Photo: Evan Siegle - packers.com
AJ Dillon Lambeau Leap Jan. 2, 2022
AJ Dillon's Lambeau Leap Jan. 2, 2022
Everything broke Green Bay’s way on Sunday, as the Arizona Cardinals upset the Dallas Cowboys, opening the door for the Packers to lock down the number one seed against the undermanned Vikings on Sunday night. With starting quarterback Kirk Cousins landing on the COVID list just a few days before the game, the Viking offense was completely ineffective, while the offense had no trouble advancing the ball against a Minnesota defense that looked like it just wanted out of the cold.
With Cousins out the Vikings turned to veteran backup Sean Mannion, a former third round pick of the Rams, making his third ever start. Mannion was completely ineffective in running a conservative game plan, frequently missing open receivers, and walking himself into pressures. The Vikings used a 2021 third round pick this to take Kellen Mond out of Texas A&M, and they may have been better served to give him a shot rather than relying on a veteran retread.
It’s possible that they were counting on a better day from star running back Dalvin Cook, who was held to 13 yards on nine carries. Cook was in his first game since he was placed on the Covid list, and simply wasn’t himself, even in the passing game where he typically excels. The Packers deserve credit for focusing their defensive efforts on stopping Cook while largely ignoring Mannion. Kenny Clark and De’Vondre Campbell were unstoppable up the middle and took away any conceivable lanes Cook may have found.
The Packer secondary was really never tested, but they still deserve praise for holding the wide receiver Justin Jefferson to six catches for 58 yards. Without Cousins available, the Minnesota passing offense relied almost exclusively on screen passes and checkdowns to Cook, backup running back Alexander Mattison, and tight end Tyler Conklin, who caught five of nine targets for 47 yards.
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The most explosive pass completion of the day for the Vikings was actually hauled in by center Garrett Bradbury on a play reminiscent of the Immaculate Reception. On the play, Mannion threw to Tyler Conklin over the middle, but Conklin took a vicious hit from safety Adrian Amos, jarring the ball loose and sending it flying several yards backwards. Bradbury showed off some soft hands and uncanny athleticism, scooping the ball just before it found turf, and scampering 21 yards while dragging several Packer defenders. The Vikings would get their only touchdown of the game a few plays later, on a 14-yard pass to K.J. Osborn, but without the fluky Bradbury play, the defense would have remained near perfect.
The win gave Green Bay the number one seed in the playoffs, a first-round bye, and home field throughout the playoffs. The extra week off is crucial, as it appears Jaire Alexander, and Za’Darius Smith may be ready to rejoin the team soon. Left tackle David Bakhtiari does not appear to be as close, but the more time he has to recover, the more likely he is to return, and he would be a huge addition to a decimated offensive line. Green Bay can also use their final game against Detroit as a de facto bye week, or a pre-bye tune up. The Packers couldn’t ask for more headed into the postseason.
David Moore
Finally, the Packers have now played three consecutive games without a major special teams’ incident, and they may have found their punt returner of the future in wide receiver David Moore. Moore is on his fifth team after the Packers promoted him from the practice squad before the game, but he’s a perfect fit for a team in need of a special teams’ upgrade. Moore showed competence that has been sorely lacking from the return unit, securing the ball, and following his blockers with aplomb. He looked like a natural and should retain the job going forward. Moore isn’t a start, and his signing didn’t warrant much attention, but he plugs an enormous hole, and just in time for the games that really matter.
Potential Playoff Opponents
The Packers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, but Tampa has fallen on hard times lately, and it’s hard to see them as a huge threat. While they were one of the NFL’s most dominant teams for most of the regular season, and still rank second in Football Outsiders’ DVOA, their offense has fallen completely apart with injuries to receivers Chris Godwin (ACL) and Mike Evans (hamstring) and running back Leonard Fournette (hamstring). Adding to their woes, receiver Antonio Brown suffered what can only be described as a meltdown on Sunday against the New York Jets, removing his jersey, helmet and gloves, throwing them into the stands, and leaving the stadium mid-game. Brown has a history of bizarre incidents and is likely finished as a Buc. While Mike Evans will return, the Bucs will still enter the playoffs as a mess of a team, leaving the door wide open for Green Bay.
