The Green Bay Packers trailed 28-7 at halftime and were unable to complete the rally in the second half despite 22 fourth quarter points, losing 31-29 to the Minnesota Vikings in a key early season NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
The Packers’ two-game win streak is no more. In starting 2-2, the Packers have sandwiched two important wins against the AFC South with a pair of disappointing defeats against NFC contenders.
Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 4 loss to the Vikings:
Stars
WR Jayden Reed: His eight touches created 141 total yards and a touchdown. Reed got the Packers on the board with an impressive 15-yard score late in the first half, and he added three more explosive plays — a 24-yard catch, a 21-yard catch and a 42-yard catch. Five of his catches gained a first down or scored, and he also drew a pass interference penalty worth 20 yards. The Packers only gave him one rushing attempt, but his seven catches totaled 139 yards — a career-high. Reed is dynamic, tough and reliable.
Studs
RT Zach Tom: Another dominant performance. It’s been written in this space before, but Tom produces so many David Bakhtiari-like games now. He quietly wins his pass-blocking reps snap after snap, almost becoming a forgotten player during the course of a game. But he’s dominating, and it takes a PFF grade or a review of the tape to realize the quality of the performance. He allowed only two pressures on 58 pass-blocking snaps and was terrific getting people moved in the run game. His first four games have been All-Pro quality.
RG Sean Rhyan: In his second game as a full-time player at right guard, Rhyan looked more and more comfortable. He gave up only two pressures on 58 pass-blocking snaps, and his blocks in the run game helped spring a couple of big runs, including a 13-yarder on the first drive. Rhyan looks better moving laterally as a pass protector, and he’s been great as a pull blocker in the run game.
S Xavier McKinney: The former Giant picked off his fourth pass in as many games when he diagnosed a sail route to Aaron Jones and undercut Sam Darnold’s ill-advised throw in the red zone. It was a huge play and kept the Packers in it. McKinney also had a quarterback hurry on a blitz, didn’t miss a tackle attempt and wasn’t credited with giving up a completion in coverage.
P Daniel Whelan: His onside kick attempt wasn’t great, but Whelan did help the Packers get back into the game when his towering punt was misjudged and muffed, creating a turnover. Whelan also had a 46-yard punt put inside the 20-yard line, and a 60-yard punt from his own end zone. He averaged 60 yards per punt, with a long of 74. His hangtime average was over five seconds.
Duds
DE Rashan Gary: He rushed the passer 22 times and didn’t have a pressure. He also got fooled on Jordan Addison’s end around, which resulted in a touchdown. Gary did have three run stops, including a chase down of Sam Darnold and a pair of stops on Aaron Jones on a late fourth-quarter drive. But the Packers needed far more impact as a pass-rusher. His failures were reflective of the greater issues rushing the passer with four.
WR Romeo Doubs: He failed to secure a pair of contested catches, including one that would have been a 17-yard gain but was overturned on replay. While it wasn’t necessarily all his fault, Doubs did have an interception go off his hands in the first half. It was an unfortunate play, but Doubs’ release off the line messed with the spacing of the play, and then he failed to fix the mistake after Jordan Love’s pass went through Luke Musgrave’s hands. Just a tough rep. Late in the game, Doubs couldn’t hang onto another pass after getting hit.
K Brayden Narveson: Missing from 37 yards out is not acceptable for an NFL kicker. In fact, Narveson became the first and only NFL kicker to miss from under 40 yards on a field goal this season. He also missed from 49 yards out later in the first half, and Matt LaFleur eventually decided to go for it on 4th-and-10 from the 34-yard line with the score 28-0. One could argue Narveson’s kicking issues cost the Packers nine points.
CB Eric Stokes: He allowed five catches into his coverage, including a 31-yarder to Jalen Nailor and a 27-yarder to Justin Jefferson. He was also flagged for pass interference, extending a scoring drive.
CB Corey Ballentine: He got burned one-on-one on a double move from Jordan Addison, and his pursuit on Addison’s end around touchdown was questionable at best.
CB Keisean Nixon: His strip-sack was a pivotal play, but Nixon also gave up a touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson, missed a tackle and got flagged for holding in the end zone. Sam Darnold was 5-of-6 passing for 70 yards when targeting him in coverage.