Packers finally getting more opportunities to see how they measure up against NFC North rivals

Since beating the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions on the season's opening weekend, the Green Bay Packers haven't played a single divisional game.

That's about to change in a big way. The Packers play each of their division rivals over the next three weeks.

Green Bay (6-3-1) hosts the Minnesota Vikings (4-6) on Sunday before heading to Detroit for a Thanksgiving Day matchup with the Lions (6-4). The Packers end this three-game stretch by hosting the first-place Chicago Bears (7-3).

“Obviously the divisional games are absolutely critical and you talk about this three-game stretch, but really all that matters is this one game for us right now,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday. “I mean, we've just got to focus on what’s right in front of us, and that’s to try to put together the best plan to go out and play a team that I think is an extremely tough football team. Shoot, they put it on us twice last year, so our guys will be motivated.”

This series of three games should indicate how realistic a chance the Packers have of winning their first NFC North title since 2021. They already have matched their NFC North win total from last season, when they went 1-5 against division opponents.

The Packers got some good news Monday on the knee issue that caused Josh Jacobs to exit a 27-20 victory over the New York Giants. LaFleur said Jacobs has a bruised knee and won't need to go on injured reserve.

LaFleur said Jacobs “potentially” could be available for Sunday's game.

“It’s just more or less trying to get the swelling down,” LaFleur said. “And unfortunately, that’s a pretty hard surface over there, and sometimes (that's) the byproduct of that.”

Winning a game in which Green Bay was missing its starting quarterback (Jordan Love) for part of one touchdown series, their leading rusher (Jacobs) for most of the game and their starting center ( Elgton Jenkins ) for the entire game showcased the Packers' depth. ... Even with Jacobs limited to seven carries, the Packers rushed for 128 yards while gaining 5.6 yards per attempt. ... They committed no turnovers.

Bad hands hindered the Packers on both sides of the ball. Several of Love's passes were dropped, and Green Bay's defensive players mishandled a few potential interceptions. ... The Giants followed the blueprint that paid off for Carolina two weeks ago by running the ball effectively and limiting Green Bay's number of possessions. The Packers gave up 142 yards rushing and allowed the Giants to control the ball for more than 35 minutes. ... The Packers have missed a combined four field goals and two extra-point attempts over their last four games.

WR Christian Watson had his first two touchdowns of the season with contested catches of 1 and 17 yards. His second TD put Green Bay ahead for good with 4:02 left. ... Love left briefly with an injury to his left (non-throwing shoulder) but returned and completed two touchdown passes without an interception. ... QB Malik Willis finished one series because of Love's injury and threw the 1-yard touchdown pass to Watson. Willis also had a 16-yard run on a third-and-8 play during that drive. ... WR Savion Williams set up Watson's go-ahead touchdown by making a contested 33-yard reception on third-and-10. ... S Evan Williams intercepted a Jameis Winston pass with 36 seconds left after the Giants had reached the red zone. ... DE Micah Parsons recorded 1 1/2 sacks, with one coming on the game's final play.

WR Malik Heath didn't make the trip to this game because of what the team described as a “coach's decision.” LaFleur declined to specify the reasons for Heath's absence. ... K Lucas Havrisik filled in for an injured Brandon McManus and missed two PATs amid swirling wind. ... TE Luke Musgrave hasn't stepped up his production in the two games since Tucker Kraft tore his ACL. Musgrave's lone catch Sunday resulted in a 1-yard loss and a fumble out of bounds. Another pass to Musgrave was initially ruled a fumble before getting changed to an incompletion.

Along with the Jacobs injury, LB Quay Walker left the Giants game because of a stinger. LaFleur said Walker was day to day. LaFleur added that Love was “definitely sore" but also was “doing good” after coming back from that shoulder problem.

27 — The Packers have scored exactly 27 points in five of their six wins this season.

The Packers try to beat the Vikings at home for the first time since the 2022 season. The Vikings have won in each of their last two trips to Lambeau Field — 24-10 in 2023 and 31-29 in 2024. The Packers haven't lost three straight home games to Minnesota since 1991-93, a stretch that included two games in Green Bay and one in Milwaukee.

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur looks at his play sheet during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Green Bay Packers' Micah Parsons reacts after knocking the ball from New York Giants' Jameis Winston on the last play of the game during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Green Bay Packers' Micah Parsons knocks the ball from New York Giants' Jameis Winston on the final play of the game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Green Bay Packers' Evan Williams reacts after an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Green Bay Packers' Evan Williams, Jordan Love and Matt Orzech smile as they walk off the field after an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

COTONOU, Benin (AP) — A group of soldiers has appeared on Benin ’s state TV announcing the dissolution of the government in an apparent coup, the latest of many in West Africa.

The group, which called itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, on Sunday announced the removal of the president and all state institutions.

Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri has been appointed president of the military committee, the soldiers said.

President Patrice Talon had been in power since 2016 and was due to step down next April after the presidential election.

Talon’s party pick, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, was the favorite to win the election. Opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo was rejected by the electoral commission on the grounds that he did not have sufficient sponsors.

Last month, the country’s legislature extended the presidential term of office from five to seven years, keeping the term limit at two.

The coup is the latest in a string of military takeovers that have rocked West Africa. Last week, a military coup in Guinea-Bissau removed former President Umaro Embalo after a contested election in which both he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.

FILE - Benin's President Patrice Talon attends a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)