rushing yards per game.

Joe Barry’s defensive scheme has allowed similar teams to look unbeatable this season; hopefully that is not the case on Sunday night.

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