Vikings 39, Packers 22: Wentz Leads a 29 Point Avalanche
Carson Wentz replaces an injured Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson scores twice, and Minnesota turns a 12 point deficit into a runaway finish.
2026 NFL Week 1 · Final: Green Bay Packers 22, Minnesota Vikings 39. Official team coverage · AP game report
Minnesota rewrote the game after halftime
Green Bay had the passing yardage, the early lead and several chances to make the afternoon much harder for Minnesota. The Vikings had the final 29 points. Carson Wentz replaced Kyler Murray after a first quarter concussion and threw three touchdowns as Minnesota turned a 22 to 10 deficit into a 39 to 22 victory.
The final score looks like a comfortable win. The game was anything but comfortable until Minnesota's late surge transformed it. Justin Jefferson caught two touchdowns, the defense created short fields, and Green Bay's penalties repeatedly reopened possessions that appeared finished. A familiar rivalry became an extraordinary demonstration of how quickly a game can change when mistakes cluster together.
Follow the teams: Green Bay Packers · Minnesota Vikings
The fourth down gamble opened the door
Green Bay accepted a penalty after a successful field goal to create a fourth and one opportunity, then failed to convert the quarterback sneak. Minnesota took over and drove for the touchdown that gave it the lead. Defensive penalties extended that possession, including calls that erased a sack, an incompletion and an end zone interception.
Aaron Jones Sr. scored, and Wentz found Jefferson for the two point conversion to make it 25 to 22 with 6:37 remaining. Green Bay then lost a fumble and threw an interception deep in its own territory. Minnesota turned a narrow lead into separation before the Packers could regain control.
Every scoring play
Quarter / clock | Scoring play | GB : MIN |
Q1 12:11 | Trey Smack 59 Yd Field Goal | 3 : 0 |
Q1 7:43 | Christian Watson 81 Yd pass from Jordan Love (Trey Smack PAT Failed) | 9 : 0 |
Q1 1:38 | Will Reichard 38 Yd Field Goal | 9 : 3 |
Q2 13:52 | Trey Smack 43 Yd Field Goal | 12 : 3 |
Q2 1:55 | Justin Jefferson 39 Yd pass from Carson Wentz (Will Reichard Kick) | 12 : 10 |
Q2 0:14 | Christian Watson 2 Yd pass from Jordan Love (Trey Smack Kick) | 19 : 10 |
Q3 5:09 | Trey Smack 26 Yd Field Goal | 22 : 10 |
Q3 2:08 | T.J. Hockenson 16 Yd pass from Carson Wentz (Will Reichard Kick) | 22 : 17 |
Q4 6:37 | Aaron Jones Sr. 3 Yd Rush (Carson Wentz Pass to Justin Jefferson for Two-Point Conversion) | 22 : 25 |
Q4 4:48 | Jordan Mason 1 Yd Rush (Will Reichard Kick) | 22 : 32 |
Q4 3:55 | Justin Jefferson 9 Yd pass from Carson Wentz (Will Reichard Kick) | 22 : 39 |
Compare the outcome with our earlier coverage: Packers vs. Vikings Prediction: NFC North Week 1 Test
How 239 yards beat 419 yards
Green Bay outgained Minnesota by 180 yards. Jordan Love threw for 387 yards, while the Vikings finished with 239 total offensive yards. The mismatch is the reason this game demands more than a glance at the yardage column. Green Bay converted only three of 12 third downs, and its late turnovers handed Minnesota valuable field position.
The Vikings converted eight of 15 third downs. Their touchdowns did not all require long, uninterrupted drives through the entire field. Penalties extended opportunities, and takeaways shortened the distance. Minnesota made those gifts count. Green Bay produced explosive plays without protecting the conditions needed to finish the game.
