Live Updates: Packers at Vikings

The Green Bay Packers are facing some big challenges as they kick off the 2022 NFL season at the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Follow along for updates.

MINNEAPOLIS – The Green Bay Packers will kick off the 2022 NFL season with an NFC North showdown at the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Aaron Rodgers will face a major challenge without his starting offensive tackles, perhaps putting the pressure on a touted defense to win the game for Green Bay.

Follow along all day for updates.

Final Score: Vikings 23, Packers 7

Click here for our quick game recap, with game ball, questionable call and more.

Fourth Quarter

Vikings 23, Packers 7 (3:45 remaining)

The Packers dinked and dunked their way into scoring position but, in fourth-and-1, Aaron Rodgers’ pass to tight end Robert Tonyan didn’t have a prayer against double coverage by the Vikings. That probably sealed the deal.

Vikings 23, Packers 7 (6:48 remaining)

Greg Joseph kicked a 29-yard field goal to perhaps put this game out of reach. The big play came on third-and-7. With a stop, Green Bay would have had a fighting chance. Instead, Kirk Cousins found Justin Jefferson streaking through the secondary, and he made a 21-yard grab with a leaping catch against safety Darnell Savage.

Injury update: With rookie LB Quay Walker (shoulder) out of the lineup, Krys Barnes took over but wound up being carted off the field with an injury of his own. He was ruled out with an ankle injury.

Vikings 20, Packers 7 (11:52 remaining)

The Packers overcame one sack, with Aaron Rodgers hitting Romeo Doubs for 23 after getting sacked by Danielle Hunter, but not another. On third-and-6, Rodgers dodged Hunter’s late blitz but couldn’t avoid D.J. Wonnum. For the third time, the Packers almost had a punt blocked. Time is running short; the defense needs to make a big play.

Injury updates: LG Jon Runyan (concussion) is out. CB Keisean Nixon (shoulder) is questionable and LB Quay Walker (shoulder) is questionable.

Third Quarter

Vikings 20, Packers 7 (1:13 remaining)

A big run stuff by T.J. Slaton and a critical open-field stop by cornerback Keisean Nixon on third down forced a punt. It was a rare snap of dime defense by coordinator Joe Barry and Nixon might have suffered a shoulder injury on the tackle.

Vikings 20, Packers 7 (5:16 remaining)

Getting a helping hand from rookie receiver Christian Watson and rookie lineman Zach Tom, AJ Dillon pushed his way into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown. Aaron Jones got things going with a darting, shifting 29-yard run, Dillon and receiver Romeo Doubs had 11-yard runs and Doubs had a catch for 9 to set up the touchdown. Notably, Doubs had a pesky downfield block on Jones’ big run.

Vikings 20, Packers 0 (9:46 remaining)

The Packers have a pulse. Not much of one. But it’s a pulse. After an Aaron Rodgers fumble, the defense prevented the Vikings from gaining a first down. Greg Joseph tied the Vikings’ record with a 56-yard field goal.

Injury update: Packers left guard Jon Runyan is in the concussion protocol and rookie Zach Tom is in the lineup.

Vikings 17, Packers 0 (12:06 remaining)

It might be curtains for the Packers. Would a hard-charging 15-yard run by AJ Dillon get the Packers going? Nah. Aaron Rodgers rolled out to his left, found nobody open and got sacked by linebacker Jordan Hicks. Hicks jarred the ball free, the Vikings recovered and Rodgers was slow to get up after getting sandwiched between some Vikings defenders and left guard Jon Runyan.

Halftime

Vikings 17, Packers 0

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson has six catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings have an overwhelming 262-100 edge in yardage. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers’ NFC North dominance has taken a hit.

Second Quarter

Vikings 17, Packers 0 (35 seconds remaining)

How many elite cornerbacks does it take to cover Justin Jefferson? More than three, apparently. Just before halftime, Kirk Cousins threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jefferson. Jefferson caught the ball at the 19 and retreated to the 20 upon the catch; he must have been stunned that there wasn’t a Packers defender within a 150-mile radius of U.S. Bank Stadium. The Packers’ hyped defense has been destroyed by the Vikings’ hyped receiver. Fans are chanting “MVP!” And it's not for Aaron Rodgers, who faces an incredible challenge to rally the team.

