It wasn't the debut the Minnesota Vikings had hope for from starting quarterback Kyler Murray, who left the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium, but the team did rally in the second half to beat Green Bay 39-22 behind newly named backup quarterback Carson Wentz.
Murray, who signed a one-year deal with the Vikings in March, suffered a concussion during a third-and-7 scramble in the first quarter. Prior to exiting the game, he had completed 3 of 5 passes for 18 yards, opening his Vikings career with an interception on his very first throw of the game.
""I have no update on how those evaluations have gone," head coach Kevin O'Connell said after the game. "We'll take it day by day and see how he comes in tomorrow."
Wentz, who was named the Vikings' backup just last week in place of J.J. McCarthy, took over and gave Minnesota exactly what it needed in order to rally in the second half. Trailing 19-10 at halftime, the Vikings outscored the Packers 29-3 in the second half. Wentz finished the day going 12 of 19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns.
Wentz finished the day going 12 of 19 for 133 yards with three touchdowns.
"Even with the struggle for two-and-a-half quarters, where we weren't registering success, he was still executing, running the show, and running the gamut of a lot of things," O'Connell said. "We may have been out of some things that we planned on doing, but not a lot. For him to handle it the way he did and just keep playing and leading—the dialogue got us to a place where we could give him some things to feel really comfortable. I kept telling him I wanted him to be aggressive and that I trusted him."
Down 22-17 entering the fourth quarter, Minnesota exploded for a 22-0 run to close out the game. The barrage began after Packers quarterback Jordan Love was stopped on a 4th-and-1 quarterback sneak. Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and Justin Jefferson all scored fourth-quarter touchdowns while the Minnesota defense stepped up with a pair of key turnovers.
"I told the team there are just some games that will stick with you for a long time," O'Connell added. "The way this team stayed together, even through unique or hard circumstances—to see your team ignite in the second half, across all three phases, doing whatever was required to snatch the momentum and put the game away... this one will stick with me for a long time."
The Vikings (1-0) now head to Soldier Field in Week 2 to face the Chicago Bears (1-0), who walloped the Carolina Panthers 59-17 on Sunday.
