This is the live report of the Vikings’ Week 4 game against the Green Bay Packers (CBS, noon). Check back here often for live updates and analysis from Lambeau Field:
Live: Vikings lead Packers 28-7 in third quarter at Lambeau Field
With Packers quarterback Jordan Love back and their top cornerback Jaire Alexander out, the 3-0 Vikings are rolling in Green Bay.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 29, 2024 at 7:08PM
1:55 p.m.: Halftime analysis
The Vikings lead 28-7 at Lambeau Field, with the Packers set to receive the second-half kickoff. The blowout, for the moment, isn’t in historic territory, but the Vikings’ command of the game has been clear.
Sam Darnold is 11 of 15 for 136 yards and three touchdowns, throwing with little pressure from Packers defenders and carving up a Packers secondary depleted by injuries. Green Bay’s insistence on playing man coverage against Justin Jefferson, especially in the red zone, has been perplexing, but the Vikings have been happy to take advantage of it.
On defense, the Vikings have hit Jordan Love six times, intercepted him twice and had eight passes defensed. Love has shown he’ll take chances throwing into coverage, and the Vikings have been able to pressure him with timely blitzes. A late rush from Blake Cashman through an open lane set up Shaq Griffin’s pick before the Vikings’ fourth touchdown.
The Vikings have outgained the Packers 192-151, and held Green Bay to two third-down conversions on seven attempts. We’ll see if they can produce another lopsided victory in the second half. — BEN GOESSLING
1:40 p.m.: Muffed punt leads to Packers TD
The Packers got on the board just before halftime, after a madcap sequence that included a Jalen Nailor muffed punt and a penalty on Matt LaFleur.
Sam Darnold’s high throw over the middle on the Vikings’ previous drive caused Brandon Powell to be injured on a collision, and Jalen Nailor had to replace Powell as the punt returner. He was staring into the sun over the south end zone of Lambeau Field, and lost the ball through his hands and over his head. The Packers got the ball at the Minnesota 3.
On the next play, Jordan Love hit Romeo Doubs for a 2-yard gain, but Doubs was ruled down short of the goal line as he bobbled the throw before securing it outside of the end zone. Packers coach Matt LaFleur ran onto the field to argue with officials, and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Packers called a timeout to avoid a 10-second runoff after the penalty, but LaFleur appeared to be insisting he’d called timeout before stepping onto the field to argue with officials.
In any case, the Packers still finished the drive with a 15-yard pass from Love to Jayden Reed before halftime. — BEN GOESSLING
1:12 p.m.: Vikings up 28 on third Darnold TD
So far as I can tell, this is the Vikings’ biggest lead at Lambeau Field since 1973.
They are up 28-0 on the Packers, after a Shaq Griffin interception put the Vikings at the Packers’ 4. The Packers have continued to play single coverage against Justin Jefferson; he was fighting off a grab from Keisean Nixon when Sam Darnold, working again from a clean pocket, dropped one in to Jefferson, setting up the Griddy he’d promised to do in the Lambeau Field end zone.
The Vikings were up 31-0 against the Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 8, 1973, in a game where recent Ring of Honor inductee Bobby Bryant returned an interception for a touchdown. Their next-biggest lead was 27 points in Randy Moss’ showcase game on Monday night in 1998.
We’re getting into historic territory with this level of Vikings dominance at Lambeau Field. — BEN GOESSLING
12:50 p.m.: Addison’s second TD increases lead to 21
The Vikings made it a 21-0 game, with another dissection of the Packers’ defense.
Sam Darnold, who’s now 9 of 10 for 115 yards, took advantage of extraordinary protection from a Vikings offensive line that has also opened up enough space for the Vikings to gain 53 yards on 11 rushing attempts. The run that finished the drive was a jet sweep to Jordan Addison, who scored his second touchdown of the day by making Keisean Nixon whiff on a tackle and turning upfield for the score.
The Vikings’ work in the red zone has been much improved this season; they’ve had few issues finishing drives at Lambeau today. — BEN GOESSLING
12:45 p.m.: First-quarter analysis
The first 15 minutes of this game have been a beatdown.
Sam Darnold, with ample time to throw, has already hit eight different receivers. He’s 8 of 9 for 104 yards and two touchdowns early in the second quarter. The Vikings’ coverages have caused Jordan Love to second-guess things, and Kamu Grugier-Hill created another turnover when Love threw into triple coverage for Christian Watson, who was injured on the play. Even special teams has favored the Vikings so far; embattled Packers kicker Brayden Narveson missed his only field goal attempt off the upright from 37 yards out.
