MINNEAPOLIS – Xavier McKinney would love nothing more than to say the Packers can beat the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
While Green Bay's star safety certainly believes that, McKinney also recognizes the numbers are what they are following Sunday's 27-25 loss to the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
While the Packers punched their ticket to the postseason with last week's 34-0 shutout win over New Orleans, they hoped to make a statement Sunday against a 13-win Minnesota team that previously beat them, 31-29, at Lambeau Field in Week 4.
Instead, Green Bay fell to 1-4 in the division entering next week's regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears.
"We gotta take it upon ourselves to change that narrative," McKinney said. "Either we change it or we don't. If we don't, it's not gonna be good for us. We gotta take initiative. We gotta be better. I gotta be better. That's what it is. We here now. It's no turning back."
With the win, Minnesota improved to 14-2 and kept the door open to possibly upending Detroit (13-2) for the NFC North title and No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs that comes with it. The Lions travel to face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night prior to their regular-season finale against the Vikings.
In addition to playing spoiler within their division, the Packers hoped to keep their own door open to potentially stealing the fifth seed from the Vikings. Instead, at 11-5, the Packers must hold off Washington for the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs.
Green Bay rallied for 15 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough to overcome the 17-point deficit it faced with 9 minutes, 44 seconds left in the third quarter.
"We've just got to keep pushing," said linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who had 10 tackles (four for a loss). "We've got a lot of people who are determined to keep going, not give up. We're going to take some punches like this, we've just got to get ready for next week and we've got the playoffs. Just week by week."
Tight end Tucker Kraft echoed those comments, saying he's eager for what lies ahead for Green Bay in the postseason.
McKinney feels the same way, which is what makes dropping two games apiece to the Lions and Vikings so frustrating. The Packers feel like they can play with the NFC's elite and soon their season will depend on it.
"We can. Yes. We have the players to do it," McKinney said. "We have the coaches to do it. We can. Player-wise, we gotta be better and we all know that. It's not rocket science. We understand what we need to do. We just gotta go out there and do it."
Cooper reacts to penalty: The Packers appeared headed into halftime only down 10-3 after Vikings kicker Will Reichard missed a 55-yard field goal wide right as time expired.
However, the side judge flagged Cooper for lining up offside on the attempt. Reichard was good from 50 on the re-kick to give Minnesota a two-score lead at the break, with the Vikings also getting the ball after halftime.
"I didn't think I was," said Cooper when asked about whether he was lined up offside. "If anything, the people outside of me were in front of me. … I've just got to get back."
Another safety switch-up: The Packers were again forced to dig into their secondary depth when starting safety Zayne Anderson sustained a concussion on kickoff coverage at the end of the first quarter.
Anderson was already starting in place of rookie Evan Williams, who missed his second straight game with a quadricep injury. Anderson's exit resulted in rookie Javon Bullard moving from the nickel cornerback spot to safety.
Cornerback Keisean Nixon then bounced between playing outside and inside in the base and nickel packages, respectively.
"It don't really change nothing. We have a smart group," McKinney said. "We have guys who can move around. We got guys who can play in different spots. … I think we've done a great job of making sure whoever that next man is is prepared, and I thought he (Bullard) was prepared well. He came into the game and did what he needed to do."
Green Bay also finished the game without defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, who was ruled out with a concussion at the start of the second half.
Owe you one: Carrington Valentine's third-quarter interception of Sam Darnold nearly resulted in the Vikings getting the ball back after Jalen Nailor punched it out of Valentine's grasp during his 31-yard return.
Defensive lineman Karl Brooks jumped on the ball at the Minnesota 16 to keep possession. Brooks also was responsible for Green Bay's lone sack of Darnold.
"I told KB, 'Thank you,'" Valentine said. "I said, 'I definitely have something for you, don't worry.'"
