Things to Watch in Green Bay @ Minnesota

The first thing to watch on Sunday in Minnesota is how much will each backup Quarterback play? In recent weeks the Green Bay Packers have added two quarterbacks to their roster due to the health issues for the Packers current quarterbacks – Clayton Tune & Desmond Ridder. Tune was a former college teammate at Houston with WR Matthew Golden. Desmond Ridder we all remember from his time in Atlanta. With Ridder just arriving in Green Bay, we don’t envision Ridder playing too much. That is of course unless Clayton Tune plays so bad it requires a change. How many Packers fans imagined this being the case in the regular season finale? Not many, but it will be interesting to see what either of these QBs have to offer.

How much will Trevon Diggs play?

The second thing to watch is how the Packers utilize newly claimed cornerback Trevon Diggs. Green Bay is desperate for players with the depleting health in the secondary. After losing Nate Hobbs, and Kamal Hadden to season ending injuries, there is not much left on this roster. Green Bay called up two practice squad cornerbacks – Jaylin Simpson and Shemar Bartholomew. Diggs is a former all pro cornerback who has fallen on tough times over the last few seasons. Partly to blame could be the coaching staff around Diggs in Dallas. Sometimes a fresh coat of paint(thank you Andy Herman) is all it takes to get more out of certain players. At this point the Packers have nothing to lose by claiming Diggs, as their current corners share the same deficiencies as Trevon. The big difference is Diggs has good ball skills and may be able to complete an interception. Here is to hoping Jeff Hafley unlocks some of the potential that Diggs has shown in his career.

How does Matt LaFleur get his team ready for a meaningless game

The last thing to watch in week 18 is how will Coach Matt LaFleur get his team ready for this game? It is no surprise the Packers are looking forward to their likely first round playoff matchup in Chicago. However the NFL does not work like that and LaFleur will still have to put a game plan in place to help the Packers try and come out on top. One of the biggest criticisms of LaFleur has been how his teams always seem to play down to their opponents. Well there may be no greater task for this than Sunday. With nothing to play for other than making sure no one else ends up injured, how does the coach get his team fired up to play? No one will hold a defeat squarely on the coach after this game but it is at least intriguing to think about. LaFleur should be the Head coach in 2026 but there is no guarantee that this Sunday isn’t the last time Matt LaFleur coaches a regular season game for the Packers. Let that sink in for a minute. One of the most winningest coaches in NFL history could coach his final Week 18 game for Green Bay. We will hope this is not the case as LaFleur has earned the opportunity at a contract extension.

Don’t forget to check out my last article: Keys to Victory in Green Bay @ Chicago – https://packerstalk.com/2025/12/19/keys-to-victory-in-green-bay-vs-chicago/

Joseph is an avid Packers fan since the age of five who enjoys giving his opinions on his favorite team! The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary - Vince Lombardi. Go Pack Go!