4 things we learned from the Vikings’ 16-0 win over the Packers

The Minnesota Vikings always had the game in Lambeau against the Packers in hand, in a 16-0 win. The Vikings improved to 12-3 on the season, but couldn’t clinch anything with the NFC North already in hand, and more games around the NFL to be played.

Neither team was particularly stunning with their play on Saturday night. The Vikings did their usual work on defense, making the Packers’ offense look much inferior to their talent. But it wasn’t one of their better nights on offense. As we’ve seen in the previous 15 weeks this season, it didn’t mean much in their victory.

Here’s what we learned from the Vikings’ shutout win over the Packers.

To be fair, this is an incredibly high standard to hold somebody to. The Packers were hoping to make one last playoff push when Rodgers came back last week against the Panthers, but came up short. It put Hundley back in control, and he didn’t show any improvement.

Hundley missed open receivers multiple times, not by much, but enough to where if he had landed just a couple of them, it could have made a difference. It was the first time he had played in conditions as cold as the ones on Saturday night, which certainly didn’t help. He completed 17-of-40 passes with just 130 yards and two interceptions on the night.

But the main takeaway here: The Packers are two immensely different teams with and without Rodgers.

The Packers’ offense never really made much of a threat during the game. A big part of that goes back to the fact that Rodgers wasn’t playing, but you still have to give credit to the Vikings’ defense, which came into Saturday’s game second in the NFL in total defense.

The Vikings have one of the NFL’s most complete defenses, and proved that in this game. The Packers’ offense couldn’t get anything through the air going, with Harrison Smith picking off Hundley in the second quarter, and another in the fourth. The running game was dry, with Hundley and Jamaal Williams neck and neck leading the Packers.

The Packers made one push early in the fourth quarter, but were unable to convert on a fourth-and-3 to keep the score at 13-0.

The Vikings don’t have big or loud personalities on the defensive side of the football, but they’re one of the best units in the NFL, and it showed on Saturday night.

This is what we’ve come to expect of the Vikings. They win with just enough offense, and great defense.

Case Keenum didn’t have one of his stellar performances that we’ve seen (rarely) this season. He finished completing 14 of 25 passes with 139 yards and a touchdown, but it was fine. He still made throws he needed to make, and leaned heavily on Latavius Murray as opposed to Jerick McKinnon, who usually gets a fair share of the carries.

While the Packers’ offense isn’t anything to be afraid of when Rodgers is out, this is one of the games that the Vikings are supposed to dominate defensively if they’re going to be considered real contenders going into the postseason. Since they never really showed any struggle there, the offensive woes can be something to be concerned about, but not panic over.

Keenum and the Vikings offense have shown that they can win games by themselves, even though they don’t need to. As long as that defense holds up, the Vikings can win any game they play.

The Packers were shut out earlier this season at home, on Nov. 19 against the Baltimore Ravens. It was 11 years to the day since their last shutout, which came in Week 11 of 2006 against the Patriots.

On Saturday night, it happened again in just over a month’s time. It was the Vikings’ first shutout in 24 years. Both of the Packers’ shutouts came under Hundley’s watch, further showing just how valuable he is to the team.

No matter how good or bad a team is, it’s damn hard to shut a team out, and now the Packers have had a pair of them this season. If you would have said that at the beginning of the year, you would have had to imagine an injury to Rodgers was the reason.

There’s no question Packers fans will be wishing for a healthy Aaron Rodgers in 2018 this holiday season.