Getty WR Allen Lazard of the Green Bay Packers is brought down by CB Chandon Sullivan of the Minnesota Vikings during a game at Lambeau Field on January 1, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
There is typically only one explanation for a 24-point loss in a game that means something, though the Minnesota Vikings have some ideas on contributing factors to their blowout defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers on New Year’s Day.
Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips spoke to one of those factors during a media session on Thursday, January 5, mentioning the conditions at Lambeau Field but also holding his own players accountable for not responding as appropriately to the concern as they should have.
We definitely have to take conditions into account and we have to be professional about whatever environment we’re playing in. The margin for error in this league is small.
I assume that you’re talking about guys slipping on the ground? It was noticeable that it happened with us and it didn’t happen with them. It was something that was addressed, but guys have to understand the margin for error is so small, it can’t be like, “Oh, I’ll get it next time.”
You don’t know how many times you’re going to have that play to change a game or continue a drive. We have to be professional about it. Whether it’s technique at times — you cut off the wrong foot on any surface, you’re going to fall down — but it was noticeable. It has been addressed, prior to the game and postgame. We’ve got to be better there.
Several Vikings Upset With Slips, Falls Against Packers at Lambeau
GettyTE Robert Tonyan of the Green Bay Packers catches a pass for a touchdown in front of S Josh Metellus of the Minnesota Vikings during a game at Lambeau Field on January 1, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Kevin Seifert of ESPN offered an interpretation of Phillips’ comments via Twitter on Thursday, adding that others within the organization were perturbed with the amount of slips and falls they witnessed last weekend.
It seems pretty clear that multiple people in the Vikings organization were irritated with how often players slipped on the Lambeau Field turf last week, especially those who didn’t wear the recommended 7-stud cleats. OC Wes Phillips had a sharp response on the issue today:
“It seems pretty clear that multiple people in the Vikings organization were irritated with how often players slipped on the Lambeau Field turf last week, especially those who didn’t wear the recommended 7-stud cleats,” Seifert wrote. “Wes Phillips had a sharp response on the issue today.”
Turnovers, Not Field Conditions, Story of Packers’ Win Over Vikings
GettyDBs Jaire Alexander and Rudy Ford of the Green Bay Packers react after a play during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on January 1, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Whatever role field conditions played in the outcome of the game, the real story resided elsewhere in the stat sheet.
The Vikings actually out-gained Green Bay in total yardage on the day by a margin of 346 yards to 315 yards, though some of that was a function of the score and a couple of garbage-time touchdowns for the Minnesota offense. It was the turnover margin, however, that made the true difference.
The Packers picked off Kirk Cousins on three occasions and also recovered one of the two fumbles for which the quarterback was responsible. On the other side, Green Bay controlled and protected the football when they got it back, rushing for 163 yards on 33 attempts and turning the ball over zero times on the afternoon.