Jordan Love passed for three touchdowns and rushed for one more and the Green Bay Packers cruised to a 33-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night in Minneapolis.
Love completed 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards for Green Bay (8-8), which boosted its playoff hopes while reducing the Vikings’ chances to near zero. The Packers can clinch a playoff berth with a win against the Chicago Bears in Week 18.
Jayden Reed had six catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns for Green Bay. Aaron Jones led the way on the ground with 20 carries for 120 yards.
Nick Mullens completed 13 of 22 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown for Minnesota (7-9), which lost its third game in a row. Mullens entered the game in the second half as a replacement for starter Jaren Hall, who completed 5 of 10 passes for 67 yards and an interception.
The Vikings can still make the playoffs but must beat the Lions in Detroit in Week 18 and have the Packers, Seattle Seahawks and either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New Orleans Saints lose.
Green Bay led 10-0 at the end of the first quarter. Anders Carlson opened the scoring with a 34-yard field goal and Reed made it 10-0 with a 33-yard touchdown reception from Love.
Minnesota cut the deficit to 10-3 early in the second quarter on a 54-yard field goal by Greg Joseph.
The Packers added two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the first half to grab a 23-3 lead.
Love scored on a scramble to the end zone with 3:59 left before the break. He took on a defender and stretched the ball across the goal line for a 2-yard scoring run.
With eight seconds remaining in the first half, Reed notched his second touchdown catch of the game and his eighth of the season when he grabbed a pass from Love and muscled his way into the end zone for a 25-yard score.
Green Bay maintained its dominance in the second half despite the Vikings’ quarterback change. Love hit Bo Melton for a 9-yard touchdown to make it 30-3 in the last minute of the third quarter.
The Vikings pulled within 30-10 on the next possession. Johnny Mundt caught a 6-yard pass from Mullens for his first touchdown reception of the season and the second of his career.
Carlson finished the scoring for Green Bay with a 37-yard field goal with 6:11 remaining.
–Field Level Media
