The Green Bay Packers dug themselves into a hole they couldn’t get out of in Sunday’s 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Green Bay made some critical mistakes to fall into a 28-0 deficit in the first half against a Minnesota team that capitalized on two missed fields, penalties, turnovers, and drops on both sides of the ball to build an insurmountable lead.
The Vikings allowed the Packers to claw their way back into the game in the second half, coming within six points at one point, but more self-inflicted wounds stunted their improbable comeback.
Jordan Love returned to his regular post as starting quarterback after sitting out the team’s previous two contests with a knee injury. Love showed signs of rust early on, displaying some sporadic accuracy, but still stuffed the stat sheet to end with 389 passing yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately, the three picks he threw resulted in 14 points for Minnesota, costing Green Bay dearly.
In both losses this season, the Packers have been unable to get out of their way. Fortunately, their issues appear fixable, but they must take a step toward correcting them before next week’s game against a hungry Los Angeles Rams led by Sean McVay.
Ultimately, it was a valiant effort to make this game as close as it was against a good Vikings team that remains atop the NFC North. Here are four standouts from Week 4:
WR Jayden Reed
There’s been no question about who Green Bay’s best receiver has been through the first four games. Following another head-turning performance on Sunday, Reed has now finished two games this season with at least 135 receiving yards. Brian Flores’ defense had no answers for the dynamic slot receiver. He led all pass catchers with seven catches for 139 yards, topping his previous career-high (138 yards) set in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Reed was also responsible for the team’s first points, hauling in a 15-yard touchdown on a well-placed pass from Love. The 2023 second-round pick has done an outstanding job building on his rookie season and is beginning to make a name for himself as one of the league’s top up-and-coming receivers.
WR Bo Melton
It was a great hustle play by Melton that helped set up Reed’s touchdown. Trailing 28-0 in the second quarter, the Packers were forced to punt after being stopped at their 23-yard line. Daniel Whelan boomed his punt so far that it caused Jalen Nailor to muff the ball as he tried to backpedal under it. Serving as a gunner, Melton was the first one down the field to recover the ball on Minnesota’s three-yard line. After making some noise as a practice squad call-up during the last month of the 2023 season, Melton has yet to make much noise in 2024. However, he made the most of his opportunities on Sunday, catching his first pass of the year, a 28-yard gain down the right sideline. The huge chunk play was instrumental in Green Bay’s first touchdown-scoring drive of the second half.
S Xavier McKinney
It was another history-making day for McKinney, who is now up to four interceptions in four games. He is the first player in franchise history to have a pick in each of his first four games with the team. McKinney’s takeaway came at an opportune time in the red zone to keep Minnesota from adding to their lead. Sam Darnold was attempting to get the ball to running back Aaron Jones, but McKinney came over the top to make a leaping grab. There was some controversy as to whether he got both feet inbounds, but the officials ruled that he did. Green Bay paid a premium for McKinney’s services in free agency but got a true ball-hawking safety in return.
CB Keisean Nixon
The new kickoff procedure has yet to benefit the two-time All-Pro kick returner. However, Nixon did have an impactful play in Week 4 in his other role as Green Bay’s starting nickel corner. Two plays after a Dontayvion Wicks score made it a two-touchdown game, Nixon’s number was called for a corner blitz. The Vikings failed to recognize it, so Nixon got a clean blindside hit to Darnold, who fumbled. Rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper recovered the ball from Minnesota’s 20-yard line. The Packers scored two plays later and converted their two-point conversion attempt to cut it to a 28-22 deficit. With over ten minutes left on the clock, Green Bay could never fully complete the comeback, but Nixon’s strip-sack got them to within striking distance.