The Chargers are looking to add another weapon for Justin Herbert.
According to Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi, the Chargers are one of the teams that has shown interest in trading for Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn.
Osborn hasn’t been that productive this season in New England, only with seven catches for 57 yards and a touchdown in six games. But he’s proven to be impactful in his professional career.
In four seasons with the Vikings, where he played before signing with the Patriots, Osborn caught 160 passes for a total of 1,865 yards and 16 touchdowns in those games
Currently sitting at 5-3 and well positioned to make the playoffs, Los Angeles finds itself as buyers ahead of the trade deadline. And it appears the team wants to bolster the wide receiver room.
Ladd McConkey has impressed in his rookie season. Quentin Johnston has shown signs of improvement in his sophomore campaign. D.J. Chark has yet to make his Charger debut due to a hip injury.
This is a position that could benefit from another playmaker for Justin Herbert, as the Bolts continue to find their stride in the passing game.
The New Orleans Saints nearly set a franchise record in Sunday’s 51-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It happened in the worst of ways:
The New Orleans Saints nearly set a franchise record in Sunday’s 51-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it wasn’t a good one, either. The Saints came up just shy of the most yards they’ve ever allowed in a single game, with a total of 594 yards gifted to quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Bucs.
That’s the second-most in franchise history. The previous record was 605 yards of total offense surrendered to Daunte Culpepper and the Minnesota Vikings back in 2004.
Mayfield was allowed to have an absolute day on the stat sheet outside of some picks thrown, completing 24 of his 36 passing attempts for 325 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.
The 51 points the Saints gave up to the Bucs was by far the most they’ve allowed an opponent to score all season long, with the second-most coming nowhere close as they allowed both the Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs 26 points each. Sunday’s amount is a mere one point away from doubling that.
The offense, however, showed more signs of life than it has in a while with backup quarterback Spencer Rattler at the helm. The 27 points they put up were the most the Saints have scored since they totaled 44 points in the win over the Dallas Cowboys back on Sept. 15.
Playing complementary football will undoubtedly be a large emphasis as the Saints look to snap a now-abysmal four-game losing streak.
The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 4 loss to the Vikings.
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.
Based on grades from PFF, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 4 loss to the Vikings.
Quarterback Jordan Love started slow, Jeff Hafley’s defense struggled early and the Green Bay Packers were unable to crawl out of a 28-0 hole despite going on a 22-0 run during Sunday’s 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Love’s struggles against pressure and the Packers’ inability to consistently pressure Sam Darnold were primary causes for the defeat. Matt LaFleur’s team also missed two field goals, dropped an interception and had four giveaways, including two turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 4 loss to the Vikings:
Tom allowed only two pressures over 58 pass-blocking snaps and earned an elite grade as a run blocker. Reed caught seven of eight targets, averaged 3.09 yards per route run, created 44 yards after the catch and caught both of his contested catch opportunities. Walker gave up four hurries over 58 pass-blocking snaps and didn’t have a penalty. Wilson forced a missed tackle and was solid over nine pass-blocking snaps. Love hit four passes thrown over 20 yards in the air but did have three turnover worthy plays.
McKinney had four tackles without a miss, a quarterback hurry and an interception, creating an elite coverage grade. Williams didn’t allow a completion into his coverage over 10 total snaps. Walker had a sack, three stops and a solid day in coverage. McDuffie didn’t have a missed tackle, produced a stop and nearly had an interception. Clark had two stops against the run and two hurries.
Bottom5 offense
1. TE Luke Musgrave: 49.3
2. LG Elgton Jenkins: 55.3
3. TE Tucker Kraft: 55.6
4. WR Romeo Doubs: 55.9
5. WR Malik Heath: 57.4
Musgrave struggled as both a run blocker and pass protector, and he turned 16 routes run into just 13 receiving yards. Jenkins Kraft got dinged hard for his fourth-quarter fumble and a penalty negating an explosive run. Doubs ran 51 routes but caught only four passes, and he was 1-for-3 on contested catches. Heath caught two passes for 12 yards but received poor grades as a blocker.
