Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings: Week 1 Game Guide (2026)

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers 39-22 on September 13, turning a competitive Week 1 game into a 17-point Green Bay loss with a dominant fourth-quarter scoring margin. The Packers outscored Minnesota 9-3 in the first quarter and 10-7 in the second, producing a 19-10 halftime advantage. Minnesota trimmed that margin to 22-17 through three quarters, then scored all 22 points in the fourth while Green Bay went scoreless. Without play-by-play evidence, the exact sequence of that final-period swing cannot be established, but the quarter totals clearly identify where the result changed. Green Bay generated substantial production through Jordan Love, who completed 21 of 42 passes for 387 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His 9.2 yards per attempt reflects how much Green Bay gained when passes connected, but the 50 percent completion rate shows that the offense did not sustain that production consistently. Love also was sacked four times for 34 yards, fumbled twice and lost one. The combination of an interception, a lost fumble and four sacks diminished an otherwise productive passing total. Christian Watson supplied the biggest numbers in the Packers’ passing game, catching six of eight targets for 147 yards and both of Love’s touchdowns. His 24.5 yards per reception and 81-yard long reception were the clearest evidence of Green Bay’s explosive capability. Matthew Golden added six catches for 95 yards on 12 targets, while Tucker Kraft produced 65 yards on three receptions. Jonnu Smith contributed 50 yards on two catches, including a 43-yard reception. Those four targets accounted for 357 of Love’s 387 passing yards, underscoring both the offense’s big-play strength and its concentration among a small group of receivers. The rushing output offered much less support. MarShawn Lloyd carried 13 times for 37 yards, an average of 2.8 per attempt, while Chris Brooks gained 29 yards on seven carries. Together, the two backs recorded 66 yards on 20 attempts and neither scored. That contrast—387 passing yards against modest rushing production—does not by itself establish why particular possessions ended, but it does show that Green Bay’s offensive output depended heavily on the passing game. Minnesota’s pressure also mattered in the box score: Dallas Turner registered seven quarterback hits and one sack, while Andrew Van Ginkel had 1.5 sacks, two hits and a fumble recovery. Minnesota did not approach Green Bay’s passing-yardage total, but its quarterback production was much more efficient in the categories most closely tied to scoring. Carson Wentz completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, finishing with a 123.5 passer rating. Kyler Murray went 3 of 5 for 18 yards with one interception. Justin Jefferson was Minnesota’s leading receiver with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns, and T.J. Hockenson caught four passes for 36 yards and another score. The Vikings also received rushing touchdowns from Aaron Jones Sr., who gained 40 yards on 12 carries, and Jordan Mason, who ran 15 times for 59 yards. Green Bay’s defense did produce disruptive plays. Keisean Nixon intercepted a pass and returned it 11 yards, added half a sack, recorded two quarterback hits and defended a pass. Edgerrin Cooper led the listed Packers defenders with seven tackles, including six solo stops, and had a sack plus two tackles for loss. Lukas Van Ness added a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit. Green Bay recorded three sacks across Minnesota’s two quarterbacks, but Wentz still threw three touchdown passes. On the other side, James Pierre intercepted Love and returned the ball 28 yards, giving Minnesota a takeaway to pair with Van Ginkel’s fumble recovery. Special teams supplied meaningful production for Green Bay even in defeat. Rookie kicker Trey Smack made all three of his field-goal attempts, including a 59-yarder, and added one extra point for 10 total points. Bo Melton returned four kickoffs for 124 yards, averaging 31 per return with a long of 59. Minnesota had an even larger return total from Myles Price, who accumulated 179 yards on five kickoff returns, including a 68-yard long. Those return figures were significant, although the supplied record does not establish what scoring possessions followed them. For Packers fans, the useful reading is mixed but direct. Green Bay demonstrated an explosive passing ceiling through Love and Watson, received perfect field-goal kicking from Smack and generated three sacks plus an interception on defense. Yet the Packers completed only half their passes, lost two recorded turnovers, allowed four sacks, produced limited rushing output and were outscored 22-0 in the fourth quarter. The 39-22 final reflects a team that created plenty of yardage and several notable individual performances but did not convert that production into four quarters of competitive scoring.

• Christian Watson caught six passes for 147 yards and both Green Bay touchdowns, averaging 24.5 yards per reception with an 81-yard long.
• Jordan Love threw for 387 yards, but Green Bay’s quarterback also had one interception, one lost fumble and took four sacks for 34 yards.
• Trey Smack made all three field-goal attempts, including a 59-yarder, while Minnesota outscored Green Bay 22-0 in the fourth quarter.