Vikings @ Packers – Combined 11 Personnel Offense

The Vikings are defying all expectations, while a Love-less Packers have been defying the expectations with many. With Love likely to return despite his “questionable” status, it promises to be an intense border battle on Sunday between your Vikings and the Packers.

However, if you had to combine them to make the best starting 11 personnel offense (1 running back, 3 wide receivers, and 1 tight end), which players would make the team?

QB – Jordan Love GB

In the offseason, I wrote an article ranking the skill position groups in the NFC North and I had Jordan Love above Sam Darnold. Darnold has been playing at an elite level this year and Love has only played once. However, all Vikings fans have to respect Love’s ability because we are all feeling the same frustration that Green Bay has fallen into another franchise quarterback.

RB – Aaron Jones MIN

The Packers signed Josh Jacobs and swiftly moved on from Aaron Jones, who swiftly moved onto Minnesota, where he’s looked very much at home. Sure, Jacobs has more yards this season but Jones has more yards per carry. More importantly, the Viking has two touchdowns this season, two more than Jacobs has.

WR1 – Justin Jefferson MIN

Yep. It’s still Jefferson. He’s still the best. He’s so good cornerbacks run their mouths in press conferences about him while he works on cooking them on the field. Jefferson, the best in the league, is still number 1.

WR2 – Jordan Addison MIN

Addison is back this weekend and he’s ready to light it up. If the Packers choose to cover Jefferson then expect Addison to excel, especially considering how well he played at Lambeau Field last season without Jefferson being there.

WR3 – Jayden Reed GB

Reed isn’t even the best J. Reed to play in this fixture; Vikings legend Jake Reed scored more touchdowns against the Packers (6) than any other team. Unfortunately, this list is for current players or I’d be dreaming about Jefferson lining up alongside Moss. Instead I’m stuck writing about Packers players – yuck! Jayden Reed has been the Packers’ best receiver this season leading the team in receptions and yards this season, so that’s why I’m picking him above Watson and Doubs.

TE – TJ Hockenson MIN

Who’s the Packers tight end? If you can answer that question without looking up then, well done, you did better than I did. Whether it’s Kraft or Musgrave, all of the Packers tight ends have combined for 12 yards more than Hockenson this season, and the Hock hasn’t played all season. Hurry back, Hock, I want you prove me right!

LT – Christian Darrisaw MIN

One of the two pillars of Minnesota’s offensive line, Darrisaw has been excellent and when I put Tunsil in over him last weekend, he made me look like a fool, as the former Ole Miss Rebel amassed six penalties against Minnesota, five more than Darrisaw has had all season (the Packers starting LT, Rasheed Walker, has five).

LG – Elgton Jenkins GB

Jenkins is a consistently above-average-to-good guard, something the Vikings are hoping they’ve produced with Brandel. Brandel may have a higher PFF grade to date this season, but Jenkins hasn’t had a grade below 65 since he came into the league, and consistency is key on offensive lines.

C – Garrett Bradbury MIN

After us fans being harsh on Bradbury following the win against the Giants, where it turned out he played hurt, the 2018 consensus All-American is looking more and more like what we hoped he’d be coming out of the draft. However, this weekend he comes up against his nemesis Kenny Clark, will Bradbury prove me right or should I have picked the Packers’ Josh Myers?

RG – Sean Rhyan GB

I really want to give Ed Ingram some love, but podcast listeners will know that he’s the owner of PFF’s second worst pass blocking grade in the league this year. The Ingram experiment will soon surely have to make way for the Dalton Risner experience. So for the time being, I’m putting the Packers’ Sean Rhyan in this spot.

RT – Brian O’Neill MIN

The other of two pillars of the Minnesota offensive line. The Minnesota moving company relies heavily on its tackles, so it’s a good thing that Darrisaw and the criminally underrated O’Neill are both excellent! Still no penalties given up, just saying…

What do you think of my starting offense? Would you change anything?