The Vikings improved to 12-3 in dominant fashion Saturday night, blanking the decimated Packers, 16-0.
It was Minnesota’s first shutout since a 13-0 win over the Lions on Dec. 5, 1993 — a span of more than 24 years, which was the NFL’s third-longest drought.
One week after being eliminated from postseason play for the first time since 2008, Green Bay entered the night without Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and Jahri Evans on offense, and lost RT Jason Spriggs to a knee injury after the first offensive snap and Jordy Nelson and Richard Rodgers to shoulder injuries before halftime.
The wrath of injuries, a nonexistent downfield passing game and the Packers' backup wideouts struggling badly with drops contributed to their second time being shutout at home with Hundley this season.
The Vikings didn’t let the Brett Hundley-led Packers cross midfield at frigid Lambeau until there were less than two minutes remaining in the first half. That was after Minnesota jumped out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead following Case Keenum and Stefon Diggs hooking up on 4-yard touchdown and never looked back. Green Bay’s best drive of the night ended in a red-zone interception by Harrison Smith, who was all over the field with seven tackles (one tackle for loss) and a pair of picks, the second sealing the win in the final two minutes.
The Vikings' shutout comes one week after taking a shutout into the fourth quarter in Cincinnati, where they allowed just 161 total yards of offense — the fewest in four seasons under Mike Zimmer.
Indeed, Minnesota's defense is playing as well as any in football. The Vikings lost starting LG Nick Easton to a season-ending fractured ankle but they'd entered the game as healthy as they've been in several weeks — including welcoming back LT Riley Reiff from his own ankle injury — and have better interior OL depth than outside.
Saturday was another reminder that their dominant 'D,' paired with a productive two-headed run game (112 yards on 33 carries) and Case Keenum continuing to thrive and get the ball to his playmakers, makes the Vikings a dangerous team wherever they're playing in January.
Of course, there's a chance the Vikings won't have to leave Minnesota again this season.
They haven’t yet locked up a first-round bye but are in great shape to clinch either the first or second seed in the NFC. The Vikings are attempting to become the first-ever team to host and play in the Super Bowl when LII is held at U.S. Bank of Stadium on Feb. 4, 2018. Dominating their hapless division rival was another important step toward accomplishing that goal.
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