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The Packers appeared to be in control of the Minnesota Vikings until the wheels completely came off in what turned into a 39-22 loss by Green Bay. It felt somewhat similar to the Packers' NFC wild-card-round loss in which they blew a 21-3 lead in a 31-27 loss.
Green Bay raced out to a 22-10 lead with just over five minutes left in the third quarter after Kyler Murray's Minnesota Vikings' debut ended in the first quarter. He tossed an interception on his first throw of the game and later suffered a concussion on a late hit by Packers safety Javon Bullard. Carson Wentz entered from there and helped play hero in a Minnesota comeback.
Jordan Love threw two touchdowns to wide receiver Christian Watson, an 81-yard catch-and-run score and a two-yarder in the back right corner of the end zone with 14 seconds left in the first half. That helped the Packers take a 19-10 lead into the locker room at halftime with Watson piling up 131 yards receiving with those two touchdowns in the opening half. He became just the third Packers player since 1950 with 100-plus receiving yards and multiple receiving touchdowns in the season opener, joining Antonio Freeman (1998) and Davante Adams (2020). Watson finished the day with 147 yards passing and two touchdowns on 6 catches.
Everything flipped with 13:21 left in the fourth quarter. That's when Packers coach Matt LaFleur decided to take an offside penalty on a made 40-yard field goal that would have put Green Bay up 25-17. Instead, he chose a fourth-and-1, and Love's quarterback sneak was stuffed.
On the ensuing drive, the Vikings were aided by three straight called penalties on third down stops by the Packers: an illegal contact penalty in coverage that negated a sack, a roughing the passer penalty that negated a sack and a defensive holding penalty that negated an interception. The last two called penalties were what some would call questionable. On the first play after a questionable defensive holding penalty nullified an interception, former Packer Aaron Jones sprinted into the end zone for a three-yard touchdown. A completion to Justin Jefferson on the ensuing two-point conversion put Minnesota up three, 25-22, with 6:37 left to play.
Then, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' blitz overwhelmed the Packers' inexperienced offensive line, which was playing without left guard Aaron Banks (knee). Minnesota sacked Love on consecutive plays, with the second one resulting in a fumble recovered by Vikings Pro Bowl edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel on the Packers' one. Running back Jordan Mason lunged into the end zone for a one-yard score that put Minnesota up 32-22. After a Love interception on the next Packers' drive, Wentz threw his second touchdown to Jefferson on an underneath route from the 9-yard line.
Wentz threw for 133 yards and three touchdowns on 12 of 19 passing, making him just the second quarterback in the Super Bowl era with three-plus touchdowns off the bench in a win in the season opener, per CBS Sports. The other was Jake Delhomme in 2003 with the Carolina Panthers. Love became just the third Packers quarterback with 375-plus passing yards in a double-digit loss, joining Aaron Rodgers (2014 at the Saints) and Brett Favre (1993 at the Chicago Bears). He threw for 387 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 21 of 42 passing.
Takeaways
The Packers will continue to face the blitz with their inexperienced offensive line
Green Bay's starters at left guard, Donovan Jennings (no starts), and right guard, Jacob Monk (one start), had a combined one career start entering Week 1, and that was evident. Love took four sacks, tied for the third-most in a game in his career, and pressured on many more drop-backs. Green Bay needs left guard Aaron Banks (knee) to get healthy in a hurry. Otherwise, Love will be under duress with regularity.
The Vikings' offense functioned smoothly with Carson Wentz
With Carson Wentz at the controls in Week 1, four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught two receiving touchdowns, a 39-yarder on a deep ball created by Wentz's hard count, providing a free play, and a nine-yarder on an underneath route near the goal line. That tied Jefferson's receiving touchdowns total for the entire 2025 season with J.J. McCarthy (10 starts), Wentz (five starts) and Max Brosmer (two starts) rotating throughout the year as the starting quarterback.
It will be interesting to see if Wentz can maintain this momentum at the Bears in Week 2 if Murray isn't cleared from his concussion in a week's time.
Brian Flores is a menace
The Vikings defensive coordinator dialed up the blitz on 78.3% of Love's dropbacks, per TruMedia. The next-most aggressive defense in Week 1 was the Carolina Panthers at a 52.6% blitz rate. Minnesota executed its scheme to perfection while abusing Green Bay's young offensive line, with the ageless Harrison Smith coordinating things on the back end.
What's Next
The Vikings (1-0) will head south to Chicago to face the Bears (1-0) while the Packers' road trip will continue in Week 2 at the New York Jets (1-0).