The Vikings took a 21-point lead at Lambeau Field last year; they’ve got a chance to do the same early in the second quarter. — BEN GOESSLING
12:30 p.m.: Darnold strikes again
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold now has 10 touchdown passes this season, after hitting Josh Oliver on a 2-yard pass near the end of the first quarter for a 14-0 lead. The Vikings benefited on two penalties on back-to-back plays called on Packers defensive backs working against Justin Jefferson. The first, a pass interference call on Eric Stokes, brought the Vikings to the Green Bay 3.
12:20 p.m.: Packers miss field goal
It was the Packers’ rookie kicker who ran into the first problem Sunday as Brayden Narveson missed a 37-yard attempt, doinking the right upright. The Packers were driving well until a false start penalty at the Vikings 14. As Vikings fans know, it is Minnesota rookie kickers who historically have struggled at Lambeau. Mark Craig talked to Vikings rookie kicker Will Reichard last week about the specter of Daniel Carlson.
12:08 p.m.: Addison scores in Vikings return
The Packers won the toss and deferred and the Vikings took the opening drive 73 yards in six plays, the first three going to Aaron Jones in his return to Lambeau Field. The big play was a 31-yard completion from Sam Darnold to Jalen Nailor on third and 14 from the Minnesota 40. On the next play, Darnold hit Jordan Addison for a 29-yard TD. Addison is playing his first game since sustaining an ankle injury in the season opener against the Giants three weeks ago.
11:30: a.m.: Vikings-Packers predictions
The Vikings will try to get to 4-0 with Sam Darnold as their starting quarterback after losing Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury at Lambeau last October. With a win, the Vikings would stay in sole possession of first place in the NFC North before heading to London next week. The Packers, who have won two games in a row without Jordan Love, have their quarterback back from a knee injury in time to face the frenetic Vikings defense.
10:49 a.m.: Packers QB Love to return; Alexander out
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The grills are lit, the drinks are flowing, and the purple jerseys are mixing with the green and gold outside of Lambeau Field. And Packers quarterback Jordan Love arrived to the stadium on Sunday morning wearing a Brett Favre jersey.
Among many possible interpretations, one is Love will tough it out and play through a knee injury that has sidelined him the past two games.
Love is officially active and expected to make his return from an MCL sprain he suffered Sept. 6 during the Packers’ season-opening loss against the Eagles. He remained limited in Packers practices this week. Green Bay’s defense won’t have top cornerback Jaire Alexander (quad/groin). He’s officially inactive.
Love’s Favre jersey is likely a show of support for the 54-year-old Packers Hall of Famer who told a congressional committee last week that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The Vikings are near full strength. Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. will miss his second straight game, but receiver Jordan Addison and edge rusher Dallas Turner are back. Addison will not have any limitations, head coach Kevin O’Connell said Friday, while returning from a Sept. 8 ankle sprain. Turner missed one game due to a Grade 1 right knee sprain suffered Sept. 15 vs. the 49ers.
Running back Aaron Jones, who spent his first seven seasons in Green Bay, spent time before kickoff chatting with former Packers teammates, coaches and executives, including team president Mark Murphy.
Edge rusher Bo Richter and tight end Robert Tonyan, the former Packers starter, are available to play after the Vikings elevated them from the practice squad on Saturday. The team has one elevation left before either player must be signed to the 53-man roster to play. Teams can elevate players up to three times per season.
Vikings’ inactives: Pace (ankle), WR Trishton Jackson, CB Fabian Moreau, DL Levi Drake Rodriguez, CB Dwight McGlothern, OT Walter Rouse
Packers’ inactives: Alexander (quad/groin), G/T Jordan Morgan (shoulder), DL Colby Wooden, DL Brenton Cox Jr., S Kitan Oladapo, CB Carrington Valentine, OT Travis Glover
— ANDREW KRAMMER
To get exclusive analysis on the Vikings by Ben Goessling in your inbox every Friday, sign up for the free Access Vikings newsletter here.
With Packers quarterback Jordan Love back and their top cornerback Jaire Alexander out, the 3-0 Vikings are rolling in Green Bay in an NFC North rivalry game.
