The Green Bay Packers (9-6-1) will attempt to snap a three-game losing streak when Matt LaFleur's team heads to Minneapolis for the regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings (8-8) on Sunday afternoon. The Vikings are eliminated from playoff contention but have won four straight games. The Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed and are expected to rest several key starters.
Can the Packers, who have made almost 20 moves during the week to address an ailing roster, upset the Vikings before entering the postseason?
Five things to watch and a prediction for the Packers' regular season finale:
1. Trevon Diggs debut?
The Packers are hurting at cornerback, a position where Kamal Hadden and Nate Hobbs landed on injured reserve this week and Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine have struggled to cover in big spots down the stretch. Could Trevon Diggs, a former Pro Bowler with the Cowboys who has 20 career interceptions, make a difference? He only got to Green Bay on Thursday, but cornerback is a relatively easy position to pick up quickly, and the Packers probably need Diggs to play snaps on Sunday -- both to get acclimated before the postseason and allow others, such as Nixon, a chance to rest in the finale. Keep an eye out for the new No. 28 getting a handful of snaps against Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and the Vikings. The Packers would probably like to see a couple of positive plays from the newcomer at cornerback on Sunday.
2. Clayton Tune's chance
Tune will start at quarterback on Sunday. While his backup is to be determined, Tune will be the one in the spotlight at U.S. Bank Stadium. Can he navigate the challenge of facing one of the NFL's most aggressive and respected defensive coordinators? Brian Flores isn't going to take it easy on Tune, who has just one career start in the NFL and just one career appearance with the Packers. He will be under siege, especially if playing behind a patchwork offensive line. Sunday will be an obvious challenge, but also a big chance for Tune to prove he could be the backup quarterback behind Jordan Love in 2026. If Tune shines, he might go into next year as the favorite to replace Malik Willis. If Tune struggles, Sunday could get really ugly for the visitors in the finale.
3. Opportunities for others
The Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed in the postseason and will, as a result, rest several key starters, including Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs. While Matt LaFleur's team is essentially turning this week into a glorified preseason game, Sunday does provide a terrific opportunity for several young players to get snaps in a road regular season game against a rival who has won four straight games. Expect to see plenty of running back Emanuel Wilson, wide receiver Matthew Golden, tackle Jordan Morgan, linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper, safety Kitan Oladapo, defensive end Barryn Sorrell, nose tackle Nazir Stackhouse, cornerback Bo Melton and slot Jaylin Simpson, among others. Fifth-round pick Collin Oliver is expected to make his long-awaited NFL debut, too. Might the Packers get a breakout performance from a young player who could help them next week in Chicago or Philadelphia?
4. Another Jordan Morgan start
Morgan produced encouraging starts in back-to-back games in place of Zach Tom at right tackle over the last two weeks. It's unclear if the Packers will start Morgan at right or left tackle on Sunday in Minneapolis. Staying at right tackle makes sense if the Packers want to keep Morgan where he's gotten comfortable late in the year. Moving him to left tackle could provide an early preview of the 2026 season. Morgan is a far better player at tackle and figures to be the favorite to start at left tackle to start next year with Rasheed Walker headed for free agency. Speaking of recent first-round picks, Matthew Golden could be the go-to target in the passing game for Clayton Tune on Sunday.
5. Can someone step up against the run?
The Packers got run over last Saturday night by Derrick Henry and the Ravens. While Jeff Hafley's defense is expected to sit several starters, the defensive front still has an opportunity to bounce back, and a few young players will get a chance to prove they deserve snaps against the run next week. Players worth watching include rookie Warren Brinson, who has struggled against the run since becoming a bigger part of the rotation, and newcomer Jonathan Ford and rookie Nazir Stackhouse, who will both get snaps at nose tackle.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Packers 10
Clayton Tune versus Brian Flores is a tough matchup for the Packers no matter how you want to spin it. Sunday is still regular season football and the Vikings have won four straight games behind a dominant defense. It could and likely will get ugly at times. While the Packers would love to snap a three-game losing streak and go into the postseason with a win, the scoreboard isn't going to matter much for the visitors on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. This is an opportunity to rest some key players and get healthy at some important spots entering the postseason. The evaluation opportunity for several young players is a good one, too. Expect Tune to make plenty of mistakes, Daniel Whelan to kick plenty of punts and the Vikings to cruise to a relatively comfortable win. Keeping it competitive late would be a win. Actually winning would be a huge surprise. But getting out of Minneapolis without an injury that affects next week is the ultimate prize.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers vs. Vikings: 5 things to watch and a prediction for Week 18