2024-09-30 02:15:04
The Green Bay Packers return to Lambeau Field Sunday for their first NFC North clash of the season with the Minnesota Vikings. And the game will also mark the return of Jordan Love, who’s coming back from a knee injury after missing the last two games.
Vikings running back Aaron Jones is also back in Green Bay for the first time since he signed with the Vikings as a free agent and has helped Minnesota to a 3-0 start.
Reporter Tom Silverstein is hosting his in-game chat where he provides analysis and takes on your questions.
And I’ll be providing an in-game-blog featuring all the top plays, highlights and moments from this early-season showdown. Follow it below.
The Vikings recover the onside kick and run out the clock in victory formation. Minnesota hangs on for a 31-29 win thanks to four Packers turnovers and two missed Green Bay field goals.
Love throws five straight completions including a 42-yard strike to Reed that sets up Wicks’ 17-yard score on the nect play. It’s Wicks’ second touchdown of the game and Love’s fourth touchdown pass to go along with three interceptions with 56 seconds left. The Packers will need to recover the onside kick
On 3rd and 12 from the 44, a 13-yard reception by Jefferson denies the Packers the chance at a much needed three-and-out stop, Darnold continues to throw against the wounded Packers secondary on the next play, finding Addion for 18 yards. Jones picks up 9 yards on the next two plays setting up 3rd and 1. Jones is stopped short of the line to gain. On 4th and 1, the Vikings call a jet sweep to Nailor, but the Packers hold and get the ball back with 2:14 remaining
The Packers force a punt after just three plays and get the ball at their own 37 with 4:31 left, but on 2nd and 10, Kraft has the ball punched out by Murphy while gaining six yards on reception and the Vikings take over at the Packers 42.
Needing to score, Love immediately throws deep to Wicks for 34 yards, but on the next play from the Vikings 34, Love throws a poor jump ball up for grabs that is intended for Wicks in the end zone but easily picked off by Byron Murphy., giving the Vikings the ball at the 20.
This is the Vikings’ fifth possession of the half, they have punted twice and turned the ball over twice. A key blitz pickup by Aaron Jones helps Darnold complete a pass to Justin Jefferson for 17 yards. He hits his tight end Oliver for eight yards on the next play. On 2nd and 2, Jefferson picks up 28 yards after Darnold finds him in open space. Davonte Wyatt is injured on the play and limps off the field to the Packers sidelines. After Jones picks up 8 yards, Darnold slips and loses five yards setting up a 3rd and 7 from the 15. Darnolds throw to the end zone is incomplete but a 33-yard field goal makes it 31-22 Vikings with 6:50 to play. The Packers had scored 22 straight points after trailing 28-0.
The momentum has certainly turned. On 2nd and 8 from the Minnesota 32 Keisean Nixon comes off the edge and nails Darnold, forrcing a fumble. The ball is recovered by Cooper at the 20-yard line. Jacobs gets seven Yards on first down and then Love hits Tucker Kraft for a 13-yard touchdown. Kraft also gabs the two-point conversion and suddenly its 28-22 Vikings with 10:16 left
Three plays into the fourth quarter, on 2nd and 7 from the Packers 45, Love finds Melton for 29 yards in a soft spot in the zone. Three more completions totaling 18 yards get the ball to the 6 and on 3rd and 1 from the 9, Wicks catches his second touchdown of the year to make it 28-14 with 11:38 to play. Love was 8 of 10 on the drive.
The Packers quickly get the ball back again after stopping Ty Chandler on 3rd and 1 from the Vikings 41. Aaron Jones had carried the ball earlier in the series for six yards. Two completions by Love toaling 20 yards give the Packers the ball at the 31 to end the quarter.
With 6:28 left in the third quarter Love completes three passes for 39 yards that help get the ball to the Vikings 34, however a hold wipes out a 23-yard run by Emmanuel Wilson forcing a 1st and 18 from the Vikings 42. Two plays later on 3rd and 18, Kraft picks up 10 yards on a catch setting up a 4th and 8. Love has Wicks in the end zone but the ball goes off his shoulder pad while jumping for the ball with a pair of Vikings defenders and Minnesota takes over on downs with 3:02 to play in the quarter.
A 13-yard carry by Aaron Jones gives the former Packer more than 17 yards rushing, but the Vikings go backwards on the next two plays including DArnold getting sacked by Quay Walker for an 13-yard loss. On 3rd and 25 from the 42, Jones picks up 14 yards over the middle on a reception setting up a 4th and 11. The Vikings punt and the Packers start at the 20.
The Packers gain only four yards on three plays and are forced to punt from their own 6. Whelan gets off a 60-yard punt, but Powell slips a tackle and returns it to yards to the Minnesota 44.
The Vikings get the ball at their own 18 and have immediate success, moving the ball to the Packers’ 29-yard line, but avier McKinney undercuts a route by Jones near the goalline and intercepts Darnold. It appeared as if McKinney was out of bounds when he controlled the ball but the interception stood.
On 3rd and 4 from the Packers 36, an 11-yard pass to Wicks is ruled incomplete after replay and the Packers can’t take advantage of getting the ball first in the half.
ON 2nd and 10, a spin move by Jacobs sets up a short 3rd and 2 for Love from the 23, but Love is flushed out of the pocket again and a high throw to the far sideline off Love’s back foot .falls incomplete, However, on the punt Jalen Naylor decides to try to catch the punt inside the 10 and the ball goes off his hands. Bo Melton recovers and runs into the end zone but the ball cannot be advanced. Still, its 1st and goal for the Packers at the 3. Love throws to Doubs on at the goal-line but the ball is juggled and ruled incomplete. LeFleur wants the play reviewed and is called for unsportsmanlike conduct after arguing with the officials. On the next play, Love throws a beautiful touch pass to Reed for a 15-yard score, and the Packers are on the board 15 seconds before the half ends.