Vikings 10, Packers 0 (2:58 remaining)

A huge series awaits after the Packers’ defense after the offense went three-and-out. Aaron Jones dropped a third-and-8 pass. It would have been a tough catch and he might not have gained the first down, anyway. The Packers have three drops; the Vikings have three incompletions.

Vikings 10, Packers 0 (3:54 remaining)

Greg Joseph kicked a 28-yard field goal to cap a drive that started from the 1. Three runs by Dalvin Cook gained 22 yards. Successful running plays set up deep shots on play-action. Sure enough, Kirk Cousins faked the handoff, stepped up in the pocket and found his star receiver, Justin Jefferson, running deep between safeties Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage for a gain of 63. On third-and-2, Cousins just missed Jefferson for a touchdown.

Jefferson has 111 receiving yards. The Packers have 98.

Vikings 7, Packers 0 (7:58 remaining)

On fourth-and-goal from the 1, AJ Dillon was stuffed. The Packers’ passing game, which went in reverse in the first quarter, got clicking to open the quarter. First, it was a crossing route to tight end Robert Tonyan, who was wide open for a catch-and-run gain of 23. Next, it was a simple swing pass to running back Aaron Jones, who was wide open for a catch-and-run gain of 22. Another pass into flat, this time to running back AJ Dillon, gained 12 to the 20. On third-and-goal from outside the 7, Dillon caught a pass into the flat, cut back inside and almost plowed his way into the end zone. That set up fourth-and-goal. Za’Darius Smith was in the middle of the goal-line stand as he sliced his way down the line. Right guard Jake Hanson didn’t get any movement, either.

Vikings 7, Packers 0 (14:11 remaining)

On third-and-2, defensive tackle Kenny Clark blasted through the middle of Minnesota’s front and crunched Kirk Cousins to force a punt. It was Clark’s second big rush of the day; he was on the scene on Rashan Gary’s first-quarter sack.

End First Quarter

Vikings 7, Packers 0

The Vikings have 74 passing yards. The Packers have minus-2.

First Quarter

Vikings 7, Packers 0 (5:27 remaining)

The offense had excellent field position but failed to take advantage. On third-and-8 from the outskirts of field-goal range, Za’Darius Smith bull-rushed right guard Jake Hanson and sacked Rodgers.

For the second consecutive time, the Vikings got a bit too close to blocking Pat O’Donnell’s punt. His coffin-corner try went only 33 yards to the 15.

Vikings 7, Packers 0 (5:27 remaining)

Green Bay’s defense forced a three-and-out. Rookie linebacker Quay Walker, who is starting his NFL debut (scroll down a bit for more on that topic), drilled receiver K.J. Osborn after a short completion and Rashan Gary collected his first sack of the season on third down. Strong defense and a 12-yard punt return by Amari Rodgers has the offense set up at the 46.

Vikings 7, Packers 0 (7:28 remaining)

The Packers almost had the quickest of quick-strike answers. On the first play, Aaron Rodgers fired a perfect deep ball to rookie Christian Watson for what should have been a 75-yard touchdown vs. former All-Pro Patrick Peterson. But Watson dropped the ball at the Vikings’ 30. The Packers got one first down but Rodgers and rookie Romeo Doubs weren’t on the same page on third-and-7.

“He’s big, he’s physical, he’s fast,” coach Matt LaFleur said this week of Watson. “I think he’s really worked hard in a short period of time at getting up to speed and maximizing his reps and his opportunities.”

Vikings 7, Packers 0 (9:17 remaining)

For one series, anyway, the Packers’ defense has filled to live up to all the hype. The Packers won the toss and deferred, and the Vikings sped right down the field for the opening touchdown. On fourth and about a foot, Kirk Cousins faked the handoff to Dalvin Cook and found star receiver Justin Jefferson all alone in the flat for a 5-yard touchdown.

Cousins was 7-of-8 for 73 yards on the drive, with three completions to 47 yards to Jefferson. The Packers are playing sides with their cornerbacks, with Eric Stokes the cornerback on the left side of the defense, rather than having Jaire Alexander follow Jefferson.

Big Day for Quay

The Packers haven’t had their first draft pick start in Week 1 of his rookie season since Nick Perry in 2012.

Quay Walker will break that decade-long drought.

“Quay, he’s still a rookie, but you guys have seen him and watched him here for the last three months. Special kid, special player,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said on Thursday.

Walker seemed caught off-guard about being called “special” by his defensive coordinator.

