The Green Bay Packers will return home in Week 12 for a crucial game against their NFC North rivals, the Minnesota Vikings.
After losing two straight, the Packers got back in the win column last week with a seven-point victory over the New York Giants. Green Bay now enters a crucial part of its schedule with three straight games against division opponents.
It all starts on Sunday against a Vikings team that sits last in the division and is in desperate need of a win after losing four of its last five. Minnesota beat the Packers in both matchups last season but could be headed for a lost season if quarterback JJ McCarthy continues to struggle.
In addition to it being one of the NFL’s best rivalries, there’s a lot to like about this Week 12 clash.
Here are three key matchups to watch out for:
CB Keisean Nixon vs WR Justin Jefferson
When Jaire Alexander was CB1 in Green Bay, this was one of the most electric individual matchups in the league. Now that Nixon is filling that role, there’s still a ton of anticipation, but for different reasons. Jefferson has had huge games against the Packers in the past, even when Alexander was on the field. This season, he is still highly productive despite his starting quarterback being dead last in completion percentage. Teams have begun to attack Nixon more and more throughout the season, and Jefferson is top-10 in the league in targets and receiving yards. Nixon did fine against AJ Brown and Devonta Smith in Week 10, but he will need to bring his A-game against Jefferson.
WR Christian Watson vs CB Byron Murphy Jr.
Watson has brought his explosive playmaking back to Green Bay’s offense since returning from his ACL injury in Week 8. In four games, he’s caught 12 passes for 234 yards for an average of 19.5 yards per catch and hauled in a pair of big-time touchdowns in last week’s win over the Giants. Jordan Love would be wise to look Watson’s way even more, especially this week when he’s covered by Murphy. The 2024 Pro Bowler hasn’t played to that level this season. Per Pro Football Focus, he’s allowed a catch percentage of 74.3 on 44 targets against his coverage and an NFL passer rating of 126.8, which is the 10th highest among corners with at least 100 coverage snaps.
RB Chris Brooks vs Minnesota’s Blitz
It’s no surprise that the Vikings are once again first in blitz rate this season at 43.9 percent. Brian Flores is one of the best in the business at designing exotic blitz schemes to keep offenses guessing and has been a thorn in Matt LaFleur’s side since taking over as the defensive coordinator in 2023. Well, the Packers may have a secret weapon to combat this. Brooks is third on Green Bay’s depth chart, but he’s easily their best running back in pass protection. With Josh Jacobs banged up with a knee contusion, the team may lean more on Brooks this week to help neutralize Minnesota’s blitz-heavy approach.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers vs. Vikings: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 12
Reporting by Brandon Carwile, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
