It was a stunning season-opener for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers, but for very different reasons. It was Minnesota that came out on top in a 39-22 win, a shocking reversal after Green Bay led 22-10 in the third quarter.
While the Packers are doing a lot of self-examination after blowing a big lead, and mostly dominating statistically against the Vikings, in Eagan, Viking head coach Kevin O'Connell is again answering questions about an injured QB after new starter Kyler Murray lasted 11 plays into the season before a brutal hit knocked him out with a concussion.
O'Connell, speaking to reporters in Eagan Monday, announced what most expected, and that is Kyler Murray is in the NFL's concussion protocol.
"Just updating on Kyler, he came in feeling pretty good today," O'Connell said. "He is in the protocol, so we'll defer to the medical folks in that protocol for how the week goes. We'll just take it a day at a time. Other than that, I don't have a lot of updates on that."
As for the rest of Sunday's game, it was back to the bench and Carson Wentz who ended up being the number two ahead of J.J. McCarthy, despite the latter competing with Murray for the starting quarterback job in training camp.
The Vikings brought the 11th-year veteran back for emergencies like these, and that is also the reason he was first off the bench.
“That's why he's here,” coach Kevin O'Connell said. “For him to come in and do what he did and just be part of that calming presence that allowed our team to continue playing, I can't say enough about him.”
Murray was walking around and talking with teammates in the locker room afterward, but concussions are unpredictable and delicate injuries so the Vikings had no update on his status or timetable for his return. If Murray is forced to sit out Sunday's game, it'll be on Wentz to continue doing what he did well this week, manage the game, avoid big mistakes, and when given the opportunity, get Justin Jefferson the ball.
Wentz had two touchdown passes to Jefferson, matching the two-time All-Pro's 2025 season total, and the pair connected on a 2-point conversion when the Vikings took their first lead at 25-22 with 6:37 remaining. Green Bay extended the drive three times with crushing defensive penalties.
“Football is a funny game,” Wentz said, “but it's fun to be on this side of it.”
Murray took off on a third-and-7 play from the Vikings 33 and ran around the right end, leaning forward to avoid contact as Packers outside linebacker Lukas Van Ness got his hand on Murray's helmet at the end of his pursuit. Cornerback Javon Bullard arrived a split-second later and slammed his shoulder into the side of Murray's exposed head, drawing an unnecessary roughness penalty as the quarterback's helmet popped off.
Vikings right tackle Brian O'Neill and left guard Donovan Jackson immediately turned toward the sideline to motion for the medical team, with Murray lying on his side and his legs kicking back and forth. The eighth-year player, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, eventually walked off the field under his own power with athletic trainers by his side.
“It’s tough. It almost puts me in a bad head space in a way, because you never want to see anybody get hit, especially when somebody’s posturing on the field. That’s when it’s scary,” Vikings running back Aaron Jones said. “We know what we signed up for, but at the same time you never want to see it happen and you hope it’s never one of your teammates or you. So we’re praying for him. It takes something from you a little bit.”
More Notes:
- Jordan Love, who had been brilliant against a relentlessly blitzing defense, wilted along with the rest of the team by losing a fumble on a sack and throwing an interception deep in Packers territory. It's eerily similar to how Green Bay ended the last handful of games in 2025, including the season finale against Chicago and the playoff game also against Chicago. Incredibly, the Packers had a 99% of winning had a 99% of winning against the Bears (regular season), a 96% chance vs. the Bears (playoffs), and a 90% chance today vs. the Vikings late in those contests. Yet somehow, Green Bay lost all three. The Packers lost four times after leading in the second half by at least two possessions last year.
- Love finished 21 for 42 for 387 yards and two first-half touchdowns to Christian Watson, but the two late turnovers and a 3-for-12 conversion rate on third downs loomed large as the Packers picked right up where they left off with a five-game losing streak that ended last season. They were also just 2 of 4 in the Red Zone, scoring just 10 points in those trips which kept the Vikings close.
- Also in the "incredible category: the Green Bay Packers are on a six-game losing streak, which marks their longest skid since the 1990–1991 seasons.
- Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason each had rushing touchdowns and T.J. Hockenson caught one of the three scores thrown on a turnover-free afternoon by Wentz, who was appointed the backup to Murray ahead of the 2024 first-round draft pick McCarthy for his considerable edge in experience. Wentz helped the Vikings convert eight of 15 third downs and posted a 123.5 passer rating in another memorable comeback among many in five seasons under O'Connell. “This one will stick with me for a long time,” O'Connell said.
Up next
Vikings: at Chicago Bears on Sept. 20.
"We'll defer to the medical folks in that protocol for how the week goes. We'll just take it a day at a time."
"We'll defer to the medical folks in that protocol for how the week goes. We'll just take it a day at a time."
