The Vikings’ first game of 2026 looked headed the wrong way fast, and then everything flipped. Minnesota shook off a miserable opening stretch and ripped off the final 29 points to beat the Packers 39-22 Sunday afternoon in Minnesota, a comeback that leaves the Vikings tied with the Bears and Lions for first in the NFC North.
The turning point came early in the fourth quarter, and it was the kind of sequence that can break a game open. T.J.
Hockenson’s touchdown at the end of the third quarter had already trimmed the gap to five, but Green Bay still had a chance to answer with points on the opening drive of the final period. The Packers appeared set to kick a field goal, then accepted a penalty and went for it on fourth-and-one instead.
Minnesota stuffed the quarterback sneak, took over on downs, and never let go.
That next Vikings drive got even messier for Green Bay. Three Packers penalties extended the possession, and eventually Aaron Jones finished it off with a short touchdown run. Justin Jefferson added the two-point conversion, and Minnesota was suddenly in front, 25-22.
From there, the Vikings turned the pressure all the way up on Jordan Love. The Packers quarterback had a clear split between what he could do with time and what happened once Minnesota got after him, and after spending much of the first half carving up the defense, he started to feel the heat. Once the Vikings grabbed the lead, their pass rush took over.
The next Green Bay series ended in disaster. Dallas Turner brought Love down for a sack that forced a fumble, and the Packers got back on it.
On the very next play, though, Andrew Van Ginkel and Brian Cashman combined on another sack, Love lost the ball again, and this time Van Ginkel recovered at the Green Bay one-yard line. Jordan Mason punched in the score, and with the extra point, Minnesota was up by 10.
Green Bay’s next drive barely got started. On the second play, Love threw a pass that was tipped at the line and then tipped again by Harrison Smith.
James Pierre dove in and came away with the interception. Three plays later, Jefferson added his second touchdown of the afternoon, reaching out in a dive that knocked the pylon as the Vikings pushed the lead to 39-22.
The Packers still had one more possession that lasted 11 plays, but it ended on downs. Minnesota then closed it out in victory formation.
That finish was a long way from how the day began for the home team. Minnesota lost a yard on the first play from scrimmage, then new quarterback Kyler Murray was intercepted on the second snap.
That turnover eventually led to three Packers points. Green Bay’s next drive ended with a touchdown, though a missed extra point left it at 9-0.
The Vikings’ third possession brought another blow. Murray was hit in the head while scrambling and had to leave the game.
Carson Wentz stepped in, but the offense still looked disjointed until Minnesota finally found something on its fifth possession, when Wentz hit Jefferson for a 39-yard touchdown. Even then, Green Bay answered with a touchdown just before halftime, sending the Packers into the break ahead 19-10.
By the end, the only real question was Murray’s status. The source of the injury wasn’t clear, but his brief outing didn’t inspire confidence, and it was enough to raise the possibility that Wentz could be the better option next week. Nobody wants a quarterback controversy after Week 1, but that’s the cloud hanging over Minnesota.
Still, the Vikings got the result they needed, and they did it by taking down a division rival after one of the ugliest starts they could have imagined.
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 🡒]