Instant Takeaways from the Vikings' win over the Packers in Week 18

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The Minnesota Vikings closed out the 2025 season with a 16-3 victory over the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. It was the Vikings' fifth win in a row to close out the season, giving them a 9-8 record despite ineffective quarterback play most of the season.

But the game meant little to both teams. Minnesota was eliminated from the playoffs in Week 15, and Green Bay was locked into the NFC's No. 7 seed. The Vikings played their starters, while the Packers sat most of theirs.

Third-string quarterback Clayton Tune started for Green Bay, with Jordan Love and Malik Willis getting extra time to rest up from injuries for the playoffs. That provided a preseason feel for the game between two heated rivals.

Here are three takeaways from the Vikings' 16-3 win over the Packers.

It was great to see Justin Jefferson get to 1,000 yards

Justin Jefferson entered the game with 947 receiving yards, putting him in jeopardy of falling short of 1,000 for the first time in his six-year career. The Vikings knew they'd have an opportunity to put him on a big game with the Packers sitting so many starters, and they capitalized.

Jefferson was involved often, catching eight passes for 101 yards, passing the 1,000-yard threshold in the second quarter. He joined Mike Evans (10) and Randy Moss (6) as the only receivers in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards in each of their first six seasons.

It wasn't easy for Jefferson this year, with three different quarterbacks providing him little help. This won't be a season that Jefferson looks back at with joy, but he displayed leadership and professionalism that is rare for star wideouts.

McCarthy didn't help his chances of securing the QB1 job in 2026

Sunday was a microcosm of J.J. McCarthy's season. He had some good moments, showing off athleticism and getting the ball to Jefferson. There was some bad, like taking a taunting penalty after a 6-yard scramble. To top it off, McCarthy left the game in the third quarter after an 8-yard pass to Jefferson on his first pass of the half.

McCarthy had missed Week 17 with a hairline fracture in his right hand that he suffered four days earlier against the Giants. So he displayed plenty of toughness in playing on Sunday.

But it was the second time in three weeks he's exited a game with an injury. McCarthy missed seven games total in 2025, which was as concerning as any poor pass or decision he made this season.

He finished Sunday 14-of-23 for 182 passing yards, but McCarthy left plays on the field. Kevin O'Connell was non-committal to McCarthy as the Vikings' starter in 2026.

The final game for two Vikings legends?

Because the game didn't mean much in the standings, it was easy for U.S. Bank Stadium to give long-time Vikings Harrison Smith and C.J. Ham plenty of love on the video board.

Smith, playing in his 14th season, didn't have the same impact he did on Christmas when he won NFC Defensive Player of the Week. But O'Connell took a timeout with 3:32 left in the game to give an extended break for Smith to leave the field to a standing ovation.

Ham scored his eighth career touchdown on a one-yard run in the second quarter. He was given plenty of camera time for his score and was featured in the postgame interview with KFAN's Ben Leber, which was featured on the video board for everyone in the stadium to watch.

Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune reported that Smith and Ham were the last two Vikings to leave the field. Smith was drafted 29th overall by the Vikings in the 2012 draft. C.J. Ham made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

The two players spent their entire careers in Minnesota. If this is it, Vikings fans will be forever grateful for their contributions on and off the field.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Instant Takeaways from the Vikings' 16-3 win over the Packers

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