Pop quiz, sports fans: Are the Vikings and Packers all that different?

Each team has met the enemy, and the enemy looks a lot like recent versions of itself.

January 1, 2023 at 12:37AM
The relationships between Kevin O’Connell and Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rogers and Matt LaFleur are a barometer for the success of the Vikings and Packers. (Star Tribune and Associated Press photos/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Vikings and Packers fans: Here's a description of the two franchises who will play on Sunday at Lambeau Field. Can you pick out yours?

Team 1

Hired a dynamic young offensive head coach who breathed life into the organization and elevated the play of an aging quarterback.

Dominated the NFC North, taking advantage of the dysfunction of the three other divisional teams.

Took advantage of a strong home-field advantage in an atmospheric stadium filled with people who make fandom feel like something close to a cult.

The fan base seems to like beer.

Developed and took full advantage of the presence of the best receiver in the division as he neared a major contract decision.

Relied heavily on Za'Darius Smith's pass-rushing dominance to obscure defensive flaws.

Built a team good enough to induce wild paranoia in a fan base that feels too often burned by big-game failures.

Team 2

Saddled with a quarterback whose personality quirks, seeming lack of leadership and big-game failures makes him hard to trust.

Saddled with a massive contract given to that quarterback, making the future tricky. Do you keep paying someone to underachieve or take a financial hit while risking starting over with a less-talented option?

Coached by someone with a very good record but whose hold on his team might be slipping.

Prefers to establish the run to keep the defense off the field and make the game simple as possible for the quarterback.

Has a young quarterback in the fold who could theoretically be the future starter, but remains completely unproven.

Too talented to rebuild, too flawed to win big with the current roster.

Tension caused by the quarterback's divisive presence and failures in the clutch seeps into every aspect of the organization, making this a hard team to root for even if you're a diehard.

OK, pencils down, eyes up, no looking at your neighbor's paper.

Team 1 is … The 2019-21 Green Bay Packers and the 2022 Minnesota Vikings.

Team 2 is … The 2019-21 Vikings and the 2022 Green Bay Packers.

Each team has met the enemy, and the enemy looks a lot like recent versions of itself.

Everything in the NFL begins with the head coach and quarterback, and that's the case here.

The Vikings signed Kirk Cousins to a then-precedent-setting contract in terms of guaranteed money after winning 14 games and advancing to the NFC title game without him. He was paid to elevate the franchise, and he produced one playoff victory in his first four seasons with the team, eventually causing an obvious rift between his general manager, coach and quarterback.

He was too good and expensive to replace, yet not good enough to lead his team to, or anywhere near, the promised land.

That's Aaron Rodgers today. Rodgers is a creative genius on the field and a goofy, ayahuasca-taking egomaniac off the field. Cousins is a by-the-book technician on the field and, off the field, is such a straight-arrow nerd that he probably considers caffeine a gateway drug.

Rodgers is what Cousins was previously — a financial problem and a corrosive presence. Cousins is what Rodgers was previously — a leader of fourth-quarter comebacks.

Both franchises chose the same route at head coach, replacing an experienced and successful old-school leader with a young offensive coach. Matt LaFleur won 13 games in each of his first three seasons; Kevin O'Connell could win his 13th game as an NFL head coach on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Vikings' signing of Smith away from the Packers has made their defense just good enough for their offense to engineer victories.

The 2019-21 Packers developed and relied heavily upon star receiver Davante Adams, who became a dominant force before leaving for Las Vegas in free agency.

The 2022 Vikings employ Justin Jefferson, who has followed two excellent seasons with one for the ages, and who is expected to sign a lucrative extension this offseason.

The 2022 Vikings have become what the last few Packers teams were — an impressive regular-season team led by an accurate quarterback, a promising coach and ... Za'Darius Smith.

about the writer

about the writer

Jim Souhan

Columnist

Jim Souhan is a sports columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune. He has worked at the paper since 1990, previously covering the Twins and Vikings.

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