Matt LaFleur never loses when he wins the turnover battle.
Victory doesn't get away when Matt LaFleur's Packers get more turnovers than they give
Green Bay is 30-0 since the coach was hired in 2019 in games when its takeaways exceeded its giveaways.
January 1, 2022 at 9:36PM
Literally.
Since LaFleur was hired in 2019, the Packers are 30-0 when winning the turnover battle.
Thirty … and … zero.
As for the Vikings …
Well, they just turned three interceptions by their defense into one stinker of a loss to the Rams. The 30-23 setback dropped them to 7-8 and sent them into a probable must-win situation at Green Bay (12-3) on Sunday night.
Beating the Rams in takeaways 3-1, the Vikings won the turnover battle for a seventh time this season. Hooray! Right?
Not exactly. As noted earlier this week, the Vikings have now lost a franchise-record five games in which they had more takeaways than their opponent.
The Packers aren't as forgiving. When it comes to the game's most important statistic — turnovers! — Green Bay simply doesn't beat itself or waste opportunities when the opposition starts handing out gifts.
"I think one of the things is they rush the passer really well," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. "They do a good job of creating sacks. They cover well as well. I think when a team is trying to throw the ball, there are more opportunities."
During that aforementioned 30-0 streak, the Packers:
• Have 63 takeaways, nine giveaways and a differential of plus-54.
• Have won by an average of 11.5 points (30.4-18.9).
• Have gone 10-0 when posting at least three takeaways.
In other words, Vikings, ya better take care of the ball on Sunday night. And if Green Bay doesn't, ya better pounce.
That, basically, is how the Vikings have managed to win two straight games against the Packers.
Neither team turned the ball over in the Vikings' 34-31 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium earlier this year. That's how you beat Aaron Rodgers on a day when he throws for 385 yards, four touchdowns and a 148.4 passer rating.
In last year's 28-22 victory at Lambeau Field, the Vikings didn't turn the ball over and had one takeaway, a game-clinching strip sack of Rodgers in the closing seconds. And that's how you beat Rodgers on a day when he throws for 291 yards, three touchdowns and a 110.9 passer rating.
In a century plus two years of NFL football, no QB has a lower career interception percentage than Rodgers (1.3). In 7,062 regular-season pass attempts, he has thrown 93 interceptions to go along with his franchise-record 445 touchdowns.
This year, his league-low interception percentage is 0.8. He's thrown four picks and 33 touchdowns in 475 attempts.
And, accordingly, the Packers lead the league in turnover differential at plus-16. The Green Bay defense has done its part as well, ranking fourth in interceptions (18) and sixth in takeaways (26).
Want some more Green & Gold turnover stats to make your Purple heart flutter with worry the moment Sean Mannion puts the ball in harm's way Sunday night?
Under LaFleur, Green Bay:
• Is a league-best 34-1 when forcing at least one turnover.
• Leads the league in zero-giveaway games (27). That, according to the Packers, is an NFL record over a three-year span, supplanting the Patriots from 2010 to '12.
• Is 10-0 in division games when winning the turnover battle. And, going back further than LaFleur, the Packers are 17-0-1 in the past 18 division games in which they have won the turnover battle.
In other words, the Vikings had better (A) win the turnover battle on Sunday night and (B) take advantage of it and not blow it like they have done in five of their eight losses this season.
"It will be a big thing Sunday night with the weather conditions and the cold," Zimmer said. "We need to take care of the football and treat it like it's gold."
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
