What Minnesota Vikings Fans Need to Know Heading into Week 18 vs. Green Bay Packers
It’s officially the final week of the 2025 regular season, which also means the end to the Minnesota Vikings’ season as they won’t be taking part in the playoffs.
At 8-8, this Week 18 matchup with the Green Bay Packers is largely meaningless, but the Vikings do have a chance to secure a winning record for the third time in four years with Kevin O’Connell as the head coach if they get a win.
Heading into Week 18, here are a few things Minnesota Vikings fans should know before the game.
How to Watch the Minnesota Vikings This Week
The season finale between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings will take place at 12 p.m. Central on Sunday, January 4 inside U.S. Bank Stadium. The game will be broadcast on FOX and can be streamed via NFL+ in the NFL app as well as NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV.
Packers vs. Vikings History
It’s been one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL for decades, and it will be reignited on Sunday. Throughout the histories of the two franchises, the Packers and Vikings have met on the field 130 times, including two playoff matchups.
It’s been a pretty even matchup over the years, with the Packers holding the all-time series lead with a 66-60-3 record against the Vikings. Both teams have won one of the playoff meetings as well. However, the Packers won the most recent meeting between these two teams back in November, toppling the Vikings by a score of 23-6.
Packers Spotlight Player: QB Clayton Tune
Jordan Love has cleared concussion protocol, but he is going to sit out until the playoffs begin next week. Malik Willis has also been dealing with injury problems of his own.
As a result, it’s Clayton Tune who will be getting the start for Green Bay at quarterback this weekend. Tune was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals after a solid career at the University of Houston.
This will mark Tune’s second career start (first start was in his rookie season against the Cleveland Browns in a 27-0 defeat). So far, Tune has thrown for just 78 yards in his career with three interceptions and zero touchdowns.
Vikings Spotlight Player: WR Justin Jefferson
It’s now or never if Justin Jefferson is going to continue his streak of 1000-yard seasons. It’s been an extremely frustrating year for the star wide receiver as he and J.J. McCarthy simply never seemed to be able to get on the same page during 2025, and the Vikings also saw starts from Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer at the QB position.
Because of these factors, Jefferson enters Week 18 with 76 receptions for 947 yards and just two touchdowns. These would be career-lows in yards and touchdowns for him, and the only season during which he caught fewer passes was in 2023 when he missed seven games and ended the year with 68 receptions.
Jefferson will need 53 yards in Week 18 to keep his streak going, and O’Connell has confirmed he will be getting targets in that game. We’ll see if he can do it.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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