On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys made sure they’ll start the playoffs at home, where they’re undefeated. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are going home with a division title instead of heading back to Miami for a rematch.
Green Bay wide receiver Christian Watson will miss a fifth straight game with a hamstring injury Sunday as the Packers attempt to clinch a wild-card playoff berth by beating the Chicago Bears. The Packers (8-8) are getting wide receivers Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed back after chest injuries prevented Wicks from playing in a 33-10 victory at Minnesota last week and caused Reed to leave that game early.
Kirk Cousins naturally evoked the loudest roar of the night in Minnesota, further amping up a high-energy atmosphere for a crucial game against Green Bay. Who could've predicted earlier this season that such a sight would signal a big problem for the Vikings? Recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, Cousins was relegated to the role of hype man when he ripped his shirt off to fire up the crowd from a perch above the stadium right before kickoff.
The Minnesota Vikings were enjoying the rarity of a dominant afternoon in Green Bay two months ago, continuing their ascent from an early hole while Packers quarterback Jordan Love's struggles persisted. Then came the step gone wrong by Kirk Cousins on the Lambeau Field grass. The Vikings have switched quarterbacks four times — this week back to rookie Jaren Hall — and been stuck in a constant mode of plugging in new starters for injured players all over the field.