The 11-4 Green Bay Packers and 13-2 Minnesota Vikings will meet on Sunday afternoon in a clash of two of the best teams in the NFC. Both teams have already clinched a spot in the upcoming NFL Playoffs, but only the Vikings can still compete for the NFC North crown. The Detroit Lions, also 13-2, currently lead the division. For Minnesota to win the division, they will need to win both of their remaining games, with their Week 18 matchup being a showdown with Detroit.
The Packers, meanwhile, could improve their postseason seeding with a win over the Vikings, a win over the Chicago Bears in Week 18, and Minnesota losing both of their remaining games.
Indeed, this late-season matchup between the Packers and Vikings carries a lot of weight for both teams and their fans, something that is not lost on two specific Minnesota stars.
Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Sam Darnold Talks About Interacting with Green Bay Packers Fans
Objectively speaking, Sam Darnold’s success with the Vikings this season has been one of the best stories in the NFL. Prior to signing with Minnesota, Darnold was considered a first-round bust and looked like he would be a journeyman backup quarterback at best for the remainder of his career.
But this season has been a renaissance for the former New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers quarterback. He has set career-highs in completion percentage (67.2%), passing yards (3,776), touchdown passes (32), and passer rating (105.4).
When asked by Andrew Krammer of the Minnesota Star Tribune about the upcoming Week 17 showdown with the Packers, Darnold said, “It’s an incredible kind of rivalries or bitterness, I guess you could say. It’s awesome to be able to run into Packers fans. And I’m not going to lie — they’re nice and everything, but when you start to talk about football, they’re not shy about speaking their mind about who they think the better team is. It’s just fun, man. It makes everything more fun, makes the game more fun. That’s the reason we play.”
Krammer’s article also relays a story of Darnold’s childhood friend, who grew up a Packers fan, who has yet to reach out to him ahead of this week’s matchup.
“He’s probably not going to reach out to me this week. He’s thinking maybe that’ll change something. No, but he’s a great buddy. Hopefully he’ll reach out, but if not, I won’t be surprised.”
That friend had reached out to him before the two teams met in Week Four, a game the Vikings won 31-29.
Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson Hates the Green Bay Packers
Justin Jefferson, arguably the best wide receiver in the entire NFL, did not hide his disdain for the Packers from Krammer in the aforementioned story.
“Going against Green Bay, everybody knows we hate them, they hate us,” Jefferson said. “The fans know. Just the whole rivalry in general is something to be juiced up about. So, I definitely want this one.”
He did, however, admit that Green Bay is “still a dominant team as well as us. This year has definitely been crazy just to see the talent we have in our side of the division.”
Aside from the Bears, the entire NFC North has been absolutely dominant this season. This game is sure to be one of the best games of the week and, as mentioned, could have serious implications for both teams in the postseason.
More Green Bay Packers News from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
- “Talk Is Picking Up;” Packers GM Brian Gutekunst Sees Elite Talent Become Available
- Packers See Long-Time Starter Come Out of Retirement to Join NFC North Rival
- Green Bay Packers: Tucker Kraft’s Strong Message Amid Team’s Late-Season Surge Will Earn Him More Fans
- Green Bay Packers: Brenton Cox Goes Viral on Social Media Following Interesting Preston Smith Decision by Steelers
- Packers Sign 2,000 Yard Running Back with “Power and Quickness”
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