Takeaways: Vikings fail in all three phases in a 23-6 defeat to the Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Vikings’ two-game win streak at Lambeau Field ended Sunday, in the kind of defeat where no phase of the team could be spared from critique.

In their 23-6 loss to the Packers, they gained 145 yards (their second-fewest ever at Lambeau Field), including just four in the second half. They turned the ball over three times, while also turning the ball over on downs in the red zone. On defense, they allowed Green Bay to run for 146 yards without injured running back Josh Jacobs. And on special teams, they had a catastrophic mistake for the third week in a row.

A game that was still in question at halftime became a TKO by the fourth quarter, as the Vikings lost for the third straight game and fifth of six since the bye week.

A disastrous third quarter put the game out of reach. The Vikings ran six plays for minus-10 yards in the quarter, while Myles Price’s turnover on a punt return gave Green Bay the ball at the Minnesota 6. The Vikings ran the ball well in the first half, but got stopped on two short-yardage attempts to extend a drive in Green Bay territory, and they had no way to get the ball downfield. On the other side of the ball, the fact the Packers didn’t have Jacobs didn’t seem to matter: Emanuel Wilson surpassed 100 yards playing in place of the injured Jacobs, as Green Bay held the ball for 16 of the first 22 minutes of the second half.

The Vikings are 4-7 before a trip to Seattle, and their playoff hopes would almost certainly require them to win their final six games. Their offensive ineptitude against their biggest rival falls on everyone, from coaches to players, and they’ll again have injury questions on their offensive line after left tackle Christian Darrisaw (foot) and left guard Donovan Jackson (ankle) departed in the second half.

With the Vikings facing a third-and-16 in the shadow of their own end zone late in the third quarter, Micah Parsons steamrolled center Ryan Kelly on a rush, opening up space for Devonte Wyatt to sack McCarthy at the Vikings’ goal line. It would be the Vikings’ final offensive play of the third quarter.

After the Vikings forced a Packers punt on the first series of the second half, Daniel Whelan’s kick checked up at the Vikings’ 4-yard line. Price stayed in front of the ball, trying to block Zayne Anderson, and Anderson pushed Price back into the ball. The ball hit Price, and the Packers recovered at the 6. Wilson scored two plays later to give Green Bay a 17-6 lead.

“I guess you could say luck, whatever you want to call it,” he said. “I should’ve just got out the way.”

Nov. 30 at Seattle, 3:05 p.m. (Fox)

The Vikings will head to Seattle for the fifth time since 2018, taking on their former quarterback Sam Darnold at Lumen Field. The Seahawks are 8-3 after a 30-24 win over the Titans on Sunday. After throwing four interceptions last week in a loss to the Rams, Darnold was 16-of-26 for 244 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against Tennessee.