Keys for the Vikings' offense vs. the Packers' defense in Week 18

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The Minnesota Vikings' season comes to an end on Sunday. They will host the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium in a game that means nothing for the Packers' postseason chances. Green Bay is already locked into the NFC's No. 7 seed, and Minnesota has been eliminated since Dec. 14.

That means that we'll see many backups for the Packers, giving J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings' offense a chance to pad their stats. The second-year quarterback is expected to return to the starting lineup after being a full participant in Thursday's practice.

All eyes will be on his connection with Justin Jefferson, who is 53 yards shy of 1,000. That will be the most meaningful storyline for fans.

Here are the keys to the Vikings' offense in Week 18.

Protect J.J. McCarthy

This will only be McCarthy's 10th start of the season. Several injuries have kept him out of the lineup in 2025, stunting his growth each time it seems progress is being made.

While we want to see McCarthy have a productive day, having him finish healthy is paramount. The last thing anyone in Minnesota wants is for him to be spending the offseason rehabbing another injury.

He needs good protection from the offensive line and a high level of awareness to protect himself. If he can do that, McCarthy can attack an important offseason.

Get Justin Jefferson the ball

There is really no other rooting interest for Vikings fans on Sunday. Jefferson has 76 receptions for 947 yards this season, putting him in jeopardy of falling short of 1,000 total yards this season.

He reached that threshold in each of his first five seasons, even when he missed seven games in 2023. Jefferson has done a great job at keeping his emotions in check this year throughout tough stretches for the offense. He has only had two 100-yard games and has reached the endzone twice.

Getting him involved early and often is paramount on Sunday. That can take all the pressure off McCarthy, allowing him to play the rest of the game freely.

Protect the ball

It hasn't been a banner season for the Vikings in terms of protecting the ball. They have turned the ball over a league-high 29 times, including four games with at least three giveaways.

But they have been better as of late, only suffering three turnovers during their four-game win streak. The Packers likely won't be deploying a very aggressive defense on Sunday, meaning there should be little reason for Minnesota to have poor ball security.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Keys for the Vikings' offense vs. the Packers' defense to end 2025

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