Honestly, looking back at the packers vs vikings 2023 season series feels like watching two completely different movies. You had the October slog where Green Bay looked like a team that forgot how to play football, and then the New Year’s Eve blowout where Jordan Love basically announced himself to the world. It was weird. It was loud. And if you’re a Vikings fan, it was the year the floor finally fell out.
Most people remember the 2023 season for the Packers as the "growing pains" year. For the Vikings, it was the "what if" year. But when these two met, the stakes weren't just about divisional pride. They were about survival.
The October Disaster: Kirk Cousins and the End of an Era
October 29, 2023. Lambeau Field was cold, but the Packers' offense was colder. They lost 24-10, and honestly, it wasn't even that close. Jordan Love spent most of the day looking like a guy who had never seen a blitz before, finishing 24-of-41 for 229 yards. He threw a pick that Josh Metellus basically snatched out of Jayden Reed’s hands. It was ugly.
But the score didn't matter nearly as much as what happened in the fourth quarter.
Kirk Cousins was carving up the Green Bay secondary. He was 23-of-31 for 274 yards and two scores. Then, on a non-contact play, he went down. Achilles. Just like that, the Vikings' season—and arguably the Kirk Cousins era in Minnesota—changed forever. Minnesota won the game, but they lost their heart.
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The Packers dropped to 2-5 after that game. People were calling for Matt LaFleur’s head. They were calling Jordan Love a bust. The packers vs vikings 2023 narrative at that point was basically: Green Bay is bad, and Minnesota is cursed.
The New Year's Eve Revenge
Fast forward to Week 17. December 31. U.S. Bank Stadium was ready for a fight, but the Vikings brought a knife to a gunfight. Actually, they brought Jaren Hall.
Minnesota started the rookie QB, and it went about as well as you’d expect. He was benched by halftime. Meanwhile, Jordan Love turned into a superstar. He put up a 125.3 passer rating, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns. He even ran one in himself, diving into the end zone like he owned the place.
The 33-10 win for Green Bay wasn't just a victory; it was a statement.
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- Aaron Jones looked like his vintage self, racking up 120 yards on 20 carries.
- Jayden Reed was a human highlight reel with two first-half touchdowns before a chest injury sidelined him.
- Bo Melton—a guy who was on the practice squad weeks prior—went for 105 yards.
Green Bay controlled the ball for over 37 minutes. Minnesota’s defense, which had been the "Brian Flores special" all year, just couldn't get off the field. This game effectively killed the Vikings' playoff hopes and set the Packers up for their "win and in" scenario against the Bears the following week.
Why These Games Changed Everything
You can't talk about the packers vs vikings 2023 series without mentioning the shift in power. For years, it was Aaron Rodgers vs. Kirk Cousins. High-level, veteran QB play.
Suddenly, we were watching Jordan Love navigate a blitz-heavy scheme that would have broken most young quarterbacks. His ability to handle the Flores "diamond" looks in the second game showed a level of maturity that convinced the Packers front office they had their guy.
On the flip side, Minnesota learned the hard way that they had zero depth behind Kirk. Nick Mullens came in for the second half of the New Year's game and threw for 113 yards and a score to Johnny Mundt, but the game was already over. It highlighted a massive gap in roster construction that the Vikings had to address in the following draft.
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Specific Stats That Tell the Story
If you look at the box scores, the discrepancy in the second game is wild. Green Bay had 470 total yards. Minnesota had 211.
The Packers had 28 first downs. The Vikings had 13.
It was a total systemic failure for the Vikings at home. Justin Jefferson was held to just 59 yards on 5 catches. For a guy who usually eats the Packers' secondary for lunch, that was a massive win for Joe Barry's defense—a unit that was under fire for most of the season.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking back at this rivalry to understand where these teams are headed, keep these things in mind:
- Context is King: The first game was a "healthy" Vikings team vs. a "lost" Packers team. The second was a "surging" Packers team vs. a "broken" Vikings team. Never judge a divisional rivalry by just one matchup.
- The Jordan Love Blueprint: The New Year's Eve game is the tape every defensive coordinator uses to see how Love handles pressure. He stayed calm, used his legs, and trusted his young receivers.
- Roster Depth Matters: Minnesota's collapse after Kirk went down proves that you can't survive in the NFC North without a viable Plan B at quarterback.
The packers vs vikings 2023 season was a crossroads. One team found its future, and the other realized its present was over. Whether you bleed purple or green, those two games defined the trajectory of both franchises for years to come.
To truly understand the 2023 season, you should compare the Week 17 film to Love's playoff performance against the Cowboys; the similarities in his pocket presence are striking. Additionally, review the Vikings' defensive snap counts from the October win versus the December loss to see how injuries to their secondary forced them into sub-optimal packages that Love exploited.