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We’ve gotten to this one a bit later in the week than we usually would. . .again, a function of yours truly doing vacationy-type things. But, we’re on it now, and we’re going to take a look at the history between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers. As you’d expect, the Vikings have faced the Packers more times than any other team in franchise history, as Sunday’s game will mark the 114th contest between these two teams. The Packers have the lead in the all-time head-to-head record, but the Vikings have closed the gap on that front a bit over the past few seasons.
As always, the numbers used in this post come to you courtesy of the folks from Pro Football Reference.
Total regular season games between the Vikings and the Packers: 113
All-time regular season record: Packers, 59-52-2
Total Vikings’ points scored, head-to-head: 2,189 (19.4 points/game)
Total Packers’ points scored, head-to-head: 2,459 (21.8 points/game)
Longest Vikings’ winning streak vs Packers: 7 games, 2 November 1975 to 22 October 1978
Longest Packers’ winning streak vs Vikings: 6 games, 22 October 1961 to 10 November 1963 (first six games in series history)
Most recent Vikings’ road win in series: 23 December 2017 (final score 16-0)
Most recent Packers’ home win in series: 24 December 2016 (final score 38-25)
Biggest Vikings’ road win in series: 26 points, 7 December 1986 (final score 32-6)
Biggest Packers’ home win in series: 38 points, 14 November 2011 (final score 45-7)
Current streak: Vikings, 2 wins
As I’m guessing you’ve heard by this point, the Vikings did sweep the Packers last season, and it was allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll because Aaron Rodgers was injured and had nothing to do with the Vikings being a good football team or anything like that. Last season at Lambeau, in another late-season matchup, the Vikings’ defense did something that no Vikings’ defense had done for nearly a quarter of a century. . .hold an opponent to zero points. Granted, the Vikings’ offense wasn’t great that night or anything, but they did enough to grind out a 16-0 victory, the first shutout for the Vikings since 1993.
The last time the Vikings saw Aaron Rodgers for four quarters at Lambeau Field. . .well, it didn’t go particularly well for them. In another December matchup, Rodgers was in full-blown MVP mode, as he completed four touchdown passes and ran for another score as the Packers ended the competitive portion of the season for the 2016 Vikings by a final score of 38-25.
This is the first September matchup at Lambeau Field between the Vikings and the Packers since the 2008 season opener. . .which just happened to be the first regular season start of Rodgers career. Neither quarterback that night really lit it up. . .both Rodgers and Tarvaris Jackson threw for 178 yards and a touchdown on the evening. However, the Packers ultimately made more plays than the Vikings did that night, and walked away with a 24-19 victory to start that season.
And that’s a brief look back at the history between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers leading up to tomorrow’s matchup at Lambeau Field, ladies and gentlemen.