The Minnesota Vikings had few answers for the Green Bay Packers offense and fell feebly, 43-34. Mike Zimmer and Co. sounded optimistic all preseason about their younger defense, but the Packers put the pedal down and never let up, scoring 43 points — the most ever allowed by a Zimmer defense in Minnesota. Many of the fears Vikings fans held about the team — an unfixed offensive line, an unseasoned secondary — came to fruition. This one got ugly in the second half, and the Vikings seemingly lacked the fight to correct course. Their offense was elite in garbage time to keep the score close-ish, but this had the feeling of a blowout.
HOW’D THE OFFENSE DO?
After a scintillating opening drive that executed Gary Kubiak‘s script perfectly, Minnesota’s offense went completely off kilter before coming alive when the game was out of reach. After a momentum-building fourth-down stop at the goal line, Kirk Cousins took a sack two plays into the Vikings’ next drive for a safety on a Jaire Alexander blitz. Those two points for the Packers seemed to flip the flow of the game. Green Bay scored on its next three drives, while the Vikings went three and out and turned the ball over on its next two.
Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison were effective with a combined 18 carries for 100 yards, but the passing game let the Vikings down. Cousins again felt the pressure from the Green Bay front that gave him nightmares a year ago. Though Cousins showed a surprising spryness to avoid pressure and rush for some first downs, he failed to sustain drives through the air with only three passing first downs through three quarters. Trailing 22-10 in the third quarter, Cousins aired it out to Tajae Sharpe on a pivotal 4th and 3, but Sharpe couldn’t get to a slightly overthrown ball.
Cousins had just seven completions until the Packers went up by 19 and allowed things to open up. The Vikings drove for three straight touchdowns down by three possessions to make their output respectable — Cousins finished with 259 yards and two touchdowns — but in the most pivotal moments of the game Minnesota failed to deliver.
HOW’D THE DEFENSE DO?
Yikes.
Aaron Rodgers carved up Minnesota’s inexperienced secondary, throwing for 364 yards on the day and connecting with Davante Adams 14 times for 156 yards. Cameron Dantzler was beaten for a long touchdown by Marquez Valdes-Scantling and generally struggled in his debut, where he was a surprise starter in the base defense. The third-round pick also missed a handful of tackles.
Did I mention that Adams was ridiculous?
The Vikings’ front four struggled to pressure the future Hall of Famer without Danielle Hunter, who wasn’t sacked and was hardly pressured inside the pocket. Rodgers seemed to have the whole field at his disposal without a shutdown corner on the field. Holton Hill and Mike Hughes were also on the wrong end of big plays, as was safety Anthony Harris. The Vikings appeared to hedge their safeties to help the raw corners, but Rodgers simply threw away from them.
Minnesota’s red zone defense was spectacular early as it held the Packers to two field goals and a turnover on downs, but they tired out as Green Bay repeatedly drove the field. Without a three and out on the day, the Packers won the time of possession battle 41:16 to 18:44.
It’s tough to imagine Hunter would’ve made a huge difference on Sunday.
WHO WAS THE X-FACTOR?
Alexander had a huge day for the Green Bay defense. His safety flip-flopped the game’s momentum, and his interception before halftime led to seven points on Rodgers’ bomb to Valdes-Scantling.
BIG PICTURE
It shouldn’t be a shock that the Vikings’ retooled defense struggled against a great quarterback like Rodgers. Still, the extent to which they couldn’t get off the field, create a pass rush, force a turnover, tackle ball carriers, etc., was alarming. After Minnesota’s first home-opening loss at U.S. Bank Stadium, they’ll have to go on the road at Indianapolis to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start.
