For most of Sunday afternoon, it looked like everything was going wrong for the Minnesota Vikings. Kyler Murray threw an interception almost immediately, Green Bay jumped out to an early lead, and Murray then took a hard hit while sliding that knocked him out of the game with a concussion. Suddenly, Carson Wentz was being asked to rescue Minnesota against one of its biggest division rivals.
The Packers eventually built a 22-10 advantage, and Minnesota looked to be in serious trouble. Then everything changed. Wentz steadied the offense, Justin Jefferson reminded everyone why he is one of the best receivers in football, and Brian Flores’ defense completely took over late. Minnesota scored the final 29 points of the game, including 22 in the fourth quarter, turning a 12-point deficit into a stunning 39-22 victory.
Green Bay Strikes Immediately
Minnesota’s afternoon could hardly have started worse. Murray’s first drive as the Vikings quarterback ended when he threw an interception on his second pass attempt. Minnesota’s defense limited the damage to a 59-yard Trey Smack field goal, but Green Bay was just getting started.
Jordan Love soon found Christian Watson for an explosive 81-yard touchdown. Just like that, Green Bay led 9-0. Minnesota answered with a Will Reichard field goal, but another Green Bay field goal extended the Packers’ advantage to 12-3.
Then the Vikings suffered an even bigger blow.
Kyler Murray Goes Down
Murray scrambled during Minnesota’s third possession and took a hard hit to the head while sliding. His helmet came off on the play, and after being evaluated, Murray was ruled out with a concussion.
Suddenly Minnesota’s Week 1 comeback attempt belonged to Wentz. The veteran backup entered a difficult situation against a division rival and eventually gave the Vikings exactly what they needed.
Wentz Finds Jefferson
Minnesota desperately needed something before halftime, and it came from its best player. With Green Bay jumping offsides, Wentz took advantage of the free play and launched the football deep to Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson hauled it in for a 39-yard touchdown, cutting Green Bay’s lead to 12-10.
Unfortunately for Minnesota, the Packers answered immediately. Love connected with Watson again, this time for a two-yard touchdown, giving Watson two scores in the first half and sending Green Bay into halftime ahead 19-10.
Green Bay Takes Control
The Packers extended their advantage in the third quarter with another field goal, making it 22-10. Minnesota was running out of time and needed something to change the momentum.
Myles Price provided exactly that with a huge 69-yard kickoff return. Wentz capitalized on the excellent field position by finding T.J. Hockenson for a 16-yard touchdown.
Suddenly it was 22-17.
Minnesota was alive.
One Decision Changes Everything
Early in the fourth quarter, Green Bay appeared to extend its lead with another field goal, but Minnesota had been flagged for offsides. Instead of keeping the points, Green Bay accepted the penalty and elected to go for it on fourth-and-one.
Love tried to sneak forward.
Minnesota stopped him.
The decision took points off the board and handed the football back to a Vikings team that suddenly had all the momentum.
That was the turning point.
Minnesota Finally Takes the Lead
The ensuing Vikings possession was chaotic. Green Bay repeatedly appeared to have Minnesota stopped, only for defensive penalties to keep the drive alive. Even an interception in the end zone was erased by defensive holding.
Eventually, Aaron Jones made his former team pay. Jones ran around the left side for a three-yard touchdown, giving Minnesota its first lead of the afternoon at 23-22.
The Vikings weren’t satisfied with one.
Wentz went straight to Jefferson on the two-point conversion, and Jefferson delivered again.
Minnesota led 25-22.
Brian Flores’ Defense Takes Over
Then Brian Flores’ defense went hunting.
Green Bay got the football back needing an answer, but Minnesota’s pass rush overwhelmed the Packers. Dallas Turner brought Love down for a sack. On the next play, Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman got home again. Love lost the football, and Minnesota recovered at the Green Bay one-yard line.
One play later, Jordan Mason punched it into the end zone.
Vikings 32, Packers 22.
A game Minnesota had trailed 22-10 had completely flipped, and the defense still wasn’t finished.
Another Turnover, Another Jefferson Touchdown
Green Bay desperately tried to respond. Love dropped back and had a pass deflected by Harrison Smith, allowing James Pierre to come away with the interception.
Another Minnesota takeaway.
Another short field.
And another opportunity for Jefferson.
Wentz found Jefferson for a nine-yard touchdown, giving the superstar receiver his second score of the afternoon and putting the game away at 39-22.
Minnesota had scored 29 consecutive points.
Game over.
Carson Wentz Deserves His Credit
Wentz entered this game unexpectedly after Murray’s injury and completely changed Minnesota’s afternoon. He finished 12-of-19 for 133 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
The raw yardage will not jump off the page, but the circumstances should. Minnesota was losing, its starting quarterback was out, and Green Bay eventually built a 12-point lead.
Wentz remained composed and threw touchdown passes to Jefferson twice and Hockenson once.
That’s exactly what you want from a veteran backup quarterback.
Justin Jefferson Was the Difference Maker
When Minnesota needed its superstar, Jefferson delivered. He finished with eight receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns while also catching the successful two-point conversion.
The 39-yard touchdown gave Minnesota life before halftime. The two-point conversion helped complete the comeback. The second touchdown finished Green Bay off.
That’s what the best players are supposed to do when the game matters most.
Christian Watson’s Huge Day Goes to Waste
Watson was sensational despite the loss. He finished with six receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by his explosive 81-yard score in the first quarter.
Love also piled up 387 passing yards and two touchdowns, but the box score does not tell the entire story. Green Bay committed 12 penalties for 98 yards, turned the football over twice and completely unraveled when Minnesota applied pressure late.
The Packers led 22-10.
They never scored again.
Minnesota Made a Statement
This was not a clean Vikings victory, and it might have been more impressive because of that. Minnesota lost its starting quarterback in the first quarter, trailed by double digits and spent much of the afternoon watching Green Bay move the football.
Then the Vikings responded.
Wentz stepped up, Jefferson took over, the running game delivered in the red zone, and Flores’ defense turned a close game into chaos with sacks and takeaways when Minnesota needed them most.
The Vikings didn’t simply come back. They scored 29 unanswered points and turned a 22-10 deficit into a 39-22 victory.
That is one hell of a way to start a season.
Final: Minnesota Vikings 39, Green Bay Packers 22.
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