Slaton had three pressures, including a quarterback hit, but he earned the worst run-defense grade on the team. Enagbare had two hurries over 12 pass-rushing snaps and missed a tackle. Wyatt didn’t have a single pressure over 18 pass-rushing snaps. Cooper missed a tackle, gave a 12-yard catch and had a 15-yard face mask penalty. Wilson gave up a touchdown pass in coverage.
Special teams
Malik Heath, Isaiah McDuffie and Zayne Anderson all had special teams tackles. Bo Melton recovered a muffed punt but missed a tackle. Robert Rochell also missed a tackle. The Packers didn’t have a special teams penalty. Brayden Narveson missed two field goals, including a 37-yarder. Daniel Whelan averaged 55.0 yards per punt, put two inside the 20-yard line and had a net of 51.7 yards. His hangtime was over five seconds per punt.
Quarterback play
Jordan Love: 68.8
Love had one big-time throw and three turnover-worthy plays, and he was hurt by three drops and a 3-for-11 finish on contested catch opportunities. Love completed 4-of-10 passes thrown 20 yards down the field. He struggled under pressure, completing only 7-of-19 passes with a pair of interceptions. The Vikings blitzed him on over half of his dropbacks. When kept clean, Love completed 25 of 35 passes, averaged 8.3 yards per attempt and threw three touchdown passes.
Stat to know
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was under pressure on 11 of his 33 dropbacks. When he was kept clean, Darnold completed 16 passes for 200 yards and three touchdown passes. The pass-rush wasn’t good enough or consistent enough. Overall, Darnold had as many turnover-worthy plays as Jordan Love, but the Packers dropped a pick on the first series.
The good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers’ 31-29 loss to the Vikings in Week 4.
The Green Bay Packers dug a 28-0 hole, got back into the game with a 22-0 run but then ran out of gas late in a 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 divisional opener on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Matt LaFleur’s team in the first half. A strong second half wasn’t enough to overcome the stink of the first 30 minutes.
The Packers are now 2-2 and staring up at the unbeaten Vikings in the NFC North standings after four weeks.
Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers’ loss to the Vikings:
The Good
The potential of the passing game: Sure, Jordan Love threw three interceptions, and receivers failed over and over again to make a play on a misplaced throw. But even though the Packers passing game sputtered early and made too many mistakes overall, it’s impossible to miss the enormous potential bubbling under the surface. It’s one thing for a passing game to struggle due to covered receivers, or poor blocking, or misreads from the quarterback. It’s another when a rusty quarterback has erratic accuracy in his first game back from an injury and otherwise talented receiver are open but not finishing plays. Throwing the football consistently at the NFL level takes precision. The Packers don’t have it right now, but the foundation looks incredibly strong. As Love settles in and the timing and execution improves, the passing game could explode in production and efficiency. It’s all there. The Packers must get marginally better in a few areas and the sleeping giant will awaken.
WR Jayden Reed: Eight touches, seven receptions, 141 total yards, three explosive plays and a touchdown. Reed is a star. Through four games, Reed has 427 total yards, three touchdowns and 11 explosive plays — seven receptions of 20 or more yards and four rushes of 15 or more yards.
X goes 4/4: The streak continues for Xavier McKinney — four games, four interceptions. His pick in front of Aaron Jones prevented points in the second half and made team history — McKinney became the first player in franchise history to intercept a pass in his first four games with the team.
The Bad
The pass rush: In a game without Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine available, the Packers desperately needed the defensive front to take over the game. But after sacking Will Levis eight times last week, the Packers struggled to disrupt the pocket against Sam Darnold on Sunday. He played from too many clean pockets, especially on key passing downs. The Packers had only three quarterback hits, and two of the three came on sacks from Quay Walker and Keisean Nixon off blitzes. The four-man pass-rushing group from the Packers — led by Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark — wasn’t nearly good enough. Both Gary and Clark need to make more plays. It didn’t help to lose Devonte Wyatt to an ankle injury in the second half.
