Packers–Vikings rivalry

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Green Bay Packers–Minnesota Vikings
The Packers and Vikings at the line of scrimmage in 2009
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
First meetingOctober 22, 1961
Packers 33, Vikings 7
Latest meetingDecember 31, 2023
Packers 33, Vikings 10
Statistics
Meetings total127[1]
All-time seriesPackers, 66−58–3[2]
Postseason resultsTied, 1–1
  • January 9, 2005, Vikings 31, Packers 17
  • January 5, 2013, Packers 24, Vikings 10
Largest victoryPackers, 45–7 (2011)
Longest win streakVikings, 7 (1975–78)
Current win streakPackers, 1

The Packers–Vikings rivalry is an NFL rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.[3][4] CBS ranked it the #3 NFL rivalry of the 2000s.[5]

In the modern era, the Minnesota Vikings have been the biggest NFC North challenger to the Green Bay Packers. While the Packers have won almost 75% of its games against the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions since the beginning of quarterback Brett Favre’s first season in 1992, they have only won ~50% of their games against the Vikings (going 35–29–2 in that period).

Notable moments and games[edit]

  • The Packers, under coach Vince Lombardi beat the Vikings in nine of the first ten meetings in Minnesota's first five seasons in the NFL (1961–1965). In Green Bay's two Super Bowl seasons under Lombardi (1966–67), the two teams split their semi-annual meetings. In Minnesota's four Super Bowl seasons (1969, 1973, 1974, 1976) the Vikings won seven of eight meetings with the Packers. Vikings' coach Bud Grant went 22–14–1 against the Packers.
  • On September 26, 1993, the Vikings trailed the visiting Packers 13–12 with no timeouts and less than two minutes remaining on the clock. Needing a big play on 4th and 8 from their own 19, Minnesota quarterback Jim McMahon found Cris Carter for a 19-yard gain to keep the Vikings' drive alive. A couple more completions, mixed with three incomplete passes, set up a third-and-10 from mid-field with 14 seconds left. McMahon rolled right to avoid the rush, when suddenly he spotted rookie wide receiver Eric Guliford who was wide open by 20 yards. McMahon then connected on a 45-yard bomb with 6 seconds left to play before Mike Prior could force Guliford out of bounds. That would set up Fuad Reveiz's fifth field goal of the game, lifting the Vikings to a 15–13 victory. It was Guliford's only catch in his two seasons with the Vikings.
  • On October 5, 1998 Vikings rookie Randy Moss made his Monday Night Football debut at Lambeau Field and had five catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Randall Cunningham had two additional touchdown throws and Gary Anderson kicked three field goals in a 37–24 Vikings win. Favre threw three interceptions and was benched for Doug Pederson, who threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. The loss ended an 18-game winning streak for the Packers at Lambeau Field, dating back to 1995.
  • In a Monday Night Football game on November 6, 2000, the Packers and Vikings were tied at 20 in overtime when Brett Favre threw a long pass that Vikings cornerback Cris Dishman deflected towards Antonio Freeman, who was on the ground. The ball went straight from Dishman to Freeman's shoulder, who then rolled over to make the catch at the 15-yard line, and took it for the touchdown and the 26-20 win. This prompted commentator Al Michaels to famously utter, "He did what?"
  • On December 24, 2004 the Packers traveled to the Metrodome for a Week 16 matchup that would determine the 2004 NFC North champion. Both teams entered the game with 8–6 records. The Vikings took a 31–24 lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Packers mounted a late comeback to tie the game with 3:34 remaining. The Packers then drove down the field and won the game on a 29-yard field goal from Ryan Longwell as time expired. It was the second time in the season that Longwell had kicked a last-second field goal to give the Packers a 34–31 win over the Vikings.
  • January 9, 2005 marked the first time that the two clubs played each other in the playoffs. The Vikings jumped to an early lead and won 31-17.[6] In the 4th quarter after his second touchdown, Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss faux mooned Packer fans. In the moment, Fox announcer Joe Buck famously denounced the end zone celebration as "a disgusting act.”
  • The week leading to the teams' 2007 Week Four match up at the Metrodome was talk of whether Brett Favre would break the all-time passing touchdown record. He had already tied the record the week before, therefore needing only one touchdown pass to break Dan Marino's all time record of 420. Favre broke the record in the first quarter on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. The Packers went on to win the game 23–16.[7]
  • In week 10 of the 2007 season the Packers defeated the Vikings 34–0, for the second shutout of the series.
  • A missed 52-yard field goal try by the Packers' Mason Crosby with 26 seconds remaining sealed a hard-fought 28–27 Vikings win at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 9, 2008. Gus Frerotte overcame three interceptions (one returned 55 yards by the Packers' Nick Collins for a touchdown) to throw two touchdowns while Adrian Peterson rushed for 192 yards and the decisive touchdown with 2:22 to go in the fourth. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers threw for 142 yards but in the second quarter fumbled in the endzone and was flagged for intentional grounding, giving a safety to the Vikings; Jared Allen then sacked Rodgers in the Packers endzone with 52 seconds left in the first half for another Vikings safety.
