"Meaningless" Week 18 provides unique challenge for Matt LaFleur amid Packers' three-game losing streak

The season finale for the Green Bay Packers doesn't hold weight for anything but vibes, but the vibes are brutal right now and head coach has a difficult task in finding a way to make it matter.

On Tuesday, The Leap’s own Jason Hirschhorn suggested the Green Bay Packers “get weird” in Week 18. By Thursday, Matt LaFleur obliged, installing Clayton Tune as the starter against the Minnesota Vikings, while saying newly-acquired cornerback Trevon Diggs could play as well. Imagine telling your 2025 self, even as recently as Christmas, that would be the situation for this Green Bay team.

Jordan Love cleared concussion protocol, but Malik Willis, fresh off his virtuosic performance in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, has a hamstring injury to go along with a shoulder issue. LaFleur says Love won’t play unless there’s an emergency, and it’s safe to assume, even then, the Packers might prefer throwing Savion Williams in there in the wildcat and playing out the string.

Tune, he of one career start, will be under center Sunday in a game that still has value for the Packers. What does Matthew Golden look like in a featured role if the Packers chose to give him one? Well, that all depends on Mr. Tune.

How does Jordan Morgan look into another start, perhaps this time at left tackle? It might not matter if Tune doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the coverage thanks to the blitzing and beguiling defense of Brian Flores.

And this game does mean something for the Vikings. They proved on Christmas that they are capable spoilers, ending the Detroit Lions’ season even amid another pathetic performance from Max Brosmer. Though “beating” the Packers doesn’t have the same juice because they’re already in the playoffs, J.J. McCarthy will try to go on Sunday, and his success or failure will define the next half-decade of Vikings football.