The Green Bay Packers (2-2) couldn't get out of their own way in quarterback Jordan Love's return to action following his Week 1 MCL sprain, losing his return in Week 4 at Lambeau Field to the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) 31-29. According to CBS Sports Resarch, the 2024 Vikings are the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive games within a season, all without trailing, all against teams who won playoff games the previous season. The Vikings have knocked off the San Francisco 49ers (Week 2), the Houston Texans (Week 3) and the Packers (Week 4) in each of the last three weeks.
Two missed field goals by kicker Brayden Narveson from under 50 yards, plus Love producing a rollercoaster performance reminiscent of the highs and lows of Packers Hall of Famer Brett Favre, whose jersey he wore walking into the stadium on Sunday, contributed to their narrow defeat. Love threw for four touchdowns and three interceptions in addition to 389 yards on 32 of 54 passing. He opted to throw deep whenever the opportunity presented, which resulted in both big plays and turnovers in classic Favreian fashion.
Minnesota came away with the win on Sunday because Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and his defense played a much cleaner game. Darnold got away with an early throw into coverage that hit Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie in the hands that should have been intercepted. Two plays later, Darnold dropped a dime to Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison for a 29-yard touchdown. Darnold tossed his second on a 2-yard play-action pass to tight Josh Oliver to put the Vikings up 14-0, and then Addison found the end zone a second time on a 7-yard end-around touchdown to give Minnesota an early 21-0 lead.
The ripple effect of Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander (quadricep/groin) and backup corner Carrington Valentine (ankle) being out was felt early for Green Bay. Darnold racked up 275 yards and three touchdowns with one interception and a lost fumble via strip sack on 20 of 28 passing. Minnesota's 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught a team-high six passes for 85 yards and a touchdown, a 14-yarder, despite being double-teamed most of the game.
Love looked rusty and walked with a limp at times in his first half back after missing the last two weeks. His first interception was a double whammy on the second drive of the game: Love attempted to squeeze a throw into double coverage to wide receiver Christian Watson on a third down, and linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill picked off the pass. He also bent Watson's leg awkwardly as both hit the grass at Lambeau Field. Watson went down on the field, and he was later carted to the locker room on the sideline after walking off the field. He did not return with the ankle injury.
Love's second interception hit wide receiver Romeo Doubs in the hands, and popped in the air, which led to veteran corner Shaq Griffin intercepting the pass and running it down Packers' 4-yard line. Addison then ran in his 4-yard rushing score to go up 28-0. Love bounced back with a 15-yard touchdown pass on a wheel route to receiver Jayden Reed after a Minnesota muffed punt to trim the Vikings' lead to. Love's interception evoked memories of Favre: he faced a blitz on first down and 10 from the Vikings' 34 and opted to just chuck the football to the end zone. Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks was down there, but he appeared to be caught off guard by the pass. Love overthrew Wicks, and Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy hauled in the errant throw for the interception.
Murphy also forced Green Bay's fourth and final turnover by punching the football loose from tight end Tucker Kraft's arms on a catch-and-run. The Packers will look back on Sunday's game and wonder what might have been. The rematch between the two NFC North playoff hopefuls will go down in Minnesota in Week 17.
They didn't shoot themselves in the foot nearly as much as Green Bay. Darnold played a clean first half before being strip-sacked by Green Bay cornerback Keisean Nixon and throwing an interception to Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who leads the NFL with four this season. It's pretty simple, but Minnesota committing one fewer turnover (three versus Green Bay's four), and making their only field goal from 33 yards out made the difference in a two-point win.
Green Bay didn't make enough winning plays on Sunday. The Packers had a chance to stem all of Darnold's momentum from the first three weeks of the 2024 season when he hit linebacker Isaiah McDuffie in the hands for a potential interception on the first drive of the game. His drop then allowed Darnold to hit Addison for a 29-yard touchdown a couple plays later. Narveson making just one of either the 37-yard or 49-yard kicks that he missed would have allowed the Packers to win by one.
Love's poor decision-making on two of this three interceptions -- wide receiver Romeo Doubs' drop caused the second one -- didn't help Green Bay's cause either. His day overall is encouraging as he showcased decent mobility in terms of being able to throw on the move. Love scrambled one time for six rushing yards. However, head coach Matt LaFleur will have plenty of coaching points for his squad in all three phases when they turn on the tape on Monday.
Byron Murphy's consecutive forced turnovers -- he picked off Love, and forced a fumble by tight end Tucker Kraft on consecutive possessions. The Packers were driving, already down to the Vikings' 34 after Love's first pass of the drive was a 36-yard completion to Wicks after Minnesota went up 31-22. There was just over six-and-a-half minutes on the clock: plenty of time for a score, a stop and then one last possession to take the lead.
Green Bay's defense forced a three-and-out, giving the Packers offense the chance to overcome Love's mistake. However, Murphy noticed Kraft holding the football in his forearm away from his body and punched it loose to the ground. Minnesota recovered, and the Packers' comeback efforts were stalled.
Jefferson's 14-yard touchdown catch. He was as tightly guarded as today's rules allow by Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon, but he still hauled in the score with Nixon draped all over him anyways. The play was crucial as it put Minnesota up 28-0, a deficit Green Bay was unable to make up.
