The Minnesota Vikings travel to Lambeau Field to face the Packers on Sunday with a 4-6 record. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. ET. Minnesota’s defense has been stingy this season, allowing just 296.4 yards per game, sixth-fewest in the NFL. Green Bay enters as the favorite, but this is a rivalry game with plenty on the line.
Kevin O’Connell stressed team responsibility and confidence in his quarterback.
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“It’s not only those two guys, but it’s our whole offense 11 guys doing their jobs and it starts with JJ,” O’Connell said. He added that McCarthy “has had another good week of practice,” and that practice performance should translate to game-day confidence.
“We’ve seen him do a lot of really, really good things that should lead to game-day confidence and performance to then get our playmakers involved.”
My 1-on-1 with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell on J.J. McCarthy and more from @nflnetwork @NFLGameDay: pic.twitter.com/tkitTByCXL
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 23, 2025
O’Connell emphasized the run game and line continuity: getting the original starting five together “is going to be huge for us.” He also noted the need to identify and account for Green Bay’s versatile defenders schematically.
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J.J. McCarthy’s season has been uneven. In five starts he’s thrown at least one interception each time and has produced under 200 yards in four of five starts. Those issues have frustrated fans and raised questions about consistency. Still, McCarthy shows growth in the pocket. On the road he has been better — completing 60% of passes with six total touchdowns, two interceptions and an 89.7 passer rating in two away starts. At home his numbers dip sharply, with a 49.5% completion rate and six interceptions in three starts. O’Connell wants to see cleaner throws and better ball security while trusting McCarthy to make plays.
Bad news for Minnesota is edge defender Jonathan Greenard will miss his second straight game with a left shoulder injury. Greenard, a key pass-rush piece and 2024 Pro Bowler, practiced limited and said he felt “good” and “super confident” about playing, but late reports made him unlikely to go and O’Connell confirmed he would be inactive. Without Greenard, Minnesota will lean on Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner and rotation rushers to generate pressure.
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O’Connell kept his message short and direct, execute, run the ball, and let McCarthy play free. Simple tasks, he said, but essential if the Vikings are to leave Green Bay with a win.
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