After a week out of first place in the NFC North, the Packers are back on top.
With a 30-13 win over the Vikings in Minnesota today, the Packers drew even in the division, with both teams at 6-3. The head-to-head win gives the Packers the tiebreaker advantage, so for now Green Bay is the division leader.
For the Packers, the win snapped a three-game losing streak that raised questions about what was going on with their offense. Although Green Bay didn’t necessarily answer all those questions -- aside from a big day from James Jones, the passing game didn’t get much going -- the offense did look better today. Eddie Lacy, who has been a big disappointment for most of this season, looked like the strong and powerful runner he has in years past. If Lacy is back to 100 percent after struggling with nagging injuries early this season, that would go a long way toward getting the Packers back on track down the stretch.
Packers kicker Mason Crosby had a big day, going 5-for-5 on field goals a week after missing a game-winner in a loss to the Lions.
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson did not have a very good game, and a costly fumble squandered one promising drive. Teddy Bridgewater played well when he wasn’t getting hit, but he took six sacks and was drilled while passing several other times.
Both of these teams have a good chance of making the playoffs, especially in a year when there may only be a handful of winning teams in the NFC. But the Packers now have a much better chance than the Vikings of being home for the playoffs. It’s the Packers who have the inside track to win the division.