  • Monday Night Football earned the highest ratings in cable television history on October 5, 2009 when the Vikings hosted the Packers. The game was the first meeting between the Packers and their former quarterback Brett Favre. The Vikings took over the game when Aaron Rodgers was sacked at the Vikings 33-yard line and fumbled. The Vikings drove downfield as Adrian Peterson rushed six times for 26 yards and Favre threw five times, ending in a one-yard touchdown to Visanthe Shiancoe. Rodgers managed a 62-yard touchdown to Jermichael Finley, and after an exchange of touchdowns (a 14-yard Favre pass to Sidney Rice and a Clay Matthews strip-tackle of Peterson returned 42-yards) Favre raced the Vikings to the Packers redzone; a pass to the endzone was picked off but the play was nullified on pass interference, and one play later Peterson rushed in another score. The Vikings never let the Packers closer as they won 30–23, taking a 4–0 record in the 2009 season's first quarter.
  • On October 24, 2010, the two teams met on Sunday Night Football[8] Three Favre interceptions helped the Packers surge to a 28–24 lead but Favre led a late comeback; an end zone catch by Percy Harvin with 57 seconds remaining was nullified when review showed one foot out of bounds, and the Vikings failed to convert a touchdown in their final attempt. Favre suffered an injury to his left ankle that left his season in doubt and coach Brad Childress was livid with the officiating crew led by Scott Green. In the November 21 rematch, the Packers routed the Vikings 31-3 behind four Aaron Rodgers touchdown passes, making Rodgers 2–2 against Favre in his career. The loss dropped the Vikings to 3–7, all but eliminating them from playoff contention. Childress was fired by the Vikings the next day, and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was promoted to replace him. The Packers went on to win their fourth Super Bowl.
Adrian Peterson vs. Packers, December 30, 2012, the last game of his 2,097-yard season.
  • Adrian Peterson came up nine yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson's 1984 rushing record but his late scamper set up the winning field goal in a 37–34 Vikings win on December 30, 2012. The Packers erased a 20–10 halftime gap but could not eke out a win, while the Vikings advanced to the playoffs as the NFC's sixth seed.
  • On January 5, 2013 the Packers defeated the Vikings 24-10 in the Wild Card round just six days after falling to the Vikings in Week 17. The Packers were able to hold Adrian Peterson under 100 yards after he had run for 210 and 199 yards respectively in the first two meetings.
  • The Packers and Vikings played for the division crown in Week 17 of the 2015 season at Lambeau Field.[9] The Vikings won the contest 20–13, claiming their first divisional title since 2009 and breaking the Packers' four-year streak.
  • In the first game in U.S. Bank Stadium, Week 2 of the 2016 season, the Vikings defeated the Packers 17-14 en route to a 5-0 start to the season.
  • The two teams faced off at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 15, 2017. Midway through the first quarter, Minnesota linebacker Anthony Barr tackled Aaron Rodgers, causing him to leave the game with a broken collarbone. Rodgers had surgery on October 19 and was placed on injured reserve, giving quarterback Brett Hundley the reigns. The teams headed in opposite directions going forward, as the Packers' eight-year streak of playoff berths ended with a 7–9 record after starting 4–1, while the Vikings finished 13–3 and won the NFC North, losing to the eventual Super Bowl LII champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. The following offseason, a controversial rule change was introduced that would cause similar tackles to result in a roughing the passer penalty.[10]
  • On December 23, 2017, the Vikings won 16–0; the first time the Vikings shut out the Packers at Lambeau Field and Minnesota's first sweep of Green Bay since 2009. It was the second home shutout of the season for the Packers, who previously had not been shutout at home since 2006, following a 0-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
  • On December 23, 2019, the 11–3 Packers and 10–4 Vikings met at U.S. Bank Stadium for Monday Night Football that would have implications on NFC playoff seeding. A Packers win would clinch the NFC North, while a Vikings win would keep them in contention for the division title. Despite three early turnovers in the first half from the Packers offense, they would eventually win 23–10 behind 3.5 sacks from OLB Za'Darius Smith and 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns from RB Aaron Jones. The win marked the first Packers win in Minnesota since 2015 and their first ever win at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Packers clinched the NFC North title, while the Vikings, having already clinched a playoff spot prior to the game due to a Rams loss, were locked in as the NFC's sixth seed.[11]

