Packers schedule: Predicting the score of all 4 remaining games

Week 17: Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

Sunday, December 31, 7:20 PM CT

The whole football world is going to get to see the Vikings and Packers duke it out in Week 17, and this game will likely be for positioning in that NFC Wild Card race. At this point, though, it's fair to wonder where either of these teams will be at in that race. You definitely get the impression that the Packers have a better shot right now than Minnesota, because the war on attrition has taken its toll for Kevin O'Connell's Vikings.

After starting the year poorly, the Vikings came screaming back into the playoff picture and find themselves a very respectable 7-6 despite not having Kirk Cousins or Justin Jefferson for most of the season. It's been a great coaching job by O'Connell as well as defensive coordinator Brian Flores, whose blitz-happy scheme will be fun to watch against Matt LaFleur's offense, which has been so good this season, considering all of the young players he has in charge of running it.

It looks like Joshua Dobbs mania is over. The Passtronaut is no more. I'm just not sure how much the Minnesota Vikings can really sustain, injury-wise. Are they going to be healthy enough at this stage to be able to beat the Packers? To even give them a fight?

As good of a job as Kevin O'Connell has done this season, I do expect this to be a hard-fought game. But I don't think the Vikings with whatever QB they are trotting out are going to be able to get this win, even at home.

Prediction: Packers win 23-19 (9-7)