Hello again everyone! In this week's history lesson, we take a look at the Packers' history against the Vikings in Minnesota. Oddly enough, the Packers own the all-time series edge in Minnesota, with a 28-26 edge over the Vikings as a road team. The Vikings are the only team in the NFC North to own a sub-.500 record against the Packers at home.
The Vikings entered the NFL in 1961, cutting into the established Packers fan base in the Twin Cities. In those first few years, the Packers were among the NFL's elite teams while the Vikings were among the basement-dwellers. Not surprisingly, the series in Minnesota reflected that, with Lombardi going undefeated as Packers coach in Minnesota. The 1967 game, however, saw the arrival of a new coach in Minnesota--Bud Grant. The Packers would only win 30-27, a reversal of previous blowout games in the Twin Cities.
In 1968, however, Lombardi left the Packers as coach. Grant, meanwhile, would replace him as the undisputed master coach in the NFC Central, as the Vikings became among the NFL's elite teams. The games in Minnesota reflected this, as the Vikings finally beat the Packers at home for the first time in 1968. The Twin Cities would become a house of horrors for the Packers over the ensuing eleven seasons, with the Packers winning only the 1972 and 1974 games. In 1978, the Vikings won in Minnesota. Because the ensuing game in Green Bay ended in a tie, and because both teams ended the season with matching 8-7-1 records, the Vikings went to the playoffs as division champion while the Packers went home.
In the 1980s, however, the Packers were able to beat the Vikings in Minnesota and swept the season series for the first time since 1966. They would win seven of eight games played in the Twin Cities, including the 1981 game (which happened to be the last time they won in Metropolitan Stadium before the Vikings moved to the Metrodome). In some cases, such as 1981 and 1983, the Packers won in Minnesota despite losing at home to the Vikings.
In 1989, however, the Vikings reasserted themselves in the Metrodome. Their win there allowed them to win the NFC Central again that season. Although the Packers won the 1991 game, they fired Lindy Infante afterwards and would subsequently hire Mike Holmgren as head coach. Even so, with the arrival of Brett Favre, Packer fortunes changed little in the Metrodome.
The 1992 game prevented the Packers from reaching the playoffs that year. In 1993, Terrell Buckley didn't cover his receiver because he felt Warren Moon couldn't throw the ball far, but he could. The Packers lost again. In 1995, after Favre and backup Ty Detmer were injured, third-string quarterback T.J. Rubley was driving the Packers, but threw a costly interception. The Vikings again won, 27-24.
The Packers finally broke through in 1997, winning 27-11 for Favre and Holmgren's first win in the Metrodome. A year later, however, the Packers lost 28-14 in Minnesota, effectively sealing the division for the Vikings, who would finish the regular season 15-1. The Packers broke through again in 2000, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive, but would lose two games in the Metrodome the next two years.
Finally, in 2003, the Packers won again in the Metrodome, staying alive in the division race. A year later, on a rare Friday Christmas Eve game, the Packers won the division by defeating the Vikings 34-31 in the Metrodome. The Packers would win in Minnesota again in 2006 and 2007, with Favre setting the all-time touchdown pass record in the 2007 game.
The Vikings would win the 2008 and 2009 games. The 2009 game was especially stinging for Packers fans, as former Packer Favre defeated Green Bay for the first time. In 2010, the Packers reversed this streak, defeating Favre 31-3 in the Metrodome. Given the controversy surrounding Vikings coach Brad Childress and some of the moves he had previously made, caused thunderous chants of "FIRE CHILDRESS!" to be audibly heard on the telecast. Indeed, the Vikings would fire Childress after the game.
The teams traded close wins in 2011 and 2012, before the Packers reasserted themselves in 2013 in their final game in the Metrodome. A year later, the Packers faced the Vikings in their temporary home of TCF Bank Stadium. With a home date against the New England Patriots looming, scoring 50-plus points in two consecutive games, and having defeated the Vikings 42-10 earlier in the year in Lambeau Field, the game in Minnesota had all the hallmarks of a trap game. The Packers nearly fell into the trap, but a ridiculous touchdown pass to Richard Rodgers and over 100 yards rushing from Eddie Lacy kept the Packers out of the trap, as Green Bay won 24-21. The Packers blew out the Vikings in Minnesota in 2015, but ultimately lost the division championship to the Vikings on the final day of the regular season.
What are your memories of the Packers playing in Minnesota?