GREEN BAY – It’s the rematch of one of the league’s most explosive offenses against one of the most chaotic defenses.
In the first go-round back in Week 1, the Packers won the battle for three quarters before the tide irreparably turned the Vikings’ way in the fourth.
So Green Bay enters Sunday’s showdown at Lambeau Field knowing it has what it takes to get it done against Minnesota, but it can’t let something that goes wrong snowball into anything worse.
“Against this defense, you know what it is, you can’t get frustrated,” quarterback Jordan Love said Wednesday. “There’s going to be some times where they get you, or the call we got just isn’t good enough versus what they’re bringing.
“That’s part of it. They’ll win some reps for sure, and you just gotta stay focused.”
Multiple things will be different in the rematch.
For one, the Packers now have far more experience at the guard positions to help protect Love. It’s unclear which two amongst Laken Tomlinson, Kevin Zeitler and Aaron Banks will play Sunday, but it won’t be Jacob Monk and Donovan Jennings, who were making their first career starts at those guard spots in Week 1 when the Vikings got way too many free runners at the QB.
On the flip side, the Packers may be rolling at center with the young John Williams in place of Sean Rhyan, but it’s possible Rhyan could return from his ankle injury this week.
For another, this game is at home, where the Packers’ offense will not have to operate on a silent count and will be able to communicate up front much better without having to deal with the deafening crowd noise of U.S. Bank Stadium.
“Playing them at home is a lot different than playing them there for that reason right there,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “That is, in my opinion, one of the toughest places to play in the NFL.”
Added Love: “Oh, man, it makes a huge difference. Silent count, it’s easier for D-line to get a little bit of a get-off. They kind of know what’s coming. But I think, too, just playing there, the environment, the noise, all those things, it throws communication off for an offense. We can’t hear each other.”
Love confessed that against coordinator Brian Flores’ defense, which leads the league with a 72.5% blitz rate on passing downs, a quarterback can’t always figure out who’s rushing from where, and there’s guesswork involved.
That puts a greater stress on Love’s eyes, to manipulate the defenders in the back end so they can’t simply read where he’s going with the ball. It also requires the receivers to adjust routes quickly and properly based on the pressure the defense is sending, and to be ready for a quick throw so Love can avoid a sack.