“I wouldn’t consider myself being good,” he said. “I haven’t played a game yet. The main thing with me is I want to be neutral at all times and don’t want to get ahead of myself. I’m still a rookie. It’s a long, long season. I’m just trying to get better each and every day and continue to work. To what you said, I just think that everything that I did in college has translated over to me being in the NFL. A lot of things that we do now are kind of similar, so it was pretty easy for me to pick up on the transition.”

It's helped Walker to be running alongside All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell all season.

“It means a lot just to have a guy like that who was All-Pro, who’s similar to my size,” Walker said. “It’s a whole lot that I do with watching him and seeing how he moves and things like that. It’s an honor to play alongside him.”

Jaire Alexander, who earned all-rookie honors in 2018, played 49 snaps in his debut but didn’t start until Week 3. Fellow cornerback Eric Stokes played merely eight snaps last season against New Orleans. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark played only nine snaps against Jacksonville in 2016. Like Alexander, they didn’t start until Week 3.

Walker will be ready for the sped-up start.

“He don’t need much talking, man. He’s ready to go,” Campbell said. “He comes from a championship program. He’s played in big games. It’s football. He’s been playing football his whole life. Ain’t nothing different. Just go out and be you. You’re here for a reason.”

Pregame Notes

- Without David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins, the Packers will roll with the same offensive line that started the three preseason games: left tackle Yosh Nijman, left guard Jon Runyan, center Josh Myers, right guard Jake Hanson and right tackle Royce Newman.

- From the vantage point of your TV screen, kicker Mason Crosby made a 54-yard field goal to the right and a 55-yarder to the left. He also hit the left upright from 51.

- Rookie long snapper Jack Coco’s training continues. Every time he snapped the ball on field goals, he got shoved by an assistant coach.

Big Swing in Betting

The Packers were 1.5-point favorites at the start of the day. With the starting offensive tackles and No. 1 receiver inactive, Green Bay is a 2-point underdog at SI Sportsbook. At FanDuel, 53 percent of the money is on Minnesota but 58 percent of the bets are on Green Bay.

Packers at Vikings: Prediction

Let’s make this short and simple. Where the Vikings are weak (their secondary), the Packers are not strong (their receivers). Where the Packers are weak (offensive tackle), the Vikings are powerful (Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter). How on earth are the Packers are going to make the critical plays?

Vikings 24, Packers 17.

Packers at Vikings: How to Watch

TV: The game will be aired nationally by Fox. With Joe Buck and Troy Aikman moving onto ESPN, the new A-team consists of Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen on the call with Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi serving as the field reporters.

Live stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial).

Radio: Packers Radio Network (Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren), ESPN Radio (Jay Alter and Kirk Morrison) and SiriusXM 133 or 386 and the SXM App.

History: Packers lead 64-56-2, including 1-1 in playoffs. Packers coach Matt LaFleur is 4-2 against the Vikings, with one of those losses last year at U.S. Bank Stadium. The teams are 30-30 in Minneapolis.

Packers-Vikings Inactives

Not only are the Packers without their best offensive linemen, David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins, but receiver Allen Lazard is inactive, too. Click here for the full story.

14 Keys to Packers Winning 14th NFL Championship

The Green Bay Packers haven’t won the Super Bowl since 2010. Here are the keys to making it happens and the minefields that must be avoided.

Reason No. 1. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers, the four-time MVP, is coming off arguably the best back-to-back seasons in NFL history with 85 touchdowns vs. nine interceptions. He might have lost some of his escape-ability, but he’s got a wicked arm, incredible accuracy and the IQ and experience to outwit every defensive coordinator on earth.

Moreover, Rodgers is at his best when he’s got something to prove. He’s got a lot to prove without Davante Adams. You think I can’t throw for 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns without a No. 1 receiver? Just watch.

Reason No. 2. Dominant Defense

This is a great defense. I’m convinced of it. So long as the Injury Gods shine on Joe Barry’s unit, it might be the most talented defense, No. 1 to No. 11, in the NFL. There isn’t a weak link on the defensive chain. The defensive line is deep and disruptive. The outside linebackers are proven menaces. The inside linebackers could become the NFL’s best. The cornerbacks are as good as it gets. The safeties are strong and experienced.

The one thing that struck me as the summer progressed was the swagger in this group. For years, the defense has taken a back seat to Rodgers. It’s understandable. The offense scored points by the bushel and the defense’s job was to get just enough stops. Not anymore. The defense is the driving force behind this team and it knows it. It was striking to see Rasul Douglas and Rashan Gary woofing at Rodgers.