The complete team comparison
Statistic | GB | MIN |
First downs | 19 | 19 |
Offensive plays | 67 | 61 |
Total yards | 419 | 239 |
Yards per play | 6.3 | 3.9 |
Passing yards, net | 353 | 132 |
Rushing yards | 66 | 107 |
Rushing attempts | 21 | 34 |
Yards per rush | 3.1 | 3.1 |
Third downs, converted / attempts | 3 / 12 | 8 / 15 |
Fourth downs, converted / attempts | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 |
Red zone TDs / trips | 1 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
Turnovers committed | 2 | 1 |
Sacks allowed / yards lost | 4 / 34 | 3 / 19 |
Penalties / yards | 12 / 98 | 3 / 15 |
Possession | 27:02 | 32:58 |
More context: Vikings 39, Packers 22: Week 1 Prop Results
Jefferson and Watson supplied the receiving fireworks
Jefferson caught eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets. Wentz completed 12 of 19 attempts for 133 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. T.J. Hockenson added four catches for 36 yards and a touchdown. Those totals show a passing attack that finished opportunities exceptionally well after the quarterback change.
Christian Watson caught six passes for 147 yards and both Green Bay passing touchdowns, including an 81 yard score. Matthew Golden added six catches for 95 yards on 12 targets. The Packers had enough receiving production to win. Their 66 rushing yards and late breakdowns made the offense much less balanced and much less secure than the passing total suggests.
Quarterbacks and offensive leaders
Player | Week 1 production |
GB · Jordan Love | 21/42 passing, 387 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 88.1 passer rating |
GB · MarShawn Lloyd | 13 carries, 37 rushing yards, 0 TD; long 12 |
GB · Chris Brooks | 7 carries, 29 rushing yards, 0 TD; long 14 |
GB · Christian Watson | 6 catches, 147 receiving yards, 2 TD, 8 targets; long 81 |
GB · Matthew Golden | 6 catches, 95 receiving yards, 0 TD, 12 targets; long 42 |
GB · Tucker Kraft | 3 catches, 65 receiving yards, 0 TD, 6 targets; long 30 |
GB · Jonnu Smith | 2 catches, 50 receiving yards, 0 TD, 3 targets; long 43 |
MIN · Carson Wentz | 12/19 passing, 133 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 123.5 passer rating |
MIN · Kyler Murray | 3/5 passing, 18 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 27.5 passer rating |
MIN · Jordan Mason | 15 carries, 59 rushing yards, 1 TD; long 28 |
MIN · Aaron Jones Sr. | 12 carries, 40 rushing yards, 1 TD; long 8 |
MIN · Justin Jefferson | 8 catches, 92 receiving yards, 2 TD, 9 targets; long 39 |
MIN · T.J. Hockenson | 4 catches, 36 receiving yards, 1 TD, 5 targets; long 16 |
MIN · Josh Oliver | 2 catches, 22 receiving yards, 0 TD, 4 targets; long 13 |
MIN · DeeJay Dallas | 1 catches, 1 receiving yards, 0 TD, 1 targets; long 1 |
All scoring and statistical tables use the final ESPN box score and play by play
Passing yards in the team table are net of sack yardage. Quarterback passing yards are gross. Receiving targets and player roles describe this game; they are not season projections.
Fantasy production came with a quarterback checkpoint
Murray's concussion makes the current practice report and quarterback announcement essential before Minnesota's next game. Wentz's performance gives the Vikings a positive result to assess, but the game alone does not establish how long Murray will be unavailable. Jefferson's nine targets and Hockenson's five show where meaningful passing work went.
Jordan Mason carried 15 times for 59 yards and a touchdown, while Jones had 12 carries for 40 and a score. That split matters more than treating either touchdown as proof of exclusive backfield control. Golden's 12 targets and Watson's eight are notable for Green Bay. Their production should be separated from the team's failure to protect its lead.
Continue the fantasy discussion: Tucker Kraft Contract Extension: Packers Agree to $75 Million Deal
For the next waiver decision, see Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire: Best Players Available in 30 Percent or More of Leagues
Football Nation verdict
Minnesota earned credit for responding to a quarterback injury and punishing every late opening. Green Bay must confront a loss that 419 yards could not prevent. The lesson is concrete: explosive offense cannot compensate indefinitely for stalled drives, penalties and turnovers. The Vikings visit Chicago next, and the Packers visit the Jets. Minnesota carries momentum into another divisional test; Green Bay carries an urgent need to make its second half execution match its first half potential.
Explore every finished matchup in the Football Nation Game Recaps archive
Comments