The Vikings got exactly the kind of win that can scramble a box score and still leave you with a clear read on what happened: a brutal opening stretch, then a complete flip once the dust settled. Minnesota gave up the first punch, then answered with 29 straight points and walked out of Sunday’s 39-22 win over the Packers at 1-0.
At quarterback, the day turned quickly. Kyler Murray’s first throw as a Viking was a desperate heave that ended in an interception, and his afternoon was cut short soon after when he took a hit to the head while scrambling.
That opened the door for Carson Wentz, who had barely worked with the starters all summer while the Murray-J.J. McCarthy competition played out.
Wentz stepped in and drove the comeback with three passing touchdowns, making the case that he’s the obvious starter if Murray ends up missing time in the concussion protocol.
Minnesota’s ground game still looks like a work in progress. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason didn’t do much to change that, with Mason’s 28-yard run standing out as the lone real burst and topping his longest carry from all of last season.
A couple of late touchdowns helped patch over what Kevin O’Connell called “not pretty.” One notable wrinkle: practice squad addition DeeJay Dallas, who had been with the team for just 10 days, got the RB3 job over rookie Demond Claiborne, thanks in part to his value in pass protection and on special teams.
The receiving room had one obvious star and not much else. Justin Jefferson did what Justin Jefferson does, finishing with 92 yards and two touchdowns.
Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, though, didn’t record a catch. Minnesota only threw the ball 24 times, and Wentz hasn’t had much live work with the starters, so there’s no reason to sound alarms yet.
Still, if defenses start bracketing Jefferson the way they eventually will, the Vikings need Addison and Jennings to create more space than they did Sunday.
Tight end was one of the cleaner spots on the offense. T.J.
Hockenson’s third-quarter touchdown was a welcome sight, and he and Oliver combined for six catches and 48 yards. Rookie Max Bredeson, listed here as an honorary member, also made his presence felt at fullback by helping seal Mason’s goal-line score.
Up front, the offensive line had a rougher afternoon than expected. The unit came in healthy and with plenty of hype, but it never really settled in against a Packers defense missing its best player.
Two early false starts set an ugly tone, and pass protection was shaky even without Micah Parsons across from them. The group allowed three sacks and produced only 3.1 yards per carry.
Blake Brandel was one of the few steady spots, with his snaps holding up all game after a rocky summer.
Defensively, the interior line held up well. Caleb Banks, the first-round pick, didn’t make much of a mark, but Levi Drake Rodriguez did record a sack, and Domonique Orange came through with a huge 4th-and-1 stop late. That front helped limit Green Bay to just 66 rushing yards.
The linebackers and edge rushers finished strong after a quiet start. Back-to-back sacks late led to a fumble recovery at the one-yard line, and Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel finally flashed the impact Minnesota wanted to see.
Their late surge came against a Packers offensive line dealing with injuries, and the two combined for 15 pressures. Ivan Pace Jr., who had been talked about as a trade possibility all offseason, also chipped in from the bench with three tackles, including one for loss.
The biggest concern on the other side of the ball was the secondary. Minnesota gave up four completions of more than 30 yards, and the coverage busts and open lanes were a problem all game.
Jordan Love tore through the Vikings for 387 yards and two touchdowns and was mostly in control despite a few late mistakes. Even with the win, Minnesota can’t feel great about letting things get that loose on the back end.
Harrison Smith is still working his way back, though, and that part of the defense should settle down in the coming weeks.
In Other News...
Kyler Murrays Vikings Debut Just Took A Frightening Turn
Kyler Murrays first appearance in a Vikings uniform took a harsh turn before it could really settle into a rhythm. The quarterback was struck helmet-to-helmet by Packers safety Javon Bullard, a hit that drew an unnecessary roughness penalty and quickly changed the feel of the game for Minnesota, especially with Murray then forced to leave and backup Carson Wentz stepping in.
For a team still trying to build any momentum around its new quarterback, the sight of Murray heading to the sideline was the biggest storyline of the day. Medical expert David J. Chao said the footage showed neurological signs consistent with a concussion, leaving the Vikings to sort through a debut that was supposed to answer questions and instead raised a much more unsettling one. [Read more 🡒]
Kyler Murrays First Vikings Snap Was Already Hard To Ignore
Kyler Murray arrived in Minnesota with plenty to prove, and he wasted no time making his presence felt in a quarterback battle that had been watched closely all summer. After signing a one-year deal following his release from Arizona, Murray went head-to-head with J.J. McCarthy in training camp and eventually earned the Week 1 nod from coach Kevin OConnell, a decision that signaled a fresh start for both player and team.
What makes Murrays fit more interesting is how openly he has embraced the Vikings as more than just his next stop. He has talked about strong personal ties to the franchise and the chance to reinvent his NFL career in Minnesota, which gives his first snaps an added layer of meaning beyond the usual camp competition. For a team looking to settle its quarterback picture, the early signs around Murray are already hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Backup Decision Just Changed Everything In Green Bay
Kevin OConnells backup quarterback choice suddenly mattered a whole lot more once Kyler Murray locked in the starting job, and for the Vikings it put Carson Wentz in the spotlight as the No. 2 behind him instead of J.J. McCarthy. The move looked like a depth-chart decision on paper, but it became the kind of call that shapes a game when Wentz was pressed into action early in the season opener against the Packers.
Wentz responded by helping turn a difficult start into a 39-22 comeback win in Green Bay, settling in quickly and finding Justin Jefferson for multiple scores. He finished 12 of 19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns, a performance that did more than steady the Vikings for one afternoon. It also gave Minnesota a backup situation that now looks a lot more consequential than it did when camp ended. [Read more 🡒]