The Green Bay Packers were in complete control of their Week 12 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur saw that his team's defense completely bottled up Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota offense, and that his team was able to remain in control throughout the game. Green Bayu won the game by a 23-6 margin and LaFleur simply took the air out of the football because he did not want the Vikings defense to have any chance at turning the game around.
LaFleur could see that Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell did not want McCarthy to make any mistakes with the football that would have resulted in early turnovers that would have allowed the Packers to light up the scoreboard. The Packers head coach was more than happy to play a conservative game and there was no frustration when the Packers went into the locker room at halftime with a 10-6 lead.
The home team was able to add to its lead in the third quarter when Vikings punt returner muffed a punt and the Packers gained possession at the Minnesota 5-yard line. Running back Emanuel Wilson was able to capitalize on the error when he ran the ball into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game two plays later. That gave the Packers a 17-6 lead and the Vikings never threatened after that.
LaFleur depends on the running game like never before
The Packers head coach was more than happy to play a conservative game from that point forward. “I've never called the same run so many times consecutively,” LaFleur said after the game, per Packers beat writer Ryan Wood. “It was like 3 yards and a cloud of dust, but it was effective. With the way our defense was playing, we just took the air out of the ball.”
The Packers (7-3-1) will face the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day at Ford Field. The Vikings (4-7) will travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks in Week 13.
