PACKERS OPEN SEASON AT VIKINGS
The Green Bay Packers will travel a state over to take on the Minnesota Vikings in the regular-season opener.
It is just the second time ever that Green Bay has played at Minnesota in Week 1 (2020).
It is the fourth straight year and the eighth time in the last 10 seasons Green Bay has started the season on the road.
It is the fourth time in the last five years that Green Bay has opened the season with an NFC North opponent.
Of the past 39 regular-season meetings between the teams, 25 of those games have been decided by seven points or less.
The Packers have a 30-30 record in away games against the Vikings, including wins at Minnesota in two of the last three seasons.
Through 122 meetings, which includes two postseason contests (1-1), the Packers hold a 64-56-3 edge over the Vikings in the all-time series.
Green Bay (eight) and Minnesota (four) have won 12 of the last 14 NFC North titles (2008-21).
RB Aaron Jones (4,163) ranks No. 5 on the Packers all-time rushing list, trailing Tony Canadeo (4,197) for fourth place.
QB Aaron Rodgers has posted a 100-plus passer rating in 12 straight divisional games. Over that span he has completed 277 of 377 (73.5 pct.) passes for 3,238 yards, 38 TDs, zero INTs and a passer rating of 132.7.
RODGERS AND THE VIKINGS
Including the postseason, Green Bay is 16-10-1 against Minnesota with Rodgers as the starting quarterback.
Rodgers is second to Brett Favre (17-15-1) for the most wins a starting quarterback has led the Packers to over the Vikings (including postseason).
Including the playoffs, Rodgers has 57 TDs and seven INTs with a passer rating of 110.2 versus the Vikings. His passer rating is the highest of any opposing starting quarterback (min. 200 att.) vs. Minnesota (Russell Wilson, 105.0 / Drew Brees, 100.7), according to Stats Pass.
Rodgers has thrown 56 TD passes during the regular season against the Vikings, the most in NFL history against Minnesota (Favre, 54).
Rodgers has recorded a 100-plus passer rating in 17 of his 27 starts against the Vikings (including the postseason) and a rating of 94-plus in 20 contests.
In the last 20 games versus Minnesota (including playoffs), Rodgers has thrown 35 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Rodgers has six games with four-plus touchdown passes with zero interceptions against the Vikings. No other quarterback has more than two versus Minnesota.
Rodgers owns the most games (nine vs. CHI and nine vs. MIN) with a 125-plus passer rating vs. a single team.
KICKOFF WEEKEND
Green Bay’s 58 Kickoff Weekend wins are the most in the NFL. The Chicago Bears rank No. 2 with 55 wins on Kickoff Weekend.
Green Bay has won 11 of its past 15 Kickoff Weekend games dating back to 2007.
The Packers’ .595 winning percentage (58-40-3) on Kickoff Weekend ranks No. 3 in the NFL:
Prior to losing last year versus New Orleans, the Packers had won six consecutive Kickoff Weekend games (2015-20), the longest streak in team history. In those six games, QB Aaron Rodgers completed 136 of 203 passes (67.0 pct.) for 1,552 yards and 14 TDs with just one INT (110.7 rating).
Under Head Coach Matt LaFleur, Green Bay has won two of three games on Kickoff Weekend. His .667 winning percentage is tied for No. 7 among active NFL head coaches:
QB Aaron Rodgers has started every Week 1 game for the Packers since 2008, throwing for 27 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a passer rating of 100.2 that ranks No. 2 among active quarterbacks (min. 200 pass att.), according to Tru Media:
In 2020, QB Aaron Rodgers set his career best in passing TDs, passing yards, completions and tied his highest mark in attempts in a season opener. Rodgers threw for 364 yards (32 of 44), and four TDs and posted a QB rating of 127.5 in the Packers’ 43-34 win at Minnesota (9/13/20), which was also the most points Green Bay had scored in an NFL opener (since 1921).
Rodgers’ 364 passing yards was the most ever by a Packers QB in a season opener, surpassing the previous high of 333 yards, which was held by Lynn Dickey (1983), Brett Favre (1999) and Rodgers (2013).
CB Jaire Alexander registered a sack, an interception and a safety in Week 1 of 2020 against Minnesota. He was the fifth NFL player to record a sack, interception and a safety in a single game since 2000.
THE FIRST MONTH
Green Bay has been one of the most successful teams in the league early in the season.
From 2008-21, the Packers finished the month of September with a record at or above .500 in 12 of 13 seasons, including each of the last seven:
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
Packers at Vikings:
Regular season, all-time: 63-55-3
All-time, postseason: 1-1
All-time, at Minnesota (regular season): 30-30-0
Streaks: The Packers have won four of the last six meetings.
Last meeting, regular season: Jan. 2, 2022,
Lambeau Field, Packers won, 37-10
COACHES CAPSULES
Matt LaFleur: 41-13-0, .796; (2-3 postseason); 4th NFL season
Kevin O’Connell: 0-0-0, .000; (0-0 postseason); 1st NFL season
Head to Head: LaFleur 0-0 vs. O’Connell
vs. Opponent: LaFleur 4-2 vs. Vikings; O’Connell 0-0 vs.
Packers
MATT LaFLEUR…In his fourth season as the Packers’ 15th head coach.
In his 14th season in the NFL, having served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (L.A. Rams, 2017; Tennessee, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington, 2010-13; Atlanta, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston, 2008-09).
In his first three seasons leading the Packers, has authored one of the greatest starts to a head-coaching career in NFL history. With a 13-4 record in 2021, led the Packers to a third straight NFC North crown while also earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the second consecutive season.
Became the first coach in NFL history to post 13-plus wins in three straight seasons and his 39 wins from 2019-21 passed George Seifert (38) for the most wins by an NFL head coach in his first three seasons in the league (Elias Sports Bureau). His 39 wins are also tied for the second most by a coach over any three-season span in league history, trailing only Mike Ditka’s 40 wins with the Chicago Bears from 1985-87 (Elias).
Has guided the Packers to a 22-2 record (.917) in the regular season at Lambeau Field, the top home mark in the NFL from 2019-21 and the best home winning percentage by a Packers head coach in his first three seasons. His 22 wins at home are also the most in NFL history by a coach in his first three seasons.
In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, became the first coach in club history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season. Also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven).
KEVIN O’CONNELL…In his first season as the Vikings’ 10th head coach. Joined the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams the past two seasons.
Led the Rams to a No. 9 ranking in total offense (372.1 ypg.) last season while also helping his unit rank No. 2 in plays of 50-plus yards (10), No. 4 in yards per play (5.98) and No. 8 in offensive touchdowns (51).
Helped guide Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp to prolific years in 2021, with Stafford setting the single-season team record for passing yards (4,886) and Kupp earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors from The Associated Press after leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving TDs (16).
Prior to joining the Rams, worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019.
THE PACKERS-VIKINGS SERIES
The Packers began the series with six straight wins before Minnesota rattled off 22 victories in 32 contests from 1964-79. Green Bay started a run of its own in 1979 that generated 16 wins over 21 games and lasted until 1990.
Since 2000, the Packers are 26-16-2 (.614) in regularseason contests versus the Vikings.
Green Bay is 16-10-1 against Minnesota with QB Aaron Rodgers as the starter.
The Packers are 30-30 on the road all-time versus the Vikings.
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Jan. 2, 2022, Lambeau Field, Packers won, 37-10
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers completed 29 of 38 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
WR Davante Adams recorded 11 receptions for 136 yards and a TD.
The win gave Green Bay an 8-0 mark at Lambeau Field on the season, the only NFL team to go undefeated at home in 2021.