K Brayden Narveson: He missed from 37 yards off the up right, and his 49-yarder never had a chance. Not only did his two first-half misses cost the Packers six important points, but Matt LaFleur later went for it on 4th-and-10 inside field goal range. Let’s say Narveson made his first two kicks, and the Packers trailed 28-6 when the 4th-and-10 decision from the Vikings’ 34-yard line arrived. Does LaFleur kick? The lost points from the special teams really hurt in a two-point defeat. Narveson has missed four field goals in four games.
The Ugly
The first half: It would have been difficult to script a more nightmarish start for the Packers. Jordan Love threw a pair of interceptions resulting in touchdowns. Brayden Narveson missed two field goals. The Vikings scored on their first three possessions and four of their first five. Christian Watson suffered an injury. Penalties were a recurring issue. It took a crazy sequence — featuring a muffed punt, a 15-yard penalty on coach Matt LaFleur and a touchdown pass from Love to Jayden Reed — to salvage the first 30 minutes after the Packers fell behind 28-0. In the victorious visitors’ locker room, Kevin O’Connell said his team created an “avalanche” in the first half. Hard to argue with the description. The Packers looked buried under the weight of their own mistakes.
Vikings 31, Packers 29: Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward.
The Green Bay Packers sputtered through a nightmare first-half start and then didn’t make enough plays late to finish off the comeback attempt in a 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
A 28-0 deficit in the first half proved to be too deep a hole to dig out from. The Packers got 22 points in the fourth quarter but came up one or two plays short.
A brutal combination played out in the first half: Jordan Love needed time to settle in after returning from injury, and Jeff Hafley’s defense couldn’t find answers. Once Love settled in and Hafley adjusted, the Packers made it competitive. Regardless, the Packers are now 2-2 after four games.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward:
What went right
— A lot in the second half. The Packers actually outscored the Vikings 22-3 over the final 30 minutes. Jordan Love threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes, and Jeff Hafley’s defense got two takeaways and a fourth-down stop while forcing three punts. The Vikings gained fewer than 15 yards on five of their second-half possessions.
— Jayden Reed turned eight total touchdowns into 141 total yards and a touchdown. He had a 15-yard touchdown catch right before the half to give the Packers some hope, and he finished with three plays of 20 or more yards.
— Three more takeaways. Even the special teams chipped in when Daniel Whelan’s towering punt was misplayed and Bo Melton recovered the fumble inside the 5-yard line. Xavier McKinney recorded an interception in his fourth straight game to start his Packers career, and Keisean Nixon delivered a key play on a strip-sack. The Packers now have three takeaways in four straight games to start 2024 and 12 takeaways overall.
— The passing game produced explosive plays. Five different pass-catchers had a catch of 20 or more yards. Love threw the football 54 times and finished with 389 passing yards. If they can get marginally better — in terms of placement and finishing — this passing game could explode.
What went wrong
— Just about everything in the first half. The Packers had two giveaways resulting in 14 points, two missed field goals and a half-dozen penalties, while the Vikings scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions.
— The Packers turned the ball over four times. Love’s first two interceptions set up touchdowns, his third came with the Packers driving in the fourth quarter and the fourth and final turnover — a fumble from Tucker Kraft — allowed the Vikings to kill off precious time late in the fourth quarter. Green Bay got three takeaways but still lost the turnover battle 4-3.
— Rookie kicker Brayden Narveson missed a pair of first-half field goals, including a 37-yarder on the opening Packers possession. He cost the Packers six points early, and then Matt LaFleur elected to go for it on 4th-and-10 inside field goal range in the first half.
— The passing game was off for long stretches early and randomly late. Love admitted his ball placement was erratic, especially early, and receivers struggled to make catches on tough throws. The quarterback was struggling and the receivers weren’t making plays for the passer. Bad combo.
