The Good, Bad And Ugly From The Packers’ Loss To The Vikings

Everything was lined up to make Sunday afternoon a memorable one for the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay had won two straight games and was feeling good about itself.

Franchise quarterback Jordan Love returned for the first time in more than three weeks.

And a wild, rowdy crowd packed Lambeau Field.

Then the Minnesota Vikings ruined the party.

The visiting Vikings dominated the first half, raced to a 28-0 lead and held on for a 31-29 win.

Minnesota improved to 4-0 and took control of the NFC North. Green Bay fell to 2-2.

THE GOOD

XAVIER MCKINNEY: The Packers safety became the first player in team history with an interception in his first four games.

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McKinney made a terrific read on a deep ball intended for running back Aaron Jones midway through the third quarter. McKinney juggled the ball momentarily, but managed to get both feet in just before going out of bounds.

Minnesota challenged the call, but the ruling on the field was upheld.

“I mean, if you put too much air on the ball or you stare somebody down, he's gonna go get it,” Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said of McKinney. “He's a dynamic player. He sees it so fast and he reacts so fast, like if you take your clicker and you're watching the film. Like the thing that I always like to do is I always like to watch that wide copy when you can actually see the quarterback's face, right, and when that quarterback hits his back step, is he going in that direction or is he still trying to hold you off?

“When you watch ‘X’ and you freeze it and you watch it in really slow motion, he's breaking before the hand is coming off the ball. Like that's how well he anticipates stuff, so I would be a little bit worried throwing in the middle of the field if you were there. And then he's got great hands and he can go up and track it and it's not just ability because he studies it, too, now. That guy watches a lot of tape. He's fun back there.”

BO KNOWS: Green Bay’s Daniel Whelan bombed a 59-yard punt late in the first half that Minnesota’s Jalen Nailor muffed. The ball rolled back near the Vikings’ goal line, where Packers gunner Bo Melton beat Nailor to the ball and recovered at the Minnesota 3-yard line.

Two plays later — following an unsportsmanlike penalty on head coach Matt LaFleur — Love found Jayden Reed for a 15-yard touchdown that pulled the Packers within 28-7 at halftime.

TUCKER KRAFT: Green Bay’s second-year tight end said last week he’d like to model his game after former New York Giants’ tight end Mark Bavaro.

Well, Bavaro — a two-time Pro Bowler in the 1980s — would have been proud watching Kraft on Sunday.

Kraft finished with six catches for 53 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Kraft then caught a two-point conversion to pull Green Bay within 28-22.

Kraft can catch, block and run after the catch. And he’s in the middle of becoming a force.

The only thing that ruined an otherwise terrific day was a late-game fumble.

“He was all-around,” Kraft said of Bavaro. “I just want, when I’m done playing someday, for people to tell me that for X amount of years I was in the NFL that I did it the right way. I played with max effort, physicality. I was there for my teammates. When my number got called, I answered. That’s what I want my legacy to be in the league.”

THIS AND THAT: Jayden Reed had seven receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown. ... Keisean Nixon sacked Sam Darnold early in the fourth quarter, forced a fumble and Edgerrin Cooper recovered. Two plays later, Tucker Kraft had a 13-yard touchdown reception. … Javon Bullard had terrific backside pursuit and dumped Aaron Jones for a 2-yard loss midway through the second quarter. … Quay Walker had a 13-yard sack of Sam Darnold in the third quarter.

THE BAD

JORDAN LOVE: The Packers’ franchise quarterback made his first appearance in 23 days and had mixed results.

Love set career highs for completions (32), passing yards (389) and touchdowns (four). But he also threw a career-high three interceptions, struggled with accuracy and was extremely rusty early when the game was decided.

Love’s passer rating was a mediocre 83.0. And most of his damage came in the second half when the Packers threw almost every down in a frenzied attempt to get back in the game.

When the game was largely decided in the first 30 minutes, Love and the offense failed to deliver.

CHALLENGES GO SOUTH: Two consecutive Packers passing plays were challenged late in the first half — and Green Bay lost both.

The first came after a 17-yard pass to Romeo Doubs was ruled complete. Minnesota challenged the ruling and the play was reversed.

The second came when a pass to Dontayvion Wicks was ruled incomplete. Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur challenged, believing Wicks had his hands underneath the ball, but lost.

In a first half where almost nothing went right, these were two more examples.

THIS AND THAT: Christian Watson left with an ankle injury in the first half and didn't return. … Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt left with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

THE UGLY

DEFENSELESS: Green Bay’s defense was dismal — to say the least — in the first half.

The Vikings scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives and quarterback Sam Darnold threw three touchdowns.

Those four drives accounted for 196 yards and an average of 8.0 yards per play.

The Packers didn't sack Darnold in the first half, couldn't stop the run and couldn't get off the field on third down.

The result was Minnesota led, 28-7, at halftime.

BRAYDEN NARVESON: The Packers rookie kicker could be in the unemployment line by this time tomorrow.

Narveson missed field goals of 37 and 49 yards and is now 9-of-13 this season, just 69.2%.

For comparison’s sake, Anders Carlson — the Packers’ kicker in 2023 — made 27-of-33 field goals (81.8%).

QUARTER FROM HELL: Minnesota dominated the first quarter and grabbed a 14-0 lead.

The Packers’ first two possessions ended with a missed 37-yard field goal by Brayden Narveson and a Jordan Love interception. Minnesota’s first two drives ended with Sam Darnold touchdown passes.

The Vikings had nine first downs to just three for Green Bay. The Vikings also outgained the Packers, 132-59.

Making matters worse, Green Bay had five penalties for 38 yards — including four defensive infractions.

NO DISCIPLINE: Green Bay entered the game 28^th in penalties with 9.7 per game. Things didn't get any better, as the Packers had eight more penalties for 68 yards.

The Packers had seven penalties in the first half alone — including four defensive penalties on one Minnesota drive.

Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur also got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty late in the first half when he wanted a timeout, the officials didn't see him and he went irate.

It’s tough for a football team to have any level of discipline when it’s leader can't control his own emotions.