Vikings 39, Packers 22: 29 Unanswered After Murray Went Down

September 13, 2026 - Minneapolis - Kyler Murray's Minnesota debut lasted into the first quarter. Then his helmet came off, and the season's first NFC North game turned into a backup's problem.

Carson Wentz came in after Murray's concussion and threw three touchdown passes. Justin Jefferson caught eight balls for 92 yards and two scores. The Minnesota Vikings scored the last 29 points and beat the Green Bay Packers 39-22 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Jordan Love threw for 387 yards and two scores. Christian Watson caught six for 147 and both of those touchdowns. Green Bay still left down 17. The fourth quarter was a turnover, a stuffed fourth down, and a pile of defensive flags.

A 22-10 lead that felt finished

Murray was 3 of 5 for 18 yards and a pick before the hit. Lukas Van Ness and Javon Bullard crashed in with 6:16 left in the first. Bullard was flagged. Murray walked off. That was the good news. The diagnosis was a concussion.

Wentz was 12 of 19 for 133 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions. He did not light the building on fire. He stayed on schedule. T.J. Hockenson caught one of the scores. Jefferson caught the other two, matching his entire 2025 touchdown total in one afternoon, per AP.

Green Bay led 22-10 late in the third. Matt LaFleur took a Trey Smack field goal off the board after an offside, went for it on fourth-and-1, and Love got stuffed. Minnesota went the other way. Wentz hit Hockenson from 16 yards. 22-17, 2:08 left in the third.

Four flags, two takeaways, 29 straight

Love turned it over on downs. Aaron Jones, back in this building in purple, scored from 3 yards. Jefferson caught the two-point throw. 25-22 with 6:37 left. Green Bay had extended that drive with penalties: illegal contact on Javon Bullard that wiped a sack, a late hit on Wentz by rookie Chris McClellan that wiped an incompletion, defensive holding on Xavier McKinney that wiped an end-zone interception by Evan Williams. Jones scored on the next snap.

Love fumbled on a strip-sack. Jordan Mason punched in a 1-yard touchdown. 32-22. Minnesota scored on all four red-zone trips, per Jefferson after the game. Will Reichard was 4-for-4 on extra points and added a field goal. Green Bay's last 15 minutes: zeros.

Jones and Mason combined for 99 rushing yards and two scores. Love completed 21 of 42. Matthew Golden had 6 catches for 95. The 387 yards did not survive the flags and the giveaways. Keisean Nixon had a pick and a half-sack. It was not enough.

Jefferson, on the CBS broadcast: "Definitely thinking about Kyler, and definitely just prayers out to him." Then, later, to KSTP: "We had full confidence in Carson to go out there and manage the game like Kyler was still in there."

AthX Engine on a comeback Sunday

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 1 lines in. Watson's 147 yards and two scores land at 51.75, the top skill line in this game. Jefferson is 41.00. Love is 38.96. Minnesota's team line is 98.00, fourth on the Week 1 board. Green Bay's loss floors at 0.00 because points allowed ate the card.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for Murray's concussion and Wentz's three scores. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Jefferson, Love, Jones, and both clubs on the marketplace. Minnesota visits Chicago on Sept. 20. Green Bay visits the Jets the same day.

*Sources: AP recap (CBS), Reuters, KSTP. AthX Engine Week 1 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats. Information only; not financial advice.*