— Love was sacked only once, but the Vikings delivered 10 quarterback hits and consistent pressure. Falling behind early allowed Brian Flores to put his pass-rushers and blitzers in attack mode against a quarterback still recovering from a knee injury.
— Sam Darnold played from far too many clean pockets, especially on obvious passing downs. The Packers pass rush needed to protect the cornerbacks with Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine out with injury, and they didn’t step up to the challenge. Green Bay finished with two sacks and one other quarterback hit.
— The Packers were penalty prone again, especially early. On the first possession, an Elgton Jenkins false start helped stall the drive in the red zone. On the Vikings second drive, three penalties helped Minnesota find the end zone. Even Matt LaFleur got flagged for a 15-yarder before the half. The Packers finished with eight penalties overall.
— The Packers missed Jaire Alexander. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison combined for nine catches, 157 yards and two scores. Addison beat Corey Ballentine on a double move for a touchdown, and Jefferson made an unreal catch against Keisean Nixon’s coverage for another score. In the fourth quarter, Jefferson had a long catch-and-run to set up a field goal, and a toe-tapping third-down conversion. You’d have to think Alexander would have helped limit the damage.
— Aaron Jones was menacing. He turned 26 touches into 139 yards. The Packers prevented him from getting into the end zone, avoiding the visual of Jones doing a Lambeau Leap. But he was a difference-maker as a rusher and receiver, especially in the first half.
— Christian Watson and Devonte Wyatt both left with ankle injuries and didn’t return. Neither looked particularly good on replay. The Packers will hope both can return sooner rather than later.
What it means
On one hand, a loss to the current division leader means a lot, especially at home. The Vikings are 4-0 and now have a big road win against one of their top competitors for the division title. On the other hand, this is nothing more than a September loss and the season (and division race) is far from lost at 2-2 through four games. Jordan Love clearly needed at least a half to get comfortable in his return from a knee injury. Remember, he barely played in the preseason and then got one regular season game in before missing over two weeks with an injury. His first test? Brian Flores. You can imagine the game was moving fast early. The Packers stunk it up in the first half, left points and plays all over the field and still had a chance to win late. This loss might hurt come the final standings, but it was far from a demoralizing defeat. It might have been a necessary sacrifice given where Love was in his recovery from injury and a potential foreshadowing of big things to come from the passing game.
Highlights
What’s next
The Packers head to Los Angeles to play the 1-3 Rams next Sunday in the late afternoon timeslot. Sean McVay’s team came back to beat the San Francisco 49ers at home in Week 3 but were beaten by the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday. The Rams will be without Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and several other key contributors. Nothing will be easy against McVay and Matthew Stafford, but next Sunday is a game many will expect the Packers to win.
Instant analysis of the Packers’ 31-29 loss to the Vikings in Week 4
The Green Bay Packers were unable to overcome a 28-0 deficit in the first half and lost to the Minnesota Vikings by a 31-29 final at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Matt LaFleur’s team gave up three first-half touchdown passes to Sam Darnold and turned the ball over four times in total.
The Packers are now 2-2, including 0-2 in starts by Jordan Love, while the Vikings improved to 4-0 — providing Kevin O’Connell’s team with an early lead in the NFC North race.
Here is an instant analysis of the Packers loss to the Vikings in Week 4:
Final score: Vikings 31, Packers 29
1
2
3
4
F
MIN (4-0)
14
14
0
3
0
GB (3-1)
0
7
0
22
0
Live scoring
First quarter
MIN 7, GB 0: Jordan Addison 29-yard catch (11:53)
MIN 14, GB 0: Josh Oliver 2-yard catch (1:37)
Second quarter
MIN 21, GB 0: Jordan Addison 8-yard rush (11:50)
MIN 28, GB 0: Justin Jefferson 14-yard catch (5:28)
MIN 28, GB 7: Jayden Reed 15-yard catch (0:15)
Fourth quarter
MIN 28, GB 14: Dontayvion Wicks 6-yard catch (11:58)
MIN 28, GB 22: Tucker Kraft 13-yard catch, Kraft conversion (10:16)
MIN 31, GB 22: Will Reichard 33-yard FG (6:50)
MIN 31, GB 29: Dontayvion Wicks 17-yard catch (0:56)
It was over when…
… Vikings tight end Josh Oliver recovered a declared onside kick attempt with just under a minute to go and Minnesota leading by two points.
