Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings 9/11/22 - NFL Picks & Predictions

NFC North Division foes Minnesota and Green Bay meet in Minneapolis on Sept. 11 in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season. Green Bay won the division for the third straight season in 2021 with a 13-4 record, while Minnesota went 8-9 to finish a distant second.

The Vikings lost 37–10 at Green Bay in Week 17 after winning 34-31 at home in Week 11. The Week 17 loss eliminated Minnesota from playoff contention. Green Bay earned homefield advantage and a bye for the first week of the playoffs but lost 13-10 to San Francisco in the Divisional Round.

A lot has changed for both teams since last season. Wide receiver Davante Adams is now in a Las Vegas Raiders uniform, leaving Green Bay without a standout receiver. The Vikings moved on from head coach Mike Zimmer after eight seasons and hired Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell to lead the team.

Aaron Rodgers connected with Adams 622 times for 7,590 yards and 69 touchdowns in their time together in Green Bay. That’s a big hole to fill. In addition to the trade of Adams, Green Bay also no longer has Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Equanimeous St. Brown at receiver, which leaves Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, veteran newcomer Sammy Watkins, and rookies Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure. There is also uncertainty at the tight end position, so the Packers could look to the backfield duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon to play an even larger role in the passing game. Jones and Dillon combined for 86 receptions and 704 yards a year ago.

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The Vikings have all their top offensive weapons back but will look vastly different with the 37-year-old O'Connell in the top spot. Zimmer was an old-school defense-focused coach, while O'Connell has a new-school offensive approach that should make Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins and his offensive teammates ecstatic. O’Connell was Cousins’ position coach in 2017, and the offensive scheme is expected to resemble the one they had together in Washington with influence from the Rams’ system as well.