Three SNF takeaways as Jordan Love shines and gets Packers closer to playoffs

The Green Bay Packers are in control of their playoff fate thanks to an impressive 33-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. 

All the Packers have to do is win next week against the Chicago Bears and they are in. The Vikings are not mathematically eliminated, but are going to need a lot of help after Sunday's defeat. 

Here are three takeaways from the Packers' big win. 

1. Jordan Love looks legit for the Packers

It looks like the Packers have found another one. After hitting home runs with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers as franchise quarterbacks, Love looks like he is ready to continue that run of success as he continues to light it up down the stretch for the Packers offense. 

He completed 24-of-33 passes for 256 yard and three touchdowns as he put on a masterclass performance against the Vikings' defense. Over the Packers' past seven games (where they have gone 5-2) Love has thrown 16 touchdown passes to only one interception. 

That is not only playoff football, that is championship caliber football. 

2. Packers have a chance to make up for last year's season-ending clunker

The Packers are getting a Week 18 mulligan. They went into their regular season finale last season at home needing only to beat a Detroit Lions team that had nothing to play for to clinch a playoff spot. They did not win. 

With Sunday's win against the Vikings, they are getting a chance to correct that this season with another home game against an NFC North rival. This time it is the Bears. 

That matchup should actually terrify the Packers. Not only because it is a rivalry game where the Bears would almost certainly love to spoil the Packers' season, but because the Bears are playing some outstanding football down the stretch. 

They are 5-2 in their past seven games and quarterback Justin Fields has been great. He is also capable of taking over a game. 

The Packers simply needing a win in Week 18, at home, against an on-the-rise divisional rival with nothing to play for? Packers fans have seen this movie before. They did not like the ending. 

3. Vikings quarterback situation was a no-win situation

The season-ending injury to starting quarterback Kirk Cousins put a huge dent in the Vikings season, and that has been on display in recent weeks.

Once Joshua Dobbs' Cinderella story struck midnight, the Vikings turned to veteran Nick Mullens last week. After he threw four interceptions, head coach Kevin O'Connell decided to start rookie Jaren Hall in what was essentially a must-win game and it could not have gone worse.

Hall and the Vikings offense was overwhelmed all night against a Packers defense that has struggled all season. After throwing an interception, losing a fumble, and completing just 5-of-10 passes for 67 yards the Vikings benched at halftime to go back to Mullens.

It did not make a difference. 

The Vikings are now 7-9 and have lost five of six games down the stretch. They are still not yet mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but will need a win on Sunday and a lot of help to get in.