TheMinnesota Vikings' season will end on Sunday, taking onthe Green Bay Packersin a game that will resemble preseason format, as neither club has anything to play for besides pride. The purple team will either end the campaign on a five-game win streak with a right-side-up 9-8 record or a losing mark for the second time in theKevin O'Connell era. Our writers predict the former.
Odds favorMinnesotabecause of the Packers' skeleton crew, and our writers basically agree with sportsbooks.
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J.J. McCarthywill make his 10th career start, and our writers believe Minnesota will move to 6-4 on his watch.
Vikings-Packers Score Predictions, the Spread, and the McCarthy Factor
If the Vikings win, O'Connell will have at least one five-game win streak in every season of his career in Minnesota.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell exchanges words with quarterback J.J. McCarthy following a first-quarter touchdown on Nov. 2, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit, a moment that captured the team's early momentum. The interaction reflected ongoing trust in McCarthy's development during a season defined by growth, adjustment, and patience from the coaching staff. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images.
Writer Predictions
Probably becauseGreen Bayis on deck to rest most starters while Minnesota plays its main core, our contributors pick the Vikings to prevail. Here's how the panel sees the final score.
Dustin Baker: MIN Wins, 27-10 Sean Borman: MIN Wins, 28-24 Janik Eckardt: MIN Wins, 20-17 Josh Frey: MIN Wins, 13-10 Henrique Gucciardi: MIN Wins, 24-7 Wesley Johnson: MIN Wins, 23-6 Kyle Joudry: MIN Wins, 27-18 Adam New: MIN Wins, 23-10 Tony Schultz: MIN Wins, 34-6 Ted Schwerzler: MIN Wins, 24-21 Ali Siddiqui: MIN Wins, 24-10 Cole Smith: MIN Wins, 28-5
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Gucciardi was the onlyVikingsTerritorywriter to predict a Vikingswin on Christmas Day. The rest of the group did not expectDetroitto furnish six turnovers.
Wes Johnson noted on this week's game, "In a game that doesn't mean much for either team, the Vikings are almost assured to walk away with a victory. Flores defense should confuseClayton Tune, and the Vikings offense should do just enough against a Packers team looking for health as they enter the playoffs."
Tony Schultz offhandedly remarked, "Clayton Tune? Come on. I hopeHarrison Smithhas another sack and INT. That would be the final swipe of icing on this crap cake year."
Almost End-of-Year Standings
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Here's a look at how everyone has fared this season at picking wins and losses:
Sean Borman: 9-7 Janik Eckardt: 9-7 Ted Schwerzler: 9-7 Ali Siddiqui: 9-7 Henrique Gucciardi: 8-8 Kyle Joudry: 8-8 Cole Smith: 8-8 Dustin Baker: 7-9 Adam New: 7-9 Josh Frey: 7-9 Wes Johnson: 7-9 Tony Schultz: 6-10
It was an unusually tricky year to predict the Vikings, mainly because of the quarterback inconsistency. Starting Monday, Minnesota will have a few months to decide how to proceed at the quarterback spot, either rolling with J.J. McCarthy, finding a steady backup, or going deep-sea fishing forKyler Murray,Lamar Jackson, orJoe Burrowif those men become available via trade.
The Collective Score Prognostications
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Oddsmakers believe Minnesota will defeat Green Bay by 10 points. The spread has ballooned by three after head coach Kevin O'Connell announced that McCarthy would indeed start. He battled a hand injury last week and didn't play against the Lions.
Fans gather inside U.S. Bank Stadium on Sep. 13, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, taking photos before kickoff as the Minnesota Vikings prepared to face the Green Bay Packers. The pregame scene highlighted the return of game-day energy and fan engagement, capturing a brief moment of anticipation before play began in a stadium still adjusting to pandemic-era conditions. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
Our staff collectively thinks the Vikings will beat the Packers by a score of 24-13.
Other Theories
SI.com's Joe Nelson forecasted a beatdown by Minnesota to the tune of 48-3.
He explained, "With nothing to play for, the Packers aren't going to risk any key players. That means Clayton Tune actually might have a hard time setting a new career-high for passing yards in a game, which stands at 58 from his 2023 performance in a 27-0 loss atClevelandas a member of the Cardinals."
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"The bigger question might be if Tune can do just enough to set a new mark for passing yards in a season. Having thrown for 8 yards this season (same as he totaled in 2024), Tune needs to reach 55 passing yards Sunday to eclipse his career-best 62 passing yards during the 2023 season."
Tune has started one game previously in his career (for theArizona Cardinals) and produced aMax Brosmer-style output. In other words: shield your eyes.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson celebrates a fourth-quarter touchdown on Nov. 21, 2021, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, punctuating a decisive scoring drive against the Green Bay Packers. The moment reflected Jefferson's growing impact within the offense, showcasing his ability to deliver in critical situations during a tightly contested divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.
Nelson added, "I don't think he's going to get there. Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy will throw for five touchdowns, doing just enough to secure the QB1 job in 2026, only to crash back to Earth as the Vikings enter a long phase of mediocrity that lasts until the Earth is struck by the asteroid Apophis in 2029. Sad."
