He may be the best overall wide receiver in the NFL. He only has two touchdowns on the season, but don't let that number trick you. Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is the real deal. He's "him" as the kids say, and the Green Bay Packers are going to have one heck of a time trying to stop him in Week 12.

Here's the thing, though, they don't actually need to stop him.

Jefferson is good enough to put up numbers no matter what, but even the best wide receivers look average if the person getting them the ball can't do it.

And therein lies the problem for the Vikings this season. They were hoping that former No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy would be able to lead what looks like an otherwise stacked offense in 2025, but he just hasn't gotten the job done.

Sure, he's battled with injuries, but McCarthy has thrown for just 842 yards and six touchdowns compared to eight interceptions in five games this season. He's averaging just a 52.9 completion percentage and a passer rating of 61.7. For comparison's sake, Jordan Love is averaging a 67.7 completion percentage and a passer rating of 103.2.

Jefferson can absolutely beat the Packers, but he'll have to get the ball to do it. That's where Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary can come in for the Pack. They've got 15.5 sacks between them and Parsons has now closed out at least two games for Green Bay this season.

Against McCarthy, who is basically a rookie, the Packers could really do some damage.

Of course, the Vikings may want to counteract Green Bay's two star pass-rushers by letting the shifty and speedy Aaron Jones tote the rock, but keep in mind that Parsons and Gary are both great run defenders as well.

Parsons is known as more of a pass-rusher, of course, but Gary has always been strong against the run on the edge. In fact, they both lead the team in tackles for loss with seven each.

Jones, the former Packer, has rushed just 52 times for 256 yards and one touchdown this season, but he's going to be motivated to punch at least one in against his former team. Last season, in a Vikings win at Lambeau, he did a Lambeau Leap after the game in celebration. In 2025, he's trying to make it really count.

“I got to smell the end zone. Find a way to make it happen one way or another, and then get my leap in, in regulation instead of after," Jones said earlier this week.

Jones may want to get in, and he very well may, but the Packers have the players up front who should be able to make it hard for him. Remember, he is injury-prone and he's a slight 5-foot-10, 208 pounds.

If the Packers can make life miserable for McCarthy while at the same time containing Jones, there will be little Jefferson can do to keep the Vikings in this one.

It's not a fool-proof plan, but it's a plan, and the Packers need to shoot their best shot in this stretch of all-important NFC North games.