Kirk Cousins is back in purple, and his first game with Minnesota will be where everything changed the last time he was a member of the Vikings. It was at Lambeau Field that Cousins tore his Achilles three years ago, and now he'll get his first action as the newest Viking this weekend.

Getting the offense rolling is clearly a top objective, but the defense will also need to stay on top of the Packers' high-flying offense. It's a tall task, but the Vikings already took down the Pack once this season and can certainly do it again.

Here's everything I would do if I were in Kevin O'Connell's shoes this week.

1. Let Kirk be Kirk

Cousins didn't come here to play school, and while he hasn't been formally announced as the starter for Sunday, it's all but guaranteed. And while the temptation may be to reel things in a bit and let Cousins try to get his feet wet, that thinking is what's done the Minnesota offense in so far this season.

Trying to dink and dunk down the field hasn't resulted in any success this year, and while it's kept turnovers and big mistakes to a minimum, it also hasn't moved the ball. The Vikings' defense was on the field for an average of 38 minutes over the past two games, and that's clearly unsustainable.

Cousins can work the middle of the field, and while his arm isn't what it was, the mid-level throws are still very much in his wheelhouse. His 91.6 Pro Football Focus grade on intermediate throws (10-19 yards) ranks fourth in the NFL compared to Kyler Murray's 59.9. An interception or two isn't the end-all be-all so long as the offense moves the chains. What will spell doom, however, is refusing to let Cousins play despite his hurried attempts to relearn the offense.

2. Start Ivan Pace over rookie Jake Golday if Blake Cashman can't go

Blake Cashman popped up on the Vikings injury report with a concussion, and with a short week, it does seem to be a question of whether he can clear protocol in time to suit up for Sunday.

If Cashman can't go, the Vikings will turn to Pace and Golday to fill his mostly irreplaceable shoes. And while Golday saw his highest share of defensive snaps last week against Buffalo, Pace should really be doing the heavy lifting this week.

Pace notched a sack on just 22 snaps against the Bills and played arguably his best game all season. His role has shrunk year after year since his breakout rookie campaign, but Pace's pass-rushing abilities are still second-to-none at the linebacker position, with a 90.1 PFF grade. Pace's coverage abilities are another story, but Jordan Love and the Packers tend to do most of their damage on the outside, with Matthew Golden and Christian Watson accounting for nearly two-thirds of all receiving yards.

Golday will get his chance, but Pace seems like the logical option to handle the lion's share if Cashman is sidelined.

3. Bring Caleb Banks back to the lineup

The dreaded Bills rushing attack can't hurt the Vikings anymore, and they'll now be treated to an offense averaging just 68 rushing yards per game. It's the perfect opportunity to work the first-round rookie back into the mix.

Banks was sat against Buffalo simply because his pad level has mostly been awful this year. He's been washed away and was frankly becoming a liability. The Packers may offer a friendlier matchup with their high-octane passing attack, allowing Banks to get after the quarterback--something he's at least done to moderate success with three pressures from the interior.

His development is certainly crawling along, but the Vikings knew it would take some time before Banks was ready to contribute in a major way. Last week's healthy scratch was just a matchup decision, and there shouldn't be any concerns about his long-term outlook at this point. Banks should see his typical dozen or so snaps again this Sunday.