Packers Vikings things to watch

The Packers are back at Lambeau Field and this time they might have their starting quarterback available, with reports around the health of Jordan Love growing more positive with each day.

Here are five things to watch as Green Bay hosts the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

How effective is Jordan Love?

Love once again enters the game with a ‘questionable’ designation, having been limited in each practice session this week. At this point, Love’s MCL sprain will not have completely healed, so if he does play, there will be some question over how close to 100% he is.

Despite looking comfortable moving around during practice, the game itself will prove a firmer test of Love’s ability to scramble and avoid oncoming defenders, especially versus the Vikings and defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ ferocious defense.

Malik Willis has been more than serviceable in his starts, and there is a real possibility Love cannot perform as well in his first start back in the lineup as the backup has over the last two weeks.

The motivation to get Love back in the lineup is clear. Not only is he obviously the best quarterback on the roster, he also has the better grasp of Green Bay’s offense, and crucially, a better idea of what Minnesota are going to throw at him, and how to respond.

Pass protection will be key, as Love may not be able to navigate pressure quite as well this week. If the offensive line can give him time to operate, Love can still be deadly from the pocket and help the Packers put up points.

Defensive backfield configuration

When you are about to go up against wide receivers like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, as well as an elite play caller like Kevin O’Connell, you probably do not want to hear that two of your best cornerbacks did not practice on Friday.

Carrington Valentine has already been declared out for Sunday’s game, while Jaire Alexander is questionable with quad and groin issues. That means the Packers could line up with Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine as their two boundary corners while Keisean Nixon mans the slot.

That would obviously not be ideal, although Eric Stokes has enjoyed a solid start to the season as he looks to finally put his own injury nightmares behind him.

Given the predicament Green Bay is in, it will be interesting to see how the defensive backfield is composed this week. Javon Bullard could be a candidate to play in the slot, which would then allow Nixon to play outside, while Evan Williams could fill in at safety.

If Alexander is out Sunday, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley might have to get creative if the Packers are to contain Jefferson and Addison.

Interior pressure

The Vikings have two strong tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, but the interior of their offensive line is more suspect, with Ed Ingram at right guard and regular Kenny Clark whipping boy Garrett Bradbury at center.

Clark is off to a slow start as he transitions to a new defense, but up against Bradbury could have himself a get-right game.

Devonte Wyatt has been creating regular pressure, and against Tennessee, Hafley deployed multiple edge rushers inside on obvious passing downs to wreak havoc.

Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold is having an excellent start to the season, but like most quarterbacks, becomes much less effective under pressure. He is not a statue in the pocket, but is also not likely to scramble out of trouble if defenders are in his lap.

With the secondary potentially compromised, it will be vital the Packers are able to disrupt plays with pressure from the front this week.

Who starts faster?

The Vikings have hardly trailed in any of their three victories so far, keeping both their offense and defense in advantageous positions. The same could be said of the Packers in the last two weeks.

It is hard to imagine them pulling off back-to-back wins with Willis under center had they not been able to jump out to two-score leads, allowing the offense to run the ball and limit the risk of Willis having to throw the ball 30-plus times.

Both Green Bay’s offense and defense have played an equal part in that successful recipe, with the offense putting points on the board before their opponents could figure out what the hell was happening, and the defense regularly protecting the lead by forcing punts and turnovers.

This can be said for a lot of teams, but in their current form, both the Packers and Vikings are designed to play from ahead. Whoever gets off to the better start might ride it all the way to victory on Sunday.

Aaron Jones makes an emotional return to Lambeau Field

Seeing Aaron Jones running out of the tunnel and toting the rock wearing purple is going to be strange for everyone associated with Green Bay. He was a model Packer during his time with the team; a star on and off the field.

Thanks to Green Bay’s careful management of his workload over the years, Jones appears to have plenty left in the tank and is off to a strong start for the Vikings, and he would surely love nothing more than to put on a show in his first game as a visiting player to Lambeau.

Packers fans remember how well Jones would play whenever he returned to his hometown of Texas to face the Cowboys, and will be hoping not to be on the end of a similar performance this Sunday.

Jones spoke beautifully about his time in Green Bay in an article on The Players’ Tribune earlier this week, and regardless of the reception he receives from the home crowd when game time arrives, the man they call Showtyme will always have the respect and love of Packers nation.