Game balls
Offense — WR Jayden Reed: He caught seven passes for 139 yards and a score. He had three more explosive plays over 20 yards.
Defense — S Xavier McKinney: Another interception for X. He has four in four games. This one came in the red zone and prevented points in the second half.
Special teams — P Daniel Whelan: His towering punt late in the first half was muffed, setting up the Packers’ first score.
Key stat
Four: The number of turnovers by the Packers. A pair of Jordan Love interceptions in the first half turned into 14 points for the Vikings, while an interception thrown into the end zone and a fumble from Tucker Kraft halted momentum during the comeback bid.
Deciding factor
The first half. The Packers fell behind 28-0 in the first half and didn’t have enough in the second half to overcome the deficit. Jeff Hafley’s defense allowed four touchdowns on the Vikings’ first five possessions, and Jordan Love and the Packers passing game needed time to settle in. Brayden Narveson missed two field goals, costing the Packers six points. By the time the Packers offense found traction, the Vikings held a four-score lead. The first-half mistakes dug the Packers too deep a hole.
Jordan Love watch
Love’s return to the field from a left knee injury was a mixed bag. He ended up completing a career-high 32 passes, but he also threw three picks and had issues early on with accuracy and ball placement. As the game went on, he settled in. Love found Jayden Reed for a score on a well-placed throw before the half, and he tossed three more scores in the fourth quarter. He took only one sack. Love’s passer rating finished at 83.0. The Packers passing game was a few misplaced throws and a few dropped passes away from a big afternoon. Love looked so much more comfortable and in control during the final 30 minutes, so it’s possible he just needed to shake off some rust early.
The Packers gave themselves a chance late when Keisean Nixon strip-sacked Sam Darnold just two plays after Green Bay cut the lead to 28-14. The takeaway set up another quick score — a Jordan Love touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft.
Injury updates
Receiver Christian Watson left with an ankle injury and didn’t return. Defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt left with an ankle injury and didn’t return.
What’s next
The Packers are headed to Los Angeles to play the 1-3 Rams next Sunday. Sean McVay’s team lost 24-18 to the Chicago Bears in Week 4. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT.
Follow along with Packers Wire for live updates and highlights from Packers vs. Vikings in Week 4 of the 2024 season on Sunday.
The Green Bay Packers (2-1) are hosting the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (3-0) at Lambeau Field for an important Week 4 showdown in the NFC North. Kickoff from Green Bay is scheduled for noon CT.
Can the Packers, who are welcoming back Jordan Love from injury, stay unbeaten at Lambeau Field and hand the Vikings their first loss of the season?
Matt LaFleur’s team salvaged the season by getting back-to-back wins with backup quarterback Malik Willis under center. Now, it’s time to see if Love can hit the ground running against one of the NFL’s top defenses to start 2024.
