Even if the Vikings' outlook is promising, the Purple and Gold can't afford to take their NFC North rivals lightly this weekend.

The Vikings have a tough opponent in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, as the Purple and Gold host the division rival Packers in a game that will help set the tone for the NFC North.

Entering the game, the Vikings are favored to win, but head coach Kevin O'Connell and his players can't allow themselves to underestimate the Packers. This is an enemy team that finished last season with a 9-7-1 record and made the playoffs

Not only are the Packers a solid team, but there is a lot on the line in this game. Bragging rights are a big deal when it comes to these two teams, and whoever comes out ahead can talk smack until the two teams meet again in Week 10.

That said, here are three reasons the Vikings must be at the top of their game against the Packers on Sunday.

Star running back Josh Jacobs won't be able to suit up for Green Bay until he is removed from the Commissioner's Exempt list. In his place, MarShawn Lloyd will get the start. Lloyd was a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but has only played 10 offensive snaps since being drafted 88th overall in 2024.

Lloyd's NFL career stat line doesn't tell much about him either. He has six carries for 15 yards and one catch for three yards, but it isn't known how the Packers will use him against the Vikings or how often they will ask him to run with the ball.

Lloyd's numbers from South Carolina and USC may paint a better picture of who he is. In college, he averaged 5.6 yards per carry and rushed for 34 touchdowns in 32 games. But it was his sneaky receiving ability out of the backfield that opposing defenses needed to look out for. He averaged 13.3 yards per reception, which means it is something Minnesota is going to have to pay close attention to.

If Jacobs were available, the Packers would probably approach the Vikings with a balanced attack. However, with their top running back unavailable, Jordan Love will have to have a big game on Sunday. Injuries along the offensive line will make things complicated for him, and Minnesota's swarming defense, which allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game (177.7), will make things even more difficult.

Love has played nine games against the Vikings in his career, where he completes 63.4% of his passes and has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of nine to four. And he has done that while only being sacked by Minnesota nine times, which means it only happens on average once per game.

The Packers ended last season on a five-game losing streak. Head coach Matt LaFleur is determined to have his team ready for Week 1 and won't accept a subpar performance from his team. He has been drilling his team with multiple looks to be ready for Sunday.

Hopefully we've done a good enough job in presenting our team, whether it's offense, defense, or special teams, with a bunch of different looks to get them prepared for that moment.

Preparation is the key to success in the NFL. As long as a team is prepared for a game, it lies in the hands of the players to execute those plans. There is no doubt that LaFleur will have his team ready for anything he believes the Vikings will throw at the Packers.