Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney had a major take on the upcoming games against the NFC North teams.
The Green Bay Packers snapped their two-game losing streak with a win over the New York Giants. The Packers now stand at 6-3-1 and are second in the NFC North. They will play three straight divisional matchups, starting with the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12.
Following their game against the Vikings, Green Bay will take on the Detroit Lions for the second time this season on Thanksgiving, and then take on the Chicago Bears.
Safety Xavier McKinney described the importance of the upcoming matchups. “This is really going to be a good tell…of what type of team we have," McKinney said.
Green Bay, Detroit, and Chicago are all within a game of each other, and the divisional matchups could determine who wins the NFC North.
The Packers are currently 1-0 in the division as they beat the Lions in Week 2 of the season.
As they head into the final stretch of the season, Green Bay will look to continue playing at a high level defensively.
The pass rush led by Micah Parsons has played well, while the secondary has continued to improve throughout the season. However, the Packers have yet to take advantage of turning teams over.
In the win over the Giants, Green Bay dropped four interceptions, which could've blown the game open. If they can start to get turnovers, the Packers could become the best defense in the NFL.
On offense, Green Bay has yet to be consistent. They had six drops against New York, which could've been costly. The playcalling from Matt LaFleur was better against the Giants, but he will need to remain a consistent and creative playcaller for the rest of the season.
The Packers will also continue to get healthier during this stretch against divisional opponents. Green Bay has wide receiver Jayden Reed and pass rusher Lukas Van Ness getting closer to a return. Running back Josh Jacobs who exited Week 11's game avoided a serious injury and may suit up against Minnesota.
The Packers will look to get to 2-0 against divisional opponents with a win over the Vikings on Sunday, which will be crucial as they look to make a Super Bowl run.