With two minutes left on 2nd and 7, a short pass picks up six yards, but an incomplete pass on 3rd and 1 force the Vikings second punt with 1:17 left.
With 5:28 left in the quarter, The Packers attempt to get something going before the end of the half. On 3rd and 10, Love finds Tucker Kraft for 21 yards and a first down. After a false start penalty on 3rd and 1 makes it 3rd and 6, the Vikings are flagged for illegal use of hands and a first down at the Minnesota 34. Love appears to complete his next pass to Doubs for 17 yards, but the call is reversed after Minnesota’s challenge. On the next play, Love’s pass to Wicks is ruled incomplete despite a Packers challenge setting up a 3rd and 10. Under heavy pressure, Love throws deep at the sidelines to Wicks but the ball falls incomplete. On 4th down, Love throws for the end zone for Bo Melton, but the ball is knocked away by Byron Murphy. The Vikings take over at their own 34. Love is 9-19 with two interceptions.
To say Jordan Love is off to a sluggish start after a two-week layoff would be an understatement. After a seven-yard completion to Doubs on 2nd down, Love’s next pass is tipped and intercepted by Shaq Griffin and returned to the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Darnold throws his third TD pass of the day to Justin Jefferson and the Vikings are up 28-0, scoring on both Love interceptions. Darnold, taking advantage of a thin Packers secondary, is 10-13 for 130 yards
The Packers finally force a three-and out and will get the ball back at their own 7-yard line. Its only the Vikings’ fifth three-and out of the season.
The Packers come out throwing and Love hits Doubs for 20 yards. Three plays later on 3rd and 3, Love throws incomplete to Jayden Reed. On 3rd and 3, from the Vikings 43, the Vikings are flagged for pass interference on a deep incompletion to Jayden Reed. setting up a first down at the Vikings 23. However the Packers go backwards as Love is sacked for a 8-yard loss on second down. Narveson misses a 49-yard field goal and a few boos are heard from the crowd as the Packers have yet to score with 8:04 left in the second quarter.
The Vikings take advantage of a shorter field starting at the Packers’ 46 and score again. A jet sweep to Addison for eight yards gives the Viking a 21-0 lead. Darnold has 115 yards passing and the Vikings have 168 yards of total offense on three drives.
Christian Watson is carted off the field after injuring his ankle on a pass intended for him that was intercepted.
Two more short throws by Love total just three yards and on 3rd and 7, Love throws an interception to Vikings linebacker. Kamu Grugier-Hill. Receiver Christian Watson is twisted and his leg is injured on the play and the Vikings start from the Packers 46.
Aaron Jones carries the ball for 17 yards on the first play of the Vikings’ second drive and a 15 yard facemask penalty adds 15 yards to the gain. Devonte Wyatt is then flagged for offsides on second down setting up a second and 4 for Minnesota. Jones picks up three yards and on 3rd and 1, Darnold scrambles 9 yards for a first down. After a delay of game, three short pass completions total 14 yards and set up another 3rd and 1 at the Green Bay 14. Consecutive Defensive holding calls on the Packers give the vikings a 1st and goal at the 3-yard line. Jones is stopped short on first down but Darnold hits tight end Josh Oliver in the end zone on the next play and the Vikings take a 14-0 lead. with 1:37 left in the quarter.
On his first drive after returning from injury, Jordan Love completes three passes but the drive stalls at the Vikings 19 due to penalty and an incompletion. Brayden Narveson hist the upright on a 37-yard field goal and the Vikings still lead 7-0.
A 29-yard touchdown pass from Sam Darnold to Jordan Addison gives the Viking an early 7-0 lead.
Jordan Love is active today against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback will officially miss only two games because of the knee injury that knocked him out late in the team’s opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s a best-case scenario for the Packers, who initially believed Love could miss at least a month because of the torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee. The Packers won their past two games without Love, but their franchise quarterback returns in time to face the NFC North’s last unbeaten team at home.
It’s far from the ideal scenario for the Packers defense. Cornerbacks Jaire Alexander (quad/groin) and Carrington Valentine (ankle) are inactive against the Vikings.
This was the Packers’ injury report as of Friday.
Did not participate: G/T Jordan Morgan (shoulder).
Limited participation: CB Jaire Alexander (quad), DT Kenny Clark (toe), QB Jordan Love (knee), TE Luke Musgrave (quad), WR Jayden Reed (calf/quad), RT CB Carrington Valentine (ankle), DT Devonte Wyatt (shoulder).
Full: LG Elgton Jenkins (rest), TE Tucker Kraft (shoulder), C Josh Myers (shoulder), Zach Tom (quad).
Did not participate: DL Jonathan Bullard (knee), LT Christian Darrisaw (illness), LB Ivan Pace (ankle), S Jay Ward (knee).
Limited: WR Jordan Addison (ankle), C Garrett Bradbury (ankle), LB Kamu Grugier-Hill (knee), TE Josh Oliver (wrist).
Full: QB Sam Darnold (knee), OLB Dallas Turner (knee).
The Packers are slight favorites against the Vikings.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday night
Here’s more behind their picks for the Week 4 game.
The Packers split the series with Minnesota last year but won the second meeting, 33-10, on New Year’s Eve at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Packers clinched a playoff spot the next week.
Here are stats for both teams after Week 3:
Packers
Vikings
Jordan Love’s return at quarterback means Malik Willis is the backup after two impressive starts. Here’s the full depth chart.
Quarterback Sam Darnold has the Vikings off to a 3-0 start. Here’s the Vikings’ full depth chart.
Home games in bold
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