Follow along with Packers Wire for live updates and highlights from Packers vs. Vikings in Week 4:
Final score: Vikings 31, Packers 29
1
2
3
4
F
MIN (4-0)
14
14
0
3
0
GB (2-2)
0
7
0
22
0
Live scoring
First quarter
MIN 7, GB 0: Jordan Addison 29-yard catch (11:53)
MIN 14, GB 0: Josh Oliver 2-yard catch (1:37)
Second quarter
MIN 21, GB 0: Jordan Addison 8-yard rush (11:50)
MIN 28, GB 0: Justin Jefferson 14-yard catch (5:28)
MIN 28, GB 7: Jayden Reed 15-yard catch (0:15)
Fourth quarter
MIN 28, GB 14: Dontayvion Wicks 6-yard catch (11:58)
MIN 28, GB 22: Tucker Kraft 13-yard catch, Kraft conversion (10:16)
MIN 31, GB 22: Will Reichard 33-yard FG (6:50)
MIN 31, GB 29: Dontayvion Wicks 17-yard catch (0:56)
Updates, highlights
Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Love active, Jaire inactive: The Packers are getting back Jordan Love, who is active for the first time since injuring his knee in the season opener. However, Jeff Hafley’s defense won’t have Jaire Alexander, who suffered a groin injury late in the week and is now inactive. Can the Packers find ways to slow Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison without their top cornerback available? Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine are the expected starters at cornerback with Alexander and Carrington Valentine out with injuries.
Vikings strike first: After Isaiah McDuffie dropped a potential interception, the Vikings converted on third-and-long and then got a 31-yard touchdown pass from Sam Darnold to Jordan Addison. Missing turnover opportunities never ends well. Addison put a double move on Corey Ballentine and had an easy score. The Packers pass rush wasn’t impactful on the first series.
Promising first drive ends: A penalty, a drop and a missed field goal turned a red zone trip into zero points on the Packers’ opening possession. Brayden Narveson missed a 37-yard field goal after Elgton Jenkins had a false start and Dontayvion Wicks couldn’t handle Jordan Love’s low throw on third down.
Vikings take 14-0 lead: An eight-play, 73-yard scoring drive gave the Vikings a two-touchdown lead in the first quarter. The Packers committed three penalties, including a pass interference in the red zone. Sam Darnold has a pair of touchdown passes, and the Packers are on pace for 20 penalties.
Injury: Packers receiver Christian Watson has an ankle injury and is questionable to return. He was carted from the sideline to the locker room for evaluation.
Blowout brewing: Following an interception of Jordan Love to end the first quarter, the Vikings marched 46 yards in seven plays to go up 21-0. Minnesota fooled Rashan Gary with an end around, and Keisean Nixon missed a tackle on Jordan Addison’s 8-yard touchdown run.
Another missed FG: After Jordan Love was sacked, Brayden Narveson missed his second field goal of the first half. His 49-yarder went wide right and never had a chance.
Game over? Another Jordan Love interception — this one went through the hands of Luke Musgrave and Romeo Doubs — led to another Vikings touchdown. Sam Darnold threw a perfect pass to beat Keisean Nixon on a 14-yard touchdown to Justin Jefferson. It’s 28-0.
A glimmer of hope? Daniel Whelan’s 59-yard punt was muffed, leading to a Packers recovery, and Jayden Reed picked up the Packers following a 15-yard penalty with a 15-yard touchdown catch. The Packers will trail 28-7 entering the half, but they get the ball to start the third.
Love to Jayden Reed gets the @Packers their first points!
Injury update: The Packers ruled out Christian Watson for the rest of the game with an ankle injury.
McKinney makes history: Xavier McKinney intercepted Sam Darnold in the third quarter, becoming the first player in franchise history to have an interception in each of his first four games with the team.
Game on? Wicks TD: The Packers cut the lead to 28-14 with an 89-yard touchdown drive, which Jordan Love capped off with a touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. The Packers have 11:38 to go. Can they get a few more stops? A quick stop and another score would make this finish very interesting.
GAME ON: A strip-sack from Keisean Nixon set up Jordan Love’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft, and the Packers cut the lead to six points with 10 minutes to go on Kraft’s two-point conversion.
Vikings back up nine: A big play from Justin Jefferson set up Will Reichard’s short field goal, putting the Vikings back up two scores. With 6:50 left, the Packers need a quick score and a stop.
Packers CB Jaire Alexander is inactive due to quad and groin injuries for Sunday’s showdown with Justin Jefferson and the Vikings.
