Seven seasons in, and the clock still feels loud
Justin Jefferson is heading into his seventh NFL season. The Vikings receiver says the fire has not dimmed one bit, and he will say as much Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis against Green Bay, a direct NFC North rival.
“I am just trying to be the best version of myself,” Jefferson said. “Obviously, I want to win. I want to get to the Super Bowl, do the things we all dreamed about as kids. I take it one day at a time, but it is crazy. Time flies. Seven years in the league is wild.”
He adds that he never pictured himself becoming “a veteran, a guy people look at, one of the faces of this league”. There is no easing in here. Sunday’s winner takes an early grip on a division that looks set to be a scrap from start to finish.
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Green Bay keep their core, Minnesota hand the keys to a new quarterback
The Packers come in off a 2025 season that finished 9-7-1, ending with a wild-card exit against Chicago. The Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love partnership remains intact. Love has just finished his third full year as the starter with a passer rating of 101.2, 23 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 15 games.
Green Bay have lost Romeo Doubs and will be without Josh Jacobs, who is on the commissioner’s exempt list. Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden and Tucker Kraft are all available. “It is going to be a big one,” Watson said. “You just have to make plays when your number is called.”
For Minnesota, the change is far more dramatic. After going 9-8 and missing the playoffs for a second time in four years under Kevin O’Connell, the franchise has handed the offense to Kyler Murray, who arrives after seven seasons in Arizona. Carson Wentz will back him up in Week 1, while J.J. McCarthy, a former first-round pick, has been pushed down to emergency third quarterback.
Two defenses, two very different looks
Aaron Jones Sr. describes Murray’s leadership as quiet and direct. “He has a different way of leading. He will come over, put his arm around you on the side, and tell you a couple of words. It might not be a fiery speech for everyone, but he gets his point across to each guy, one by one.”
The Vikings defense gets Harrison Smith back for a 15th season after a late call to return, in a unit run by Brian Flores. Green Bay will be without Micah Parsons, who is out early in the season because of a knee problem. Xavier McKinney is fit.
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