Game results[edit]

Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings season-by-season results
1960s (Packers, 11–7)
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes
1961 Packers 2–0 Packers
28–10
Packers
33–7
Packers
2–0
Vikings join NFL as an expansion team. Packers win 1961 NFL Championship.
1962 Packers 2–0 Packers
34–7
Packers
48–21
Packers
4–0
Packers win 1962 NFL Championship.
1963 Packers 2–0 Packers
28–7
Packers
37–28
Packers
6–0
1964 Tie 1–1 Vikings
24–23
Packers
42–13
Packers
7–1
1965 Packers 2–0 Packers
24–19
Packers
38–13
Packers
9–1
Packers win 1965 NFL Championship.
1966 Tie 1–1 Vikings
20–17
Packers
28–16
Packers
10–2
Packers win 1966 NFL Championship and Super Bowl I.
1967 Tie 1–1 Vikings
10–7
Packers
30–27
Packers
11–3
Packers win seven straight meetings in Minnesota. Packers win 1967 NFL Championship and Super Bowl II.
1968 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
26–13
Vikings
14–10
Packers
11–5
1969 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
9–7
Vikings
19–7
Packers
11–7
Vikings win 1969 NFL Championship, lose Super Bowl IV.
† Denotes a Packers home game played in Milwaukee
1970s (Vikings, 15–4–1)
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes
1970 Tie 1–1 Packers
13–10
Vikings
10–3
Packers
12–8
Both teams placed in the NFC Central after AFL-NFL merger.
1971 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
24–13
Vikings
3–0
Packers
12–10
1972 Tie 1–1 Vikings
27–13
Packers
23–7
Packers
13–11
1973 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
31–7
Vikings
11–3
Tie
13–13
Vikings lose Super Bowl VIII.
1974 Tie 1–1 Vikings
32–17
Packers
19–7
Tie
14–14
Vikings lose Super Bowl IX.
1975 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
28–17
Vikings
24–3
Vikings
16–14
1976 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
17–10
Vikings
20–9
Vikings
18–14
Vikings lose Super Bowl XI.
1977 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
13–6
Vikings
19–7
Vikings
20–14
Vikings win seven straight meetings in Green Bay/Milwaukee (1971–77).
1978 Vikings 1–0–1 Tie
10–10(OT)
Vikings
21–7
Vikings
21–14–1
Vikings win seven straight meetings (1975–78).
1979 Tie 1–1 Packers
19–17
Vikings
27–21(OT)
Vikings
22–15–1
† Denotes a Packers home game played in Milwaukee
1980s (Packers, 14–5)
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes
1980 Packers 2–0 Packers
16–3
Packers
25–13
Vikings
22–17–1
1981 Tie 1–1 Vikings
30–13
Packers
35–23
Vikings
23–18–1
1982 Packers 1–0 Packers
26–7
no game Vikings
23–19–1
Game in Minneapolis cancelled due to players strike reducing the season to 9 games. Vikings move to Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
1983 Tie 1–1 Vikings
20–17(OT)
Packers
29–21
Vikings
24–20–1
1984 Packers 2–0 Packers
45–17
Packers
38–14
Vikings
24–22–1
1985 Packers 2–0 Packers
20–17
Packers
27–17
Tie
24–24–1
1986 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
32–6
Vikings
42–7
Vikings
26–24–1
1987 Packers 2–0 Packers
23–16
Packers
16–10
Tie
26–26–1
1988 Packers 2–0 Packers
18–6
Packers
34–14
Packers
28–26–1
1989 Tie 1–1 Packers
20–19
Vikings
26–14
Packers
29–27–1
† Denotes a Packers home game played in Milwaukee
1990s (Vikings, 12–8)
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes
1990 Tie 1–1 Packers
24–10
Vikings
23–7
Packers
30–28–1
1991 Tie 1–1 Vikings
35-21
Packers
27-7
Packers
31–29–1
1992 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
23–20(OT)
Vikings
27–7
Tie
31–31–1
Packers QB Brett Favre's first start in the rivalry. Vikings' win in Minnesota eliminates Packers from playoff contention.
1993 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
21–17
Vikings
15–13
Vikings
33–31–1
Vikings K Fuad Reveiz kicks five field goals in the game in Minneapolis, including the game-winner in the final seconds.
1994 Tie 1–1 Packers
16–10
Vikings
13–10(OT)
Vikings
34–32–1
1995 Tie 1–1 Packers
38–21
Vikings
27–24
Vikings
35–33–1
1996 Tie 1–1 Packers
38–10
Vikings
30–21
Vikings
36–34–1
Packers win Super Bowl XXXI.
1997 Packers 2–0 Packers
38–32
Packers
27–11
Tie
36–36–1
Packers lose Super Bowl XXXII.
1998 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
37–24
Vikings
28–14
Vikings
38–36–1
1999 Tie 1–1 Packers
23–20
Vikings
24–20
Vikings
39–37–1
† Denotes a Packers home game played in Milwaukee
2000s (Packers, 12–9)