The 4-0 Vikings face a former Packers archnemesis in Aaron Rodgers and his 2-2 New York Jets in London. The 2-2 Packers hit the road to face former Lions archnemesis in Matthew Stafford and his 1-3 Los Angeles Rams out in California.
Vikings recover the onside kick, and they will win 31-29. Green Bay will rue their two missed field goals and four turnovers (three Love interceptions and a lost fumble by a tight end Tucker Kraft. Minnesota is 4-0, and the Green Bay is now 2-2.
The Dallas Cowboys are the only team to recover an onside kick this season. They did so in Week 3 against the Ravens.
Jordan Love throws his fourth touchdown pass of the day, his second to wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks. Packers now down just two, 31-29, with 56 seconds left to play. Since Green Bay is out of timeouts, the Packers will need to recover an onside kick to prevent the Vikings from icing the game.
Packers get the stop on fourth and one, so Green Bay will pray for a miracle down nine, 31-22, with 2:14 left and out of timeouts.
The Vikings are doing their best to try and get Aaron Jones in the end zone during his homecoming to Lambeau Field after consecutive runs for him near the goal line. Minnesota facing a fourth and one at the Packers' four with 2:21 left in a game the Vikings lead 31-22.
Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy forces a takeaway on consecutive possessions. Last drive, he intercepted Jordan Love in the end zone. On this drive, he punches the football out of tight end Tucker Kraft's arms for a forced fumble. Minnesota safety Cam Byunm recovered the fumble.
Green Bay defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt ruled out with a lower leg injury.
The Packers are clinging to life in this game after forcing a three-and-out. Green Bay taking over at their own 37 after the punt. They're trailing 31-22 with just over four-and-a-half minutes left to play.
Jordan Love overthrows Dontayvion Wicks on a Vikings blitz, and Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy comes down with the football for Love's third interception. Vikings have the at their own 20 and 6:19 left in the game up 31-22.
Vikings connect on a 33-yard field goal and now lead 31-22 by snapping the 22-0 run by the Packers. Green Bay will get the ball back down two scores, 31-22, with 6:50 remaining in the game. Packers looking to score their touchdown in a row on their upcoming drive.
Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt exits with an injury.
Two plays after the takeaway, Jordan Love hits Packers tight end Tucker Kraft for a 13-yard touchdown. He goes right back to Kraft for the two-point conversion. Green Bay trails 28-22 with 10:16 left to play. Had kicker Braden Narveson made both of his field goals in the first half, this would be a tie game.
On the first play after Darnold was hobbled, the Packers strip-sack him on a blitz by cornerback Keisean Nixon. Green Bay rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper recovers for the takeaway. Green Bay begins their next drive on the Vikings 20.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold now limping after being tackled awkwardly by Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary on a scramble. Something worth monitoring.
Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks redeemed himself. After a drop on a fourth-and-eight pass in the end zone that would have resulted in a 32-yard touchdown pass, he hangs on one drive later for a six-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Jordan Love. Green Bay has a pulse, down 28-14 to the Vikings, with 11:38 left in the game.
Vikings go three-and-out, and the Packers take over on their own 11 down 28-7 with 41 seconds in the third quarter.
Jordan Love hit Dontayvion Wicks in the chest on fourth and eight with what would have been a 32-yard touchdown pass. Instead, he drops the ball, and it's a turnover on downs. Vikings take over on their own 32 up 28-7 with 3:02 left in the third quarter.
Packers linebacker Quay Walker's 13-yard sack of Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold kills the Minnesota drive. The Vikings punt, and it bounces into the end zone for a touchback. Green Bay gets the ball on their own 20 down 21 points, 28-7, with 6:28 left in the third quarter.
The Packers can't do anything with the turnover, and they punt the ball back to the Vikings. Minnesota returns the ball 10 yards to their own 44 up 28-7 with 9:16 left to play in the third quarter.
Packers safety Xavier McKinney has his league-leading fourth interception this season after picking off Sam Darnold at the Green Bay two. Massive stop that allows Green Bay to stay in the game.
Injury update: Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has been ruled out with an ankle injury.
The Vikings successfully challenge another Packers play that was called a catch. Green Bay initially had an 11-yard completion to wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks on third and four, but the review wiped the gain away. Packers punt the ball, and Minnesota has the ball on their own 18 on their first drive of the third quarter up 28-7.
Packers get the football back with a touchback to begin the second half.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur loses his mind that the referees don't review a completion from Love to Romeo Doubs. He gets called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but it ends up not mattering. Love connects with Jayden Reed on a beautiful wheel route for a 15-yard touchdown to get on the board, 28-7. Green Bay will get the football after halftime. Minnesota up 28-7 at the half.
Jalen Nailor muffs his punt return on the fair catch, and Packers wide receiver Bo Melton recovers the muff three yards from the end zone. Since it was a fair catch, it cannot be returned for a touchdown.
Packers get a stop following their own turnover on downs. Minnesota will punt it away on fourth and one from their own 43 with 1:17 left to play.
Love's end zone shot to wide receiver Bo Melton falls incomplete, and Minnesota takes over at their own 34 just before the two-minute warning up 28-0.
The call on the field stands, Packers lose the challenge. Green Bay faces a third and 10 now from the Minnesota 34.
The Packers now challenge the ruling of incomplete pass from Love to wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks. Looks like Wicks' hands got under the ball.
The Vikings' challenge is successful after "not completing the process of the catch." Packers have second and 10 at the Vikings' 34.
