MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 13: Head Coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers calls a play during the second quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
Matt LaFleur, Packers collapse down stretch to lose to Vikings in season opener
Sep 13, 2026, 7:09 PM CT
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The Green Bay Packers suffered an embarrassing collapse on Sunday in Week 1 of the NFL season against the rival Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers were leading 22-10 late in the third quarter before giving up 29 unanswered points to lose to the Vikings, 39-22.
Questions surround head coach Matt LaFleur’s decision-making down the stretch. Minnesota was also bailed out by the referees on three consecutive third downs in what became the crucial drive of the game.
Quarterback Jordan Love made some big plays in the game, but turnovers down the stretch sealed the game.
Green Bay struggled to adjust to defensive pressure down the stretch. The Vikings defense, led by coordinator Brian Flores, finished first in the league in QB pressure last season. Flores is currently in ongoing litigation with the league, claiming racial discrimination in hiring practices.
After Trey Smack kicked a successful 40-yard field goal to move the score to 25-17, LaFleur opted to accept a 5-yard offside penalty and attempt a 4th & 1. Love attempted a sneak and was stopped short.
Minnesota lost QB Kyler Murray early in the game to a scary head injury. He was replaced by veteran Carson Wentz, who performed well against the Packers defense and their new coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Former Packers running back Aaron Jones scored the go-ahead touchdown for the Vikings on a drive riddled with penalties where the Vikings were continuously bailed out by the referees.
On the next drive, Love fumbled the ball after a sack. And the next drive, he threw an interception after the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage.
Love finished the game 21-for-42, with 387 yards passing, two touchdowns and one interception.
The Packers got good production out of receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. Especially Watson, who showed elite speed on a 81-yard TD pass from Love in the first quarter. Watson finished with 147 yards receiving on six catches with two touchdowns.
The NFL had multiple surprising results this opening weekend. But Sunday’s collapse in Minnesota was devastating for a team without two of their best players, Micah Parsons and Josh Jacobs, for likely several more weeks.
Next week, the Packers are at the New York Jets on Sunday, Sept. 20.
This story will be updated.
Drake Bentley is the general assignment reporter for the Milwaukee Courier, covering politics, sports and the community. He is an award-winning investigative journalist who has worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin State Journal, Newsweek, Heavy and The Sporting News. He is a northside Milwaukee native, former political staffer and graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the University of Nebraska.
