Packers’ Rashan Gary on outside noise: Only listen to coaches, teammates
Gary, who appeared on this week’s Clubhouse Live, said “everything that you hear inside the building, believe that to be true. Anything outside, leave it alone.”
The playoff-bound Green Bay Packers are hobbling their way into their regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings.
Since the Week 18 result won’t change the Packers’ playoff seed paramount for head coach Matt LaFleur and his team is getting healthy (or at least somewhat healthy given so many stars are out with season-ending injuries). This Packers team simply can’t afford any more injuries.
But do the Packers, whose porous run defense was exposed in a 41-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week, want to go into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak?
That’s the situation the Packers (9-6-1) would be in if they lose to the Vikings. Not exactly peaking at the right time. Regardless, they’ll likely be resting players.
Meanwhile, Kevin O’Connell’s team, which had previously been eliminated from playoff contention, are on a roll as it concludes the regular season. The Vikings (8-8) have won their last four games and even helped the Packers clinch a playoff berth last week by beating the Detroit Lions on Christmas.
Who suits up at quarterback for Minnesota is still to be determined. The status of second-year pro JJ McCarthy, who has a hand injury, is up in the air.
Here’s an early look at the Packers-Vikings matchup, including start time, TV channel, odds and the NFC playoff picture and more:
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What time is the Packer game on Sunday?Time: NoonDate: Sunday, Jan. 4
The Packers will play the Vikings at noon on Sunday, Jan. 4, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the second matchup between the two teams this season.
It’s the Packers’ first Sunday noon game since Week 12 against the Vikings on Nov. 23. The Packers beat the Vikings, 23-6, in that game at Lambeau Field.
What channel is the Packers vs Vikings? TV, streaming
Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Adam Archuleta (analyst), Aditi Kinkhabwala (sideline reporter) are on the call.
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NFC playoff picture
The Seattle Seahawks or the San Francisco 49ers will be the No. 1 seed. They play each other in Week 18 with the winner getting the top seed and the loser a wild-card team. The Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles will be the No. 2 and 3 seeds. Their seeds will be finalized after the Week 18 results. The Bears have the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Carolina Panthers or Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the No. 4 seed as the NFC South champion. They play in Week 18. The Los Angeles Rams will be the fifth or sixth seeds. The Green Bay Packers will be the No. 7 seed.
Seattle Seahawks:Â 13-3 (NFC West leader, clinched playoff berth)Chicago Bears:Â 11-5 (NFC North champion, clinched playoff berth)Philadelphia Eagles:Â 11-5 (NFC East champion, clinched playoff berth)Carolina Panthers:Â 8-8 (NFC South leader)San Francisco 49ers:Â 12-4 (first wild-card team, clinched playoff berth)Los Angeles Rams:Â 11-5 (second wild-card team, clinched playoff berth)Green Bay Packers:Â 9-6-1 (third wild-card team, clinched playoff berth)
In the hunt:Â Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-9 (can only win the NFC South and be the fourth seed)
Eliminated: Minnesota Vikings 8-8, Detroit Lions 8-8, Dallas Cowboys 7-8-1, Atlanta Falcons 7-9, New Orleans Saints 6-10, Washington Commanders 4-12, Arizona Cardinals 3-13, New York Giants 3-13
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Packers vs Vikings odds
Since the Packers will likely rest several starters, the Vikings are nearly touchdown favorites.
Spread: Packers +6.5Moneyline: Packers +230, Vikings -280Total: 36.5
Is JJ McCarthy playing vs the Packers?
Like last week, the Packers could be facing a backup quarterback.
Quarterback JJ McCarthy, the team’s 2024 first-round pick, has a hairline fracture in his right hand.
McCarthy missed the Vikings’ Week 17 game on Christmas on Dec. 25 after leaving the Week 16 contest with the injury.
O’Connell said on Dec. 29 McCarthy is “progressing.”
“Swelling in his hand has come down a little bit,” O’Connell said. “It’s just gonna be about working through it this week and seeing what his grip strength is like and if he can possibly give it a go this week.”
If McCarthy doesn’t play, Max Brosmer will get the start for a third time this season.
Green Bay Packers 2025 schedule
The Packers are 9-6-1 entering their Week 18 game.
Sept. 7: vs. Detroit Lions, W, 27-13Sept. 11: vs. Washington Commanders, W, 27-18Sept. 21: at Cleveland Browns, L, 13-10Sept. 28: at Dallas Cowboys, T, 40-40Oct. 5: ByeOct. 12: Cincinnati Bengals, W, 27-18Oct. 19: at Arizona Cardinals, W, 27-23Oct. 26: at Pittsburgh Steelers, W, 35-25Nov. 2: vs. Carolina Panthers, L, 16-13Nov. 10: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, L, 10-7Nov. 16: at New York Giants, W, 27-20Nov. 23: vs. Minnesota Vikings, W 23-6Nov. 27: at Detroit Lions, W, 31-24Dec. 7: Chicago Bears, W, 28-21Dec. 14: at Denver Broncos, L, 34-26Dec. 20: at Chicago Bears, L, 22-16Dec. 27: vs. Baltimore Ravens, L, 41-24Jan. 3-4: at Minnesota Vikings, noon, Jan. 4Who will the Packers play in the playoffs?
As the seventh seed, the Packers will play the No. 2 seed on the road in the wild-card round of the playoffs. That will be either the Bears or Eagles.
The Bears will be the No. 2 seed with a win over the Lions on Jan. 4 or an Eagles loss over the Commanders in Week 18.
The Eagles will be the No. 2 seed with a win over Commanders and a Bears loss to the Lions. The Packers lost to the Eagles in a wild-card game last season.
The playoffs begin with wild-card weekend Jan. 10-12.
When is the Super Bowl 2026?
The Packers will attempt to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2010 season.
The Super Bowl is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 8, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.