MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray overcame a loss and scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to stun the Green Bay Packers 39-22 on Sunday. The Vikings scored 22 points in just 2:42 of the game.
Penalties on three consecutive third downs gave Minnesota first downs on the road, culminating in an Aaron Jones touchdown run with 6:37 left.
On the Packers’ next possession, several Minnesota players converged to sack Jordan Love in Green Bay territory, and Andrew Van Ginkel knocked the ball out of Love’s hands and was falling. On the next play, the Vikings scored on a Jordan Mason touchdown run.
Three plays later, Love’s pass was intercepted by James Pierre and returned to the Packers’ 14-yard line. Three plays later, Justin Jefferson’s incredible individual effort put him in the end zone for the second time of the day. The star wideout finished with eight receptions for 92 yards and two scores.
Murray, making his first start since joining the Vikings this season, was knocked out in the first quarter after taking a hard hit to the head. Murray was quickly exonerated and is in Connor’s protocol.
Athletics Matt Schneiderman and Alec Lewis share their starting routes.
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What does the disappearance of Kyler Murray mean?
It’s still unclear whether Murray will miss any time, which is exactly why the Vikings signed Carson Wentz. Murray has played more than 11 regular season games just once in the past four seasons. Wentz provides the knowledge of the system. Coach Kevin O’Connell believes he will target Jefferson, which is perhaps his most important offensive priority.
And on Sunday, Wentz proved it all. He completed several touchdown drives, completing 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Jefferson caught two.
But Wentz is the backup for some reason. He has trouble scanning the field and often puts his body in trouble in the pocket. He’s been injury-prone throughout his career, which puts the Vikings in a tough spot, especially if Murray is sidelined for an extended period of time.
That adds responsibility to third-year quarterback JJ McCarthy, who the Vikings demoted from starter to 3rd string in 2025. Minnesota didn’t trust McCarthy to back him up. If he’s forced into that role, the Vikings need to make sure he’s ready. His The injury history also adds another dimension to Minnesota. The team could also look to supplement its roster with another free agent quarterback to cover additional depth issues. – Alec Lewis, Vikings beat writer
How did the Vikings’ defense create pressure?
He torched the Vikings defense in several explosive plays in Sunday’s game. Green Bay led 19-10 at halftime.
But Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ unit flipped the script in the second half. In the fourth quarter, Flores’ team forced two Packers turnovers (the aforementioned Love fumble and interception) and stopped them twice on downs. The pass rush engulfed Green Bay’s offensive line and overwhelmed Love.
The game-changer came when Packers coach Matt LaFleur took three points off the board early in the fourth quarter on fourth-and-1 at the Vikings’ 17. Minnesota’s defense put a stop to the layup, and from then on, the defense was scrambling and pressing in overtime. In the second half, Minnesota pressured Love 13 times and sacked him four times, putting the Packers out of contention. – Lewis
Why can’t the Packers close games against their NFC North rivals?
We’ve all seen this movie. The Packers have now blown double-digit, second-half leads of three meaningful games against NFC North opponents (Week 18 against the Vikings last season doesn’t count because the Cubs landed the already-secured No. 7 seed).
Green Bay has talked all season about finishing games better after falling behind several times last year, but the first game of this season suggests not much has changed. On one play, the Packers played conservatively and ran for a 1-yard throw on third-and-12 early in the third quarter to take a 19-10 lead. On the other hand, they decided to take Jordan Love off the board for a field goal (and an eight-point lead) by sneaking in on fourth-and-1. Those two games hint at a lack of determination from coach Matt LaFleur, which isn’t a very encouraging sign for this fan base given how last season turned out. – Matt Schneidman, Packers beat writer
Why did Green Bay finally break Minnesota’s push in the fourth quarter?
The drivers need to adjust their attack line. Perhaps Sunday’s performance was a byproduct of Flores’ chaos in the face of pressure packages, but Love was on his back for Green Bay’s offense to flourish. There were mistakes along the line, from being misplaced in pass protection to a preemptive penalty, and they forced Love to work out of his scheme, making him ineffective outside the pocket. Left guard Aaron Banks missed another game with an injury, a knee issue that has been seen to bother him all season. He needs to stay healthy, and they need to tighten things up around him, or it could be a long season that should be a lot of passing offense. – Schneiderman
