Wk 01~GAME DAY! 🏈 EXCITED FOR THE BORDER BATTLE! ~ GB ~ 09/13/26

Game time: 3:25 CT~ CBS

GB @ Minnesota

Arizona @ LA Chargers

Announcers: Jim Nantz, J.J. Watt

Official: Shawn Hochuli

ugh, i am pretty sure I heard charles davis doing the goofers game yesterday. I am assuming that we get stuck listening to his dumb ass today too. He almost makes me wish for Joe Buck.

This looks cool, chock-full of Elite Football Minds. #NorthNuggs https://t.co/2wfRE91Enf

— Paul Allen (@PAOnTheMic) September 13, 2026

252 days, 36 weeks, 6,000+ hours.

It’s been too long since the Vikings have played meaningful football. We’re finally back.

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) September 13, 2026

We are finally back.

Vikings vs Packers.

Doesn’t get any better than this.

— Vikings Central (@VikesCentral) September 13, 2026

Packers at Vikings

MIN -1.5 (46.5 O/U)

What we're hearing on the Vikings: When receiver Justin Jefferson last had game action, he was pushing through a meaningless Week 18 game just to surpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark amid the NFL's fourth-worst play by QBR. As he returns Sunday to U.S. Bank Stadium, Jefferson is confident that new QB Kyler Murray will reignite the passing offense. "Everybody knows what he does running the ball," Jefferson said "But him being able to throw the ball into spots before the receiver even turns around ... it's really cool to see him anticipate some of those throws." -- Kevin Seifert

What we're hearing on the Packers: There's a bunch of firsts and unknowns for the Packers this week. It's the first game with Jonathan Gannon as DC and Cam Achord as the special teams coordinator. Perhaps even more unknown is kicker Trey Smack. The rookie made every kick in three preseason games, including three 50-plus-yard field goals, but he had some shaky training camp practices including days with multiple misses. "Whether it's Week 1, Week 18, whatever it may be, he's going to miss," Achord said. "And I think what's good about him is you saw on his college tape, his college film, he didn't let one miss lead into another and [did not] spiral downhill." -- Rob Demovsky

Stat to know: The Vikings have won four of the past five home games against the Packers dating to 2021 (lone loss was 33-10 in Week 17 of 2023). -- ESPN Research

Bold prediction: The Packers will post a positive pass rate over expected, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. This would be notable because coach Matt LaFleur tends to (overly) rely on the run game and recorded a minus-6% pass rate over expected last season (ranked 26th highest). But given how efficient Green Bay often is at passing the ball and that it will be without RB Josh Jacobs (commissioner exempt list), the Packers might throw more. -- Walder

Viewers rating (out of 10): 7.3. Here's a cheeky little divisional tilt in Week 1. The Vikings are one of the most watchable early-season teams, given the new pairing between Murray and coach Kevin O'Connell. The Packers might be a tougher view without Micah Parsons (knee) and with a changing offensive line ... but divisional opponents tend to bring out the best. -- Solak

#VIKINGS GAMEDAY IS UPON US! pic.twitter.com/6DnZsWmMr6

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) September 13, 2026

🤩 pic.twitter.com/kvI2UsKcWI

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) September 13, 2026

The road to Super Bowl 61 starts NOW pic.twitter.com/umx7yrOhHG

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) September 13, 2026

From Darrick Mitchell post on Facebook:

343 DAYS LATER… KYLER MURRAY IS READY TO UNLEASH IT IN PURPLE.

Vikings fans, forget the career win-loss record for a second. Look at the quarterback and the weapons Minnesota is putting around him.

Murray has been MONEY in season openers.

In six Week 1 starts:

Nearly 65% completions

1,345 passing yards

12 TDs to just 3 INTs

248 rushing yards at 6.5 yards per carry

93.1 passer rating

And Sunday means something different.

It will be Murray’s first real game in 343 DAYS, and even a guy known for supreme confidence admitted how much he’s been waiting for this moment:

“I can’t tell you how excited and ready I am to just be on the field again.”

Now look at what he has around him.

Justin Jefferson. Jordan Addison. Jauan Jennings. T.J. Hockenson. Aaron Jones. Jordan Mason.

That’s speed. Route running. YAC. Explosiveness. And weapons everywhere.

And perhaps the most dangerous part? Kyler’s legs.

If protection breaks down or nobody is open, this offense has a quarterback capable of turning a dead play into 20 yards before the defense even realizes what happened.

More from Darrick:

132 MEETINGS. ONE BORDER WAR. AND THIS ONE STARTS OUR SEASON.

VIKINGS FANS… IT’S FINALLY HERE!

The Minnesota Vikings are opening the season at HOME against the Green Bay Packers, rocking the Classic uniforms inside what should be an absolutely INSANE U.S. Bank Stadium.

Blake Cashman already said it: “The atmosphere, the energy is going to be electric.” And you already KNOW Vikings Nation is going to make sure he’s right.

Kevin O’Connell is 5-3 against Green Bay, and remember how his very first game as Vikings head coach went? 23-7. PACKERS SENT HOME.

And the party starts HOURS before kickoff! THE NFL TODAY will be broadcasting outside U.S. Bank Stadium near the Legacy Ship with James Brown, Bill Cowher, Russell Wilson and Kyle Long.

Then at 3:25 PM CT, talking stops.

Classic uniforms.

Home opener.

Packers across the field.

67,000+ Vikings fans ready to lose their minds.

There couldn’t be a better way to start the season.

Border battle gameday! SKOL! pic.twitter.com/gHZr8XEwv1

— Chuck Foreman (@ChuckForeman) September 13, 2026

Its a Vikings game day against the Packers! SKOL! pic.twitter.com/FZBvqEzucl

— Jake Reed (@JakeReed86) September 13, 2026

It's time for the border battle! Skol! pic.twitter.com/FhqIT8kjgb

— Carl Eller (@CarlEller81) September 13, 2026