The Packers (and the Crowd) Need to Do the Little Things on Sunday

It may sound cliché, but the Green Bay Packers need to do the little things on Sunday at Lambeau Field to beat the Minnesota Vikings.

The Details

However, that’s not how the Packers have won games this year. They’ve leaned heavily on the big things. They’ve hit explosives on offense and created turnovers, pressure, and sacks on defense.

• "Bombs Away!"
• No one launches deep shots like
• @jordan3love
• 😮‍💨
• @Packers pic.twitter.com/vc9fbsLn1Y — Inside the NFL (@insidetheNFL)
• November 10, 2026

It’s worked well enough to get them to 6-3, but that formula alone might not be enough against Brian Flores’ chaotic defense and Kevin O’Connell ‘s offense with Kirk Cousins. And it won’t just be the players who have a role in that. For Lambeau Field to truly become an advantage again, the crowd must do the small things that make a big difference.

Jordan Love

The biggest thing the Packers need to do is communicate up front against Flores’ complex defense. The Packers survived for three quarters with a makeshift offensive line. However, it eventually collapsed in the fourth quarter, mostly due to blown assignments and poor communication. This time around, the Packers will have a more veteran line, with four new starters.

Not having to utilize a silent count this weekend, unlike the Sept. 13 game in Minnesota, makes a "significant difference," Matt LaFleur says. He emphasizes that the Packers still have to execute.

"This is one of the top defenses, if not the top defense in the league," LaFleur… — Zach Jacobson (@zachjacobson)

In the first matchup, Minnesota blitzed on 78.3% of dropbacks and generated a 50% pressure rate. Love survived the first three quarters mostly mistake-free. However, in the fourth quarter, the Vikings immediately strip-sacked him on one drive, giving Minnesota the ball at the one. Later, he threw a tipped interception after another quick pressure.

Jordan Love didn't even have a chance on this play. Packers dont block and its a fumble. Vikings scored on the next play #packers pic.twitter.com/rJyDF6blDp — Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhifer)

Run the Ball

Packers fans may not want to hear this, but Green Bay should stick with the run in this game, even if it’s not working.

The Buffalo Bills wore down this defense last week by controlling the ball and the clock. They ran the ball 44 times for 134 yards, which is just over three yards per carry. It wasn’t anything demoralizing, but it kept them ahead of the chains and wore down the defense.

The most impressive part was its game-sealing drive: 15 plays, 8:32, with nine runs. Buffalo finished with 42:32 time of possession. Minnesota’s defense was worn out by then.

James Cook makes it a two-score game!

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Green Bay hasn’t had much success running the ball, but they found some success last week once Kaleb Johnson and Kevin Zeitler hit the field. Johnson has been their most efficient ball carrier this year. However, he has put the ball on the ground too many times, and Matt LaFleur reduced his playing time.

After several injuries in the running back room, he was called back against the New England Patriots and stepped up, finishing with 14 carries for 68 yards (4.9 YPC) and a touchdown. Green Bay finished with 129 rushing yards on 32 attempts against New England. It was the first time the Packers topped 100 rushing yards this season.

#Packers running game some juice for the first time this season…

Is he the starter for at least the next 3 games? pic.twitter.com/PqvONfJX78 — Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL)

Green Bay shouldn’t abandon trying to be explosive, but it will be harder against the Flores defense. To keep Minnesota’s pass rush at bay and wear them out, they’ll have to stick with the run and shorter concepts, then find the shot plays when they can.

Make Minnesota Earn Everything

On defense, Green Bay needs to keep doing what they’ve been doing. Tackle, capitalize on mistakes, stop the run. One of the big reasons the Bills controlled the ball on Monday night was Carson Wentz and the Vikings offense’s abysmal play. They were 0-8 on third down and turned the ball over three times.

Cousins should bring a major boost to the offense, but he’s now 38 and prone to turning the ball over. He had three interceptions last week, and somehow fumbled and threw a pick-six on the same play.

Kirk Cousins acaba de realizar una de las jugadas más difíciles en la historia de la #NFL Fumble, intercepción y le anotaron en la misma jugada #Raiders pic.twitter.com/xjdOuQ7PmQ — 🏆 Juan Carlos Vázquez (@elnarrador)

At the same time, he also has 20 passing touchdowns this season. He’s still a productive quarterback. Green Bay needs to make him uncomfortable, as they have with several quarterbacks over the last six weeks.

The Crowd Can Make Lambeau Matter Again

All of this stuff starts with communication and execution on the field, but the players aren’t the only ones who can help Green Bay do the little things. The crowd at Lambeau Field can also make a difference. To turn home-field advantage into something meaningful again, Packers fans need to understand their role on Sunday.

First of all, this is a

Gold Package game. Milwaukee, you are no longer preoccupied by the Milwaukee Brewers. Let’s show out to Lambeau on Sunday and be loud (on defense).

As stated, one of Green Bay’s offensive downfalls in Week 1 was their inability to communicate because of the crowd. Green Bay now needs to turn that on the Vikings. Cousins has returned to Minnesota on a short week, with a new QB. He’s familiar with this offense, but he’s only had one week of practice with this team.

Most importantly, the crowd needs to understand its role. When the Packers have the ball, Lambeau needs to be quiet, letting Love and the offense communicate and make adjustments. When the Vikings have the ball, it needs to be deafening.

The Vikings traded for

Cousins before the deadline, and he’s working with a shortened week to get comfortable in an offense he hasn’t run in several years. Packers fans need to make him feel every bit of that transition. Make him wish he were back in Las Vegas as the bridge quarterback to Fernando Mendoza.