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes
2000 Packers 2–0 Packers
26–20(OT)
Packers
33–28
Tie
39–39–1
Packers win game in Green Bay on Antonio Freeman's rolling catch off his shoulder and run in for a touchdown, to which commentator Al Michaels famously exclaimed, "he did WHAT?!"
2001 Tie 1–1 Packers
24–13
Vikings
35–13
Tie
40–40–1
2002 Tie 1–1 Packers
26–22
Vikings
31–21
Tie
41–41–1
2003 Tie 1–1 Vikings
30–25
Packers
30–27
Tie
42–42–1
2004 Packers 2–0 Packers
34–31
Packers
34–31
Packers
44–42–1
2004 Playoffs Vikings 1–0 Vikings
31–17
Packers
44–43–1
NFC Wild Card Round. First playoff meeting between the two teams.
2005 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
20–17
Vikings
23–20
Vikings
45–44–1
2006 Packers 2–0 Packers
9–7
Packers
23–17
Packers
46–45–1
2007 Packers 2–0 Packers
34–0
Packers
23–16
Packers
48–45–1
Brett Favre breaks Dan Marino's record for most career touchdown passes during the game in Minneapolis on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings.
2008 Tie 1–1 Packers
24–19
Vikings
28–27
Packers
49–46–1
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers makes his first career start on a Week 1 Monday Night Football game against the Vikings. Vikings win Week 9 game in Minneapolis after Packers K Mason Crosby misses a 52-yard field goal in the game's final seconds.
2009 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
38–26
Vikings
30–23
Packers
49–48–1
Favre signs with the Vikings before the season, and proceeds to sweep his former team en route to a 12-4 record and another NFC North division title.
2010s (Packers, 13–6–2)
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes
2010 Packers 2–0 Packers
28–24
Packers
31–3
Packers
51–48–1
Packers win Super Bowl XLV. Final start in the series for Brett Favre.
2011 Packers 2–0 Packers
45–7
Packers
33–27
Packers
53–48–1
Packers' 45–7 win is the largest margin of victory for either team in the series.
2012 Tie 1–1 Packers
23–14
Vikings
37–34
Packers
54–49–1
Minnesota's win in Week 17 clinches final playoff spot while denying the Packers a first-round bye. Setting up the rematch in Green Bay as the #3 & #6 seeds the following week.
2012 Playoffs Packers 1–0 Packers
24–10
Packers
55–49–1
NFC Wild Card Round.
2013 Packers 1–0–1 Tie
26–26(OT)
Packers
44–31
Packers
56–49–2
2014 Packers 2–0 Packers
42–10
Packers
24–21
Packers
58–49–2
2015 Tie 1–1 Vikings
20–13
Packers
30–13
Packers
59–50–2
Vikings clinch NFC North with Week 17 win at Lambeau Field.
2016 Tie 1–1 Packers
38–25
Vikings
17–14
Packers
60–51–2
Vikings open U.S. Bank Stadium. The two teams' meeting is the first game at the new venue. After a 5–0 start, the Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention with a 38-25 loss at Lambeau Field in Week 16, en route to an 8–8 finish to the season.
2017 Vikings 2–0 Vikings
16–0
Vikings
23–10
Packers
60–53–2
Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr delivers a hit to Rodgers in the Week 6 contest at U.S. Bank Stadium that resulted in Rodgers suffering a broken collarbone and missing nine games that season. The hit would lead to a new rule that would make hits like Barr's result in a roughing the passer penalty.
2018 Vikings 1–0–1 Tie
29–29(OT)
Vikings
24–17
Packers
60–54–3
2019 Packers 2–0 Packers
21–16
Packers
23–10
Packers
62–54–3
Packers clinch NFC North with Week 16 win in Minneapolis.
2020s (Tie, 4–4)
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes
2020 Tie 1–1 Vikings
28–22
Packers
43–34
Packers
63–55–3
Game in Minnesota is the highest-scoring game in rivalry with a total of 77 points scored.
2021 Tie 1–1 Packers
37–10
Vikings
34–31
Packers
64–56–3
Packers eliminate Vikings from playoff contention with Week 17 win in Green Bay.
2022 Tie 1–1 Packers
41–17
Vikings
23–7
Packers
65–57–3
Game in Green Bay was final start in the series and final win as a Packer for Aaron Rodgers.
2023 Tie 1–1 Vikings
24–10
Packers
33−10
Packers
66–58–3
Summary of results
Season Season series at Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings Notes
Regular season Packers 65–57–3 Packers 34–26–3 Tie 31–31 Packers home record includes 25–19–3 in Green Bay and 9–7 in Milwaukee
Postseason Tie 1–1 Tie 1–1 no games NFC Wild Card Round: 2004, 2012
Regular and postseason Packers 66–58–3 Packers 35–27–3 Tie 31–31

