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The Minnesota Vikings hope to send Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers a parting gift of playoff disappointment on New Year’s Day, then split the two up for good.
The first part of that goal is something running back Dalvin Cook and his teammates can accomplish simply by strolling into Lambeau Field and defeating the Packers, who must win the Week 17 matchup to keep any hope of a postseason berth alive. The second portion is wishful, though also semi-rational, thinking on Cook’s part.
No one on the Vikings is trying to injure Rodgers, at least not physically. What the team is hoping to do is demoralize him enough through a show of such strength that it further incentivizes the quarterback to consider finishing his career outside of the NFC North Division with a more Super Bowl-ready team — an outcome that is at least a reasonable possibility depending on how the offseason plays out.
Cook spoke to those aspirations during an interview with Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
“The mindset this week is let’s go put it to bed,” Cook told Pelissero. “We know Aaron [Rodgers]. Hell of a player. But if we take care of business, let’s see what the offseason holds for the Green Bay Packers.”
Rodgers’ Relationship With Packers Strained Over Past 3 Years
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GettyQB Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers reacts during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 4, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Rodgers has made no secret of his discontent with the franchise before, indicating his displeasure at various points over the last three years.
He pushed for a trade two years past, one season after Green Bay drafted backup QB Jordan Love in the first round as his heir apparent. He then implied the threat of retirement before signing the richest annual contract in NFL history last offseason.
Around the same time Rodgers signed that deal, the Packers traded All-Pro Davante Adams, easily his most dangerous weapon and favorite target, to the Las Vegas Raiders and left Rodgers with a group of rookie pass catchers and moderate veteran talent in the receiver room.
Christian Watson has since broken out and proven to be a bonafide downfield threat in the NFL, but he suffered through a slow start and durability issues, missing four games already this season and carrying a questionable injury designation into Sunday. Romeo Doubs has also proven himself a legitimate option, though he’s dealt with drops and injury problems of his own out of the gate.
Wideout Allen Lazard is up for a new contract in 2023, while the team’s cap situation makes bringing back top running back Aaron Jones next season a precarious financial proposition, to put it mildly. Meanwhile, Love continues to wait impatiently in the wings, as an approximately $20 million decision on his future looms for the front office.
Rodgers has not committed openly to a return to Green Bay next season and could opt to retire if he doesn’t see a path forward to immediate success. He could also push for a trade, a notion that the Packers are probably more open to considering now than the franchise has ever been in the past.
Packers’ Playoff Hopes Still Very Much Alive With 2 Games Remaining
GettyQB Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers reacts after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 24-12 at Lambeau Field on December 19, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
One timely Vikings’ win on its own certainly isn’t going to split up an 18-year partnership between one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history and one of the league’s most storied franchises. It could, however, contribute as the proverbial last straw by slamming the door shut on Green Bay’s playoff hopes in 2022, leaving Rodgers with a sour taste on his tongue regarding the future prospects of the franchise.
A win for the Packers, however, leaves Green Bay in a great position to sneak into the playoffs in the final NFC Wildcard spot. The Cleveland Browns travel to play the Washington Commanders Sunday, and a victory opens the door for the Packers to win out and get into the postseason. Washington also hosts the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18, a game that Dallas will be favored to win assuming they still have something for which to play.
If the Commanders happen to win both games, the Packers can still find their way into the playoffs with home victories against Minnesota and the Detroit Lions and two losses on the part of the New York Giants. The Giants host the Indianapolis Colts on New Year’s Day then finish the season on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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