“We embrace it. We love the hype,” defensive tackle Kenny Clark said. “This defense, we’re going to stick together throughout whatever. I think this is a really close group of defenders and we got a lot of talent. I’m excited to see how we all come together Week 1.”

Reason No. 3. AJ-Squared

Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are one of the top one-two backfield punches in the NFL. Here’s a prediction: They will combine for close to 3,000 total yards and score at least 25 total touchdowns, with Dillon topping 1,000 rushing yards and Jones catching 70 passes.

“Jonesy’s such a slasher and, when he gets the ball, he’s tough to take down,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “He’s got a great balance, low center of gravity. And 28 learned how to run behind his pads, and he can punish, especially in the wintertime, but he can also make you miss. He’s tough to bring down. He’s got tremendous quad size and strength. Both of those guys in space, I think, can be really productive for us. So, it’s finding ways to get those guys into that space.”

Reason No. 4. No-Fly Zone

Today’s NFL is all about the quarterbacks. Great quarterbacks win games; thus, it stands to reason that great cornerbacks win games, too.

The Packers have great cornerbacks. According to Sports Info Solutions, Jaire Alexander has allowed a sub-50 percent catch rate each of the last three seasons. Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes were sub-50 percent last year, too.

Healthy again, Alexander is ready to resume his place among the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Douglas, the very definition of journeyman cornerback to start his career, blossomed into a star last season. Based on his training camp, he wasn’t a one-year wonder. Stokes has the potential to be great.

“You got one of the top corners in the game in Rasul, who’s having a hard time getting minutes in base. That tells you how good they are on the back end,” Aaron Rodgers said. “Obviously, Ja has been a lockdown guy all camp and 21 [Stokes] keeps getting better and, if he learns how to catch the ball, he’s going to be a perennial Pro Bowler for us.”

Reason No. 5. Can’t Stop Gary

Rashan Gary had a breakout season last year when he finished second in the NFL in pressures. When he has 15 sacks and close to 100 pressures this year, the rest of the league will finally recognize it.

Reason No. 6. Turnovers

There’s something to be said about simply not losing games. Aaron Rodgers has the lowest interception percentage in NFL history, Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon rarely fumble, and the defense should force takeaways by the bushel with great coverage and a strong pass rush.

Under coach Matt LaFleur, the Packers in regular-season games are 30-0 when they win the turnover battle and 34-1 when they create at least one turnover.

Key No. 1: Getting Healthy, Staying Healthy

If left tackle David Bakhtiari and right tackle Elgton Jenkins can return to the field and stay on the field, coach Matt LaFleur will be able to open up the playbook. On the other hand, it’s going to be a long season if the Packers have to either go quick or max protect all season. That’s not winning football against top defenses, especially with a limited receiver corps.

Key No. 2: Doubs and Watson

Aaron Rodgers can probably win games with Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb as his primary receivers. But where there’s room for growth is with the rookies, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. They have the field-stretching ability the three veterans simply don’t have.

Are they ready?

“Shoot, I think they’re there,” cornerback Jaire Alexander said on Friday. “Right now, it’s not even up for debate. They have no choice but to be ready. I told Doubs, ‘You won’t face anybody better than us, then what you face in practice. So, go out there and kill it.’ I told 9 [Watson] the same thing. I told them every time they take a rep with the 1s, take advantage, and they have been doing so. They’re ready.”

Key No. 3: Run Defense

In 2019, the Packers lost in the NFC Championship Game by giving up 1.1 million rushing yards to the 49ers. In 2021, they finished 30th in the NFL with 4.70 yards allowed per carry.

Will the Packers be any better this year?

“That’s the one thing that is difficult to gauge this time of year just because you truly don’t know until you have to go get someone down to the ground,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said on Thursday.

Green Bay’s defensive recipe is simple. Get the opposition to third-and-long and force the quarterback to make a play against Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas before Rashan Gary and Preston Smith arrive on the scene. The fatal flaw is if they can’t stop the run and it’s third-and-2 instead of third-and-8.

The secret weapon is first-round linebacker Quay Walker. A pairing of Walker and All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell will allow Barry to play nickel defense (two inside linebackers, five defensive backs) instead of dime (one inside linebacker, six defensive backs). That could change everything. How many times did opponents spread the field on third-and-1 to get Barry (or his predecessor, Mike Pettine) into dime, only to run the ball for 5 easy yards? Campbell and Walker are every-down players, which should mean better run defense on first-and-10 and more third-and-longs.

