Packers 2022 schedule release: Game-by-game, final record predictions

Week 17: Minnesota Vikings (New Year’s Day)

Under Matt LaFleur, the Packers have dominated the NFC North. The only team to give them any trouble? The Minnesota Vikings.

LaFleur’s Packers have swept the Chicago Bears three years in a row. The only loss to the Detroit Lions came when the Packers already had wrapped up the No. 1 seed.

Green Bay is 4-2 against the Vikings under LaFleur. Minnesota owns a victory both home and away versus Green Bay over the past two seasons.

New head coach Kevin O’Connell has a talented roster to work with in Minnesota, especially the offense.

Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson gave Green Bay’s secondary all sorts of problems a year ago. In the Vikings’ Week 11 victory, he caught eight passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns.

Are the Vikings a better team than the Packers? I don’t think so. But they are usually competitive against Green Bay.

This will be Za’Darius Smith’s return to Lambeau Field. He will have a point to prove, which can bring the best out of him.

While Green Bay will be expected to win just about every game it plays at Lambeau Field this season, it’s difficult to accomplish this. The Packers will likely slip up along the way.

I predict this will be just one of those games. Too many mistakes. An off day for the defense.

Just one of those days.

Prediction: Minnesota 24, Green Bay 21 (11-5)