The Green Bay Packers will be without cornerback Jaire Alexander during Sunday’s showdown with Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings. Alexander, who is dealing with quad and groin injuries, is inactive for the Packers in Week 4.
Quarterback Jordan Love is active, as expected. He’ll make his first start since injuring his knee in Brazil on Sept. 6.
The Packers will be short-handed at cornerback. Alexander and Carrington Valentine are both inactive with injuries. Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine are expected to start at cornerback, and the Packers elevated Robert Rochell and Kamal Hadden from the practice squad to add depth at the position.
First-round pick Jordan Morgan is out, Brenton Cox Jr. and Colby Wooden are inactive along the defensive line and rookies Kitan Oladapo and Travis Glover are healthy scratches.
Here are the Packers’ inactives:
CB Jaire Alexander
CB Carrington Valentine
OL Jordan Morgan
S Kitan Oladapo
OL Travis Glover
DE Brenton Cox Jr.
DL Colby Wooden
Here are the Vikings inactives:
LB Ivan Pace Jr.
WR Trishton Jackson
QB Brett Rypien
CB Fabian Moreau
CB Dwight McGlothern
DL Levi Drake Rodriguez
OT Walter Rouse
Pace is a starting linebacker. The Vikings are otherwise healthy entering Week 4.
The Packers and Vikings kickoff from Lambeau Field at noon CT.
Five things to watch and a prediction for the Packers’ Week 4 showdown with the Vikings.
Lambeau Field will be the setting for a key early season showdown in the NFC North. In Week 4, the Green Bay Packers — who have won back-to-back games — are hosting the undefeated Minnesota Vikings in the first divisional matchup for both teams.
Both of these teams are surprising in a good way to start the season. The Packers have won back-to-back games with backup Malik Willis under center, while the Vikings have two of the best wins of the season over the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans.
The winner of Sunday’s battle will get an important early advantage in the race to be the champion of the NFC North, which looks like one of the NFL’s best divisions in 2024.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for Week 4:
Return of 33
This storyline has been beaten to death, but it’s still an important one. Aaron Jones coming back to Green Bay isn’t just the return of some over-the-hill former star. In three games with the Vikings, Jones has 325 total yards, two games with 100 or more total yards and two touchdowns for an offense that ranks third in scoring. He looks explosive, both as a runner (5.4 yards per carry) and receiver. Can the Packers contain his slashing style? The Vikings split reps and touches at running back between Jones and Ty Chandler, but you can bet Minnesota will give the Packers former running back a few extra touches on Sunday. Dating back to last season and including the postseason, Jones has seven games with 100 or more total yards in his last eight. As Matt LaFleur said, he is a “problem.”
Pressuring Darnold
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has been one of the NFL’s best passers under pressure in 2024. Despite being under pressure on roughly 40 percent of his dropbacks, Darnold has thrown an NFL-high four touchdown passes without a turnover-worthy play under pressure this season. The Packers must keep Darnold disrupted in the pocket and hope regression to the mean arrives. Pressured quarterbacks are the most inconsistent and turnover-prone quarterbacks, and no one should expect Darnold to be this good against pressure all season. The Vikings have two excellent offensive tackles, but there are big issues on the inside, particularly at center (Garrett Bradbury, 10 pressures allowed) and right guard (Ed Ingram, 10 pressures allowed). Devonte Wyatt and Kenny Clark need to be disruptive.
Testing a top run defense
The Vikings are allowing only 3.6 yards per attempt against the run to start this season, but it’s worth noting that Brian Flores’ defense has faced the Giants (no Saquon Barkley), 49ers (no Christian McCaffrey) and Texans (no Joe Mixon) to start the season. The Packers are the No. 1 rushing offense in football and Josh Jacobs is healthy and rolling. In response to losing Jordan Love to injury, Matt LaFleur has devised a deep, complex run game that features a good mix of misdirection and power. Expect him to lean on the run regardless of who is playing quarterback Sunday. The Packers must stay on schedule