Week 17 SNF Recap

    Written by: William Petersen •

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    Week 17’s Sunday Night Football matchup found itself pitted in a NFC North divisional game between the playoff aspiring Green Bay Packers and the floundering Minnesota Vikings. Both teams had the goal of making the playoffs at the beginning of the season, but after a season ending injury to starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, the Vikings have been in critical condition at QB ever since Joshua Dobbs showed why he is not a consistent NFL starter. Due to poor quarterback play from Nick Mullens, 5th round rookie from BYU Jaren Hall got the nod to start this late season contest in hopes of maybe jumpstarting his development. After I saw that Hall was getting the start, I had no problem convincing myself that the Packers were going to blowout a Vikings team that has held the fantasy that they are good enough to make the playoffs even without their starting quarterback. This fantasy remained one as the Packers handled the Vikings 33-10 in a game that was defined by Jordan Love making Brett Favre-like throws all night. Love would finish 24/33 for 256 yards and three touchdown passes that showcased how strong Love’s arm may actually be. The Utah State quarterback has had his fair share of growing pains this season, but has managed to find his stride at the back end of the season. In Love’s past five games he has a passer rating of 107.4 with 1,244 yards, 11 touchdowns, and only one interception. If the first year starter can beat the Bears in week 18, the Packers are into the playoffs and should be able to put up a fight in the wildcard if Jordan Love can continue his productive spurt into the postseason.

    Green Bay’s win and in scenario perfectly reflects the Packers 2023 season. Jordan Love had trouble finding a fluid connection with his receivers early on but has shown a dramatic increase in production at the right time. Aaron Jones also has shown a revitalization after having 20 carries for 120 yards, his second straight game with 120 plus rushing yards. Love made perfect touch throws all night to Jayden Reed who finished with 6 receptions for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns as well as rookie Bo Melton who went for 6 receptions, 105 yards and a touchdown of his own. The Packers are looking like a team with all the momentum at the right time and have a simple task of win and get in, as Matt LaFleur will look to get Green Bay back to the playoffs after missing it last season. Green Bay will be facing a tough Chicago Bears defense in a cold afternoon game in Lambeau that could potentially affect his contract extension in the offseason if Love struggles to win a crucial home game and final game of the season. I do not think Love’s steady run of games will come to a halt in week 18, but often when teams control their own destiny in this league of parody, stranger things have unfolded on the final Sunday of the NFL season.

    The Minnesota Vikings have a much more convoluted way of getting into the playoffs after a tough showing from rookie Jaren Hall struggled to get anything going in the first half, finishing 5/10 for 67 yards and an interception. Nick Mullens replaced Hall at halftime and finished 13/22 for 113 yards and a touchdown pass. Mullins showed some competency after replacing Joshua Dobbs in the fourth quarter of the Vikings 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in week 14, but lost the job after throwing six interceptions in his last two starts combined. The Vikings are thankful Justin Jefferson is back looking like the cornerstone wideout the Vikings were used to seeing last season after a year riddled with injury, finishing with 5 receptions for 59 yards. Jefferson will hope the Vikings resign Kirk Cousins in the offseason but I will be very surprised to see Kirk Cousins in Minneapolis next season as he will be asking for too much money on a career that is quickly reaching its back half. The convoluted route for the Vikings to make the playoffs breaks down to four situations that need to unfold.

    Vikings beat Lions

    Bears beat Packers

    Cardinals beat Seahawks

    Falcons beat Saints or Panthers beat Buccaneers

    If you cannot tell this is a crazy parlay of events that turns out to have a 3.8 percent chance of happening and for the Vikings to make the playoffs coming into the final week of the season. I would not be surprised to see the Vikings go all out to beat division rival Detroit in a game that could spoil a better seed for the Lions, but the Vikings may also be looking to improve their draft capital as there are many solid prospects in this year's draft class.

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