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KFAN Preview: Vikings at Packers Week 12 matchup at noon
The Minnesota Vikings (4-6) will try their luck against the Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) at Lambeau Field Sunday at noon live on KFAN (100.3) with Paul Allen on play-by-play, joined by Pete Bercich as analyst and Ben Leber as sideline reporter.
The Vikings will seek their third victory in a row at Lambeau as they return to the road after a punishing last-minute loss 19-17 against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 16 sent them down the Power Rankings and cemented their spot at the bottom of the NFC North.
In a postgame interview, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said it felt like the team was “a play away all day.”
“It starts with the pitching and catching and how we’re putting things together and trying to make it as quarterback-friendly as we can while still being able to run the football and stay efficient throughout the day,” O’Connell said.
The Vikings will return center Ryan Kelly as a full participant after a Week 4 concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to a Wednesday injury report. O’Connell said that outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard is still rehabbing a Week 10 shoulder injury and did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
The Packers are coming off the positive end of a situation similar to Minnesota’s fourth-quarter heartbreak last Sunday; they overcame the New York Giants 27-20 as quarterback Jordan Love made a deep 17-yard toss to Christian Watson followed by an emphatic two-point conversion.
In his press conference Wednesday, O’Connell said that the Vikings would have to be “totally locked in” to combat the explosive Packer offense.
“They’ve really made a pretty interesting transition to the marriage of running the pass and some of the things they’ve done, Matt (LaFleur)’s done at a high level for a long time,” O’Connell said.
On the Vikings’ end, quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be looking to find his footing for his sixth start of the season and fourth after a five-week injury leave caused by a high-ankle sprain. McCarthy has averaged roughly 180 yards per game since returning, though none of his 150 total yards against the Bears were gained by his own two legs.
O’Connell justified the decision not to run McCarthy Tuesday with Paul Allen on KFAN (100.3) at TCO Studios.
“I think there’s times for that, but you also don’t want to make a living doing that when you’re trying to continue to see this quarterback grow by playing the position,” O’Connell said. “But there’s a time and a place for it, for sure.”
Sunday’s matchup can be listened to live at KFAN (100.3) at noon on Sunday, Nov. 23, preceded by Packer Preview at 7 a.m. and Vikings Football Sunday pregame at 10 a.m.