Players that played for both teams[edit]

The Packers and Vikings playing in a 2015 game
Name Pos. Years with Packers Years with Vikings
Paul Coffman TE 1978–1985 1988
Letroy Guion DT 2014–2016 2008–2013
Brandon Bostick TE 2012–2014 2015
Brett Favre QB 1992–2007 2009–2010
DuJuan Harris RB 2012–2014 2015
Greg Jennings WR 2006–2012 2013–2014
Robert Ferguson WR 2001–2007 2007–2008
Gilbert Brown DT 1993–1999, 2001–2003 1993
Datone Jones DE 2013–2017 2017
Chandon Sullivan DB 2019–2021 2022
Za'Darius Smith LB 2019–2021 2022
Dean Lowry DE 2016–2022 2023–present
Desmond Bishop LB 2007–2013 2013–2014
Jeff Brady LB 1992 1995–1997
Bryce Paup LB 1990–1994 2000
Darren Sharper DB 1997–2004 2005–2008
Mossy Cade DB 1985–1986 1988
Ryan Longwell K 1997–2005 2006–2011
Jan Stenerud K 1980–1983 1984–1985
Bucky Scribner P 1983–1984 1987–1989
Carroll Dale WR 1965–1972 1973
Koren Robinson WR 2006–2007 2005

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Green Bay Packers Head-to-Head Records". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  2. ^ "Green Bay Packers Head-to-Head Records". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings".
  4. ^ "Packers-Vikings is rivalry for now and future". Archived from the original on 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  5. ^ "Ranking NFL's top rivalries of the 2000s: Epic QB clash tops list of historic matchups".
  6. ^ Fox, Bob. "Breaking Down the Packers-Vikings Rivalry". Bleacher Report.
  7. ^ "Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings - September 30th, 2007". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  8. ^ "Vikings-Packers: 107th Meeting Fuels Rivalry". Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  9. ^ "Packers-Vikings rivalry will intensify". Archived from the original on 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  10. ^ Goessling, Ben (August 2, 2018). "Anthony Barr's hit on Aaron Rodgers would be penalty this season". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  11. ^ "Vikings Secure Postseason Berth with Rams Loss".