How Wentz sparked the come-back win...
1. Carson Wentz ‘on-target’ when it counted most, says T.J. Hockenson
J.J. McCarthy threw “on-target” passes an NFL-worst 66.5% of the time in 2025, according to Pro Football Reference. Hence, his third-string status for the Vikings’ 39-22 season-opening victory over the Packers on Sunday.
Kyler Murray started Sunday with a woefully off-target interception and was, according to this observer, “on-target” on only 60% (three of five) of his passes before exiting because of a head injury.
Carson Wentz was “on-target” on only 11 of his 20 passes (55%), including a two-point conversion. Sounds bad, but tight end T.J. Hockenson said Wentz was good to great when it counted most.
Example: The on-target throw Hockenson caught from Wentz for the 16-yard touchdown that closed the Packers’ lead to 22-17 late in the third quarter.
“I’m not high on the list of options there,” Hockenson said. “It’s an alert. I go to open space in the middle, get above the linebacker and trust that Carson sees what I see. He saw me and put the ball on me in stride perfectly.”
Wentz also threw great on-target balls to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the back of the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion. Jefferson’s wide catch radius also snared an off-target throw for a 17-yard catch on third-and-8.
2. Jordan Mason, Aaron Jones make wide-zone runs count when Vikings need them
The Vikings ran their new-look wide-zone running plays five times in the first half.
The Packers knew they were coming and, “threw a lot of things at us to disrupt it,” said left tackle Christian Darrisaw. The result: five carries for seven yards.
The Vikings didn’t run wide-zone plays in the third quarter but popped two of them in the fourth quarter, running to the left side behind Darrisaw and fullback Max Bredeson on the go-ahead touchdown drive.
Running back Jordan Mason turned the first one into a 28-yard run to the Packers 11.
“That’s exactly how it’s supposed to work,” Mason said. “Get the big guys all moving fast up front. I dipped in and dipped out. The run game isn’t going to always be roses and sunshine. Stick with it.”
The 83-yard drive, aided by three defensive penalties that wiped out three third-down stops, including an interception, ended with running back Aaron Jones Sr. toppling into the end zone along with Darrisaw and Bredeson for a 3-yard touchdown just inside the pylon.
“Perfect wide-zone play,” Jones said. “Two big dudes out front who can run like they do? Man, I had three different lanes I could have scored on.”
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Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
3. Domonique Orange stops Jordan Love on fourth down: ‘That changed the game entirely’
Strange that one of the biggest plays in the game was edge rusher Dallas Turner lining up offsides when Packers rookie kicker Trey Smack made a 40-yard field goal on fourth-and-6 that would have given Green Bay a 25-17 lead with 13:11 left.
“Yeah,” Turner said, “that turned out better than I expected. We did some cleanup on that penalty.”
Packers coach Matt LaFleur took the points off the board and went for it on fourth-and-1.
“That was disrespectful, 1,000 percent,” said rookie nose tackle Domonique “Big Citrus” Orange.
Orange, a third-round pick out of Iowa State, said he knew it was going to be a quarterback sneak. He tackled Love for no gain and the Vikings took the lead the ensuing possession.
“You got a rookie, me, in front of you,” he said. “If I’m a quarterback, I’d try it, too. But they don’t know about Big Citrus yet. That changed the game entirely.”
Added Orange: “I knew I could slip the center’s block and make that tackle.”
4. Third-down defense kept Vikings comeback within reach
Even as the Packers were torching the Vikings defense with long gains, the game remained in reach because of what coordinator Brian Flores and his defense were doing on third down.
Flores blitzed on 72% of Love’s 46 total pass attempts, which contributed to the Packers going 3-for-12 (25%) on third down.
A year ago, the Packers ranked second in third-down offense (48.78%) while the Vikings ranked fourth in third-down defense (34.53%). In the one meeting in which the Packers played their starters, Green Bay converted seven of 14 third downs, one of only two teams to convert at least 50% on the Vikings last year.
It helped Sunday that Green Bay’s average third-down distance needed was 9 yards. Only three times did they face a third down shorter than 6 yards. Four times they faced third-and-12 or longer, including a third-and-17 combined sack for Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel.
Van Ginkel also stripped the ball, recovered it and took it 7 yards to the Green Bay 1.
Cashman said the communication between Flores and his players was impeccable on third down. He and Eric Wilson worked over the inside guards — one of whom was making his NFL debut (Donovan Jennings) and the other making his second NFL start and first at guard (Jacob Monk) — on the third-and-17 sack. Cashman rushed and Wilson dropped.
“I widened my rush to get past the guard and get a better angle on the running back, but it didn’t matter,” Cashman said. “Harry [Harrison Smith] came down late, which freaked out the running back, who let me loose because he was worried about Harrison.”
5. Brian Flores has much to clean up before Week 2 vs. Bears
Let’s not crown Flores and his defense just yet.
After all, the Packers did post 419 total yards with Love throwing for 387 on 21 completions.
And, oh yeah, next on the schedule are the Bears in Chicago. All they did Sunday was go to Carolina and put up 59 points and 552 yards, including 291 rushing, in a 22-point win.
In other words, it will be a busy week for corrections for Flores and his defense. They will be looking not so much at their third-down greatness as their breakdowns on first and particularly second down.
On first and second downs, they gave up passes of 81, 23, 43, 42, 30, 20 and 16 yards, and runs of 14 and 12 yards.
So, go celebrate the Vikings’ comeback and the Packers’ epic meltdown, but beware what Da Bears and coach Ben Johnson will be capable of if the Vikings defense plays them the way they played the Packers on first and second down.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Little bit of seasoning + being part of a rotation vs over-played?
Citrus might end-up being a hell of a pick.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Actually the play that started it all was Price's long kickoff return, Packers just went up 22-10 and it looked like we were going to get blown out and Price's return really picked us up and helped get them back in game.
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