The Green Bay Packers–Minnesota Vikings rivalry will reach new heights on Sunday.
A longtime NFL rivalry known as the “Border Battle” will take on a new intensity in Week 17.
Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love both knew it and avoided “just another game narrative” when talking with reporters recently. The Vikings (13–2)
seek the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the playoff-bound Packers (11–4) need a big win amid
no victories over a team with 10 or more wins yet this season.
“Badly,” Love
told reporters on Friday. “Obviously, we only have one more chance here this week, so definitely like I’ve talked about before, we’ve got to be able to go win these games against the really good teams in the league and set ourselves up for the situation we'll be in for the playoffs—on the road playing good teams.”
Green Bay can’t finish higher than the fifth seed for the playoffs because of the Vikings and the Detroit Lions (13–2) chasing the NFC North title. That means the Packers will go on the road for all of the playoffs unless a No. 6 or No. 7 seed makes an epic run at the same time.
As for the Vikings, a big road game could await in a week to avoid any postseason road games. The Vikings
have a Week 18 showdown in Detroit, but business awaits on Sunday first with the longtime rivals on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River.
“I always say that I love these types of games,” Jefferson
told reporters on Thursday. “The games that you really need, the games that are exciting for everyone to watch. I love those types of games. I love those moments.”
Minnesota has lost at home only once this season, against the Lions, and the Vikings edged the Packers in their first meeting on Sept. 29 after a 28–7 first-half lead disintegrated in a
31–29 victory at Lambeau Field.
Love threw three interceptions in that game, but he also threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns as he rallied his team. He expects another challenge against the Vikings defense on Sunday.
“They do a lot of really good stuff on defense,” Love said. “They throw a lot of different looks at you, a lot of different personnel, and a lot of different pressures. They make it hard for offenses, make you kinda have to study everything and be prepared for whatever they might throw at you.”
Jefferson and company meanwhile will keep the Packers defense busy throughout. The Vikings put up
26.4 points per game, but the Packers have been tough on defense amid
19.1 points allowed per game, which recently includes the only shutout in the whole league.
Amid all the big stakes on the line the Vikings have the chance to sweep the Packers in a relatively even rivalry series. The Packers have
a 66–59–3 advantage in the all-time series that breeds intensity no matter what the teams’ records are in any given season.
“Just going against Green Bay ... everybody knows we hate them, and they hate us. The fans know the whole rivalry in general is something to get juiced up about,” Jefferson said.
