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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Brandon Carwile

Packers vs. Vikings: 4 key matchups to watch in Week 17

Revenge is a dish best served…freezing?

Temperatures could reach single digits when the Green Bay Packers host the Minnesota Vikings Sunday night. A win would avenge the team’s Week 11 loss and could help eliminate the Vikings from playoff contention.

In the first meeting, Minnesota handed Green Bay their third loss of the season by way of a last-second field off the foot of Greg Joseph. With a little over two minutes left in the game, quarterback Kirk Cousins drove his team down to the Packers’ 11-yard line to set up the game-winner.

Cousins was efficient throughout the day, much like he has been all year. He hopes to finish one of the best statistical seasons of his career on a high note. However, he won’t have one of his top pass catchers in wide receiver Adam Thielen after he was placed on season-ending injured reserve earlier this week.

The Vikings still have Justin Jefferson, and that is all they really needed to beat the Packers the first time. Despite a productive day from the offense, Green Bay’s defense was completely overwhelmed by Jefferson’s playmaking. On Thursday, we highlighted how they need to do a much better job in the second meeting.

Of course, Jefferson can’t do it all by himself, so here are the four key matchups to watch for this week.

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