Key No. 4: Crosby’s Kicks

Mason Crosby missed a league-high nine field goals last season. It wasn’t all his fault. There was the end-of-camp change at punter/holder, the midseason change at snapper and the season-long issues with protection.

With a new snapper (Jack Coco) and veteran punter/holder (Pat O’Donnell) to handle the operation and a new coordinator (Rich Bisaccia) to handle everything else, there will be no excuses for Crosby. With a work-in-progress offense, the Packers can’t afford to leave points on the field.

Potential Doom No. 1: Offensive Line Injuries

The Packers haven’t won a Super Bowl since 2010. That championship drought is a growing part of Aaron Rodgers’ career story. Would the story have a different chapter had David Bakhtiari not suffered a torn ACL at practice on Dec. 31, 2020? It’s hard to believe the Packers would have allowed five sacks in a five-point loss to Tampa Bay in the NFC Championship Game had Bakhtiari been at left tackle, Billy Turner at right tackle and Rick Wagner on the bench.

How about last season had Bakhtiari successfully returned from the ACL and Jenkins not gone down in Minnesota with his own ACL tear. It’s hard to believe the Packers would have lost to the 49ers with Bakhtiari at left tackle, Jenkins at left guard and Turner at right tackle instead of Turner at left tackle and Dennis Kelly at right tackle.

Injuries are inevitable. But Rodgers would love to go into the playoffs with the No. 1 offensive line in place.

Potential Doom No. 2: Nobody’s Open

Let’s say it’s the fourth quarter of a Bucs-Packers NFC Championship rematch. Which quarterback is going to make a play on a critical third-and-8? Tom Brady with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage and Julio Jones, or Aaron Rodgers with Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb and Robert Tonyan?

A great quarterback and a great scheme can turn lemons into lemonade. But, ultimately, great players win games. Do the Packers have enough great players? Perhaps, if Rodgers is right about Lazard being a legit No. 1 receiver and one or both of the rookies turn into primetime performers for the stretch run.

“That’s something a lot of people don’t understand about this league. You have to reinvent yourself every year — as an individual, and as a team,” tight end Marcedes Lewis wrote in The Players Tribune. “Losing a guy like Davante is tough. But when you have 12 back there at quarterback, you know you have a chance every week. And as a veteran leader, it’s exciting to have so much young talent, because every week it will be someone else’s turn to step up and make a play when we need it.”

Potential Doom No. 3: Red Zone

In 2020, the Packers scored touchdowns on 80.0 percent of their red-zone possessions. That was the best mark in the three decades the league has tracked red-zone stats. Last season, the Packers fell to 19th with a red-zone touchdown rate of 58.6 percent.

“I think a big part of, I don’t want to say lack of success, why we weren’t quite as good a year ago, really it was third down in the red zone,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “That hurt us. And so speaking to that, you have to be more efficient on first and second down, so it’s all intertwined.”

LaFleur’s right about that. Green Bay ranked 14th with a third-down conversion rate of 43.5 percent and 17th with 3.0 yards gain per third-down snap. Improving in the red zone won’t be any easier without Davante Adams. It might be easier with tight end Robert Tonyan, who scored 11 touchdowns in 2020.

On the other side of the ball, Green Bay ranked a woeful 28th in red-zone defense with a 66.0 percent touchdown rate. Green Bay’s defense was too talented for that level of atrocious play.

Potential Doom No. 4: Don’t Choke

Simply put, the Packers need to play better in big games. Aaron Rodgers and the special teams blew it in 2021. There was the end-of-half and end-of-game failures in 2020. The slow start and all-time horrendous run defense in 2019. The epic meltdown at Seattle in 2014.

From quarterback to head coach to everyone in between, the Packers need to play their best football in the biggest moments. Tom Brady’s got the clutch gene that this franchise has lacked for more than a decade. Maybe a ferocious defense and improved special teams will be what it takes to bring the Lombardi Trophy home.

“I think Priority No. 1 for everybody is winning the Super Bowl,” safety Adrian Amos said. “What I’ve learned over the years is one game at a time and make sure you get to that point. You have to be great to get that point. Then once you’re at that point, be great again. We’ve got to find a way to be great in those big games.”