GREEN BAY – The Packers fell behind big early, rallied late, but ultimately came up short in a 31-29 loss to the Vikings on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Here are five takeaways from the defeat that dropped Green Bay to 2-2:
- The hole the Packers dug themselves was massive.
The Vikings scored touchdowns on their first three drives, the Packers missed two field goals and threw two interceptions on their first four drives, and the second INT was turned into a quick touchdown for a 28-0 margin with 5½ minutes left in the first half.
If it could go wrong, it did.
"A lot went wrong in the first half, obviously, when they score on their first three possessions," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. "It was tough because I thought early on we had some opportunities."
Both sides of the ball did. Linebacker Isaiah McDuffie had a shot at an interception of Vikings QB Sam Darnold (123.4 passer rating) on the fourth snap of the game but couldn't corral it. Minnesota then went 60 yards on its next two plays for the score, converting on third-and-14 right after the missed pick.
Then four defensive penalties contributed to the Vikings' second TD drive.
Offensively, in Jordan Love's return from a two-week absence, he threw the two early interceptions into heavy traffic, and the two productive drives bogged down with a missed third-down connection and a sack, respectively.
"We did not make enough plays," Love said. "Did not play well enough, personally me.
"There's completions out there and I wasn't able to find them early on."
Rookie kicker Brayden Narveson's misses were from 37 (right upright) and 49 yards out (wide right), giving him five missed field goals, including the one nullified by a penalty last week, all inside 50 yards in the first four games.
"I know it's tough," LaFleur said. "We all want the results. He's a young guy, and a lot of times with young kickers, you go through this."
- Minnesota's turnovers helped Green Bay get back into the game.
The Vikings gave the ball away three times to fuel the Packers' rally.
Jalen Nailor's muffed punt deep in Minnesota territory set up a Jayden Reed TD catch just before halftime. Xavier McKinney's fourth interception in as many games – the first Packers player with INTs in each of his first four games with the club – near the pylon thwarted a Vikings scoring drive in the third quarter. And Keisean Nixon's strip-sack on a slot blitz in the fourth (with the fumble recovered by teammate Edgerrin Cooper at the Minnesota 20-yard line) set up tight end Tucker Kraft's 13-yard catch-and-run TD and subsequent two-point play to make it 28-22 with 10:16 left.
The Packers suddenly had plenty of time to pull off the comeback, but …
- … more Green Bay turnovers gave the game back.
Down 31-22 after the Vikings drove for a field goal with 6:50 to go, the Packers resumed giving the ball away and, in essence, the game.
Love tried to beat a Minnesota blitz with a deep shot to the end zone for Dontayvion Wicks that cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. easily intercepted. With the Packers hurrying up after a 36-yard completion to Wicks, Vikings safety Harrison Smith came unblocked from Love's throwing side and the QB took an unnecessary risk on first down.
"We never want to just throw the ball up like that," LaFleur said. "Obviously, we got fooled by the look. They brought an all-out pressure."
Then following a three-and-out from the defense, Kraft's aggression after the catch that helped him score the previous TD cost him this time, as he got the ball punched out near the sideline and the Vikings recovered for their fourth takeaway of the game.
After that, Love's late TD pass to Wicks, the second-year receiver's second of the game, with just under a minute left wasn't enough. The Packers were out of timeouts, couldn't recover the onside kick, and the Vikings kept their perfect record (4-0) intact.
"We fought the whole game and started making plays later, but just too little too late," Love said. "Didn't make enough early on and didn't take advantage early on."
- Love came out of the game fine health-wise, but other injury issues loom.
Love, who set career highs with 32 completions, 54 attempts, 389 yards and four touchdowns, while also tying his career high with three interceptions, said his injured knee felt fine after the game. He mentioned one painful hit he took on a scramble in the second quarter, but otherwise nothing of note.
The most significant injury from this game occurred before it started, late in the week, when Green Bay's defense lost cornerback Jaire Alexander to a groin injury. He hurt it during Thursday's practice and was unable to practice Friday or play.
His absence, coupled with fellow corner Carrington Valentine (ankle) being out, forced the defense to change its game plan against Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson. But LaFleur – who didn't believe the injury was too significant – wasn't going to pardon giving up touchdowns on Minnesota's first three drives.
"I'm not going to go down that road," LaFleur said. "It is what it is. No different than an in-game injury, you've got to make an adjustment as a staff, and to me, that's an excuse. I will never use that around here. We've got to adjust our game plan if need be."
Also, receiver Christian Watson (ankle) and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (ankle) left the game and did not return. Watson's injury occurred on Love's first interception, when his leg got caught underneath a defender, and he was carted to the locker room.
- Emotionally, LaFleur criticized himself and praised his players.
It ended up not costing the Packers because they scored late in the first half anyway, but LaFleur was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when the officials didn't grant him a timeout and he lost his cool. He was told he was "too demonstrative" in getting upset.
"I'm absolutely embarrassed that I got an unsportsmanlike," he said. "When you expect composure from your team and then you're doing that, that's a bad look. I think we all can be better, myself No. 1 at the forefront of that."
He credited his players for continuing to fight throughout all the ups and downs in a game that was equal parts strange and frustrating. Any momentum from the previous two weeks' wins with Malik Willis in place with Love was non-existent, while the second-half surge left everyone wondering what might've been.
"You'd like to obviously learn your lessons when you win, but I'm super proud of our guys' effort," LaFleur said. "That is one thing. These guys battled. It's interesting when you're down 28-0, how you're going to respond, and I think you saw the character of our locker room today in terms of how our guys competed.
"This is a humbling league at times, and credit to them, they did more than we did to win the game. And we've got to bounce back from it."
