Packers aiming for first road win against Vikings since 2015
In Week 16, the Green Bay Packers are aiming for their first road win against the Minnesota Vikings in four years.
Aaron Rodgers said it himself. The Packers’ goal is to win the NFC North.
It’s been three long years since the Packers have achieved that, successfully running the table in the final six games of the 2016 season. But they now have the opportunity to wrap up the division title on Monday night in a highly-anticipated matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
In order to do so, the Packers will need to do something they’ve been unable to pull off since 2015, which is to defeat the Vikings on the road.
Green Bay is 0-3 in Minnesota’s new home at U.S. Bank Stadium. The team’s last road win at Minnesota was at TCF Bank Stadium, the Vikings’ home for two seasons.
After starting the season hot with a perfect 6-0 record, the Packers lost three straight including their first home defeat to the Detroit Lions in over two decades.
Mike McCarthy’s team desperately needed a response, and that’s what they got in this game.
James Jones — debuting the famous hoodie under his jersey — led the team in receiving with six catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. Eddie Lacy also contributed with 100 yards on the ground.
The Packers were held to only two touchdowns on the day, one to Jones and the other to Randall Cobb, but Mason Crosby booted five field goals with a long of 52 yards to lead the Packers to a comfortable 17-point victory.
The defense put in a strong performance with six sacks. Datone Jones led the way with two. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix impressed with a sack and a team-high eight tackles.
The Packers won the turnover battle and left Minnesota with a much-needed victory to get back on top in the NFC North.
In the end, Minnesota returned the favor with a division-winning victory at Lambeau Field later in the season. Green Bay made it to the divisional round, losing to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime moments after Jeff Janis hauled in an incredible Hail Mary pass from Rodgers.
A lot has changed since that day. Instead of entering a trip to Minnesota on the back of three straight defeats, Green Bay has won three in a row. It needs one more victory to clinch the division title.
There would be no better place to achieve that goal than with their first victory at U.S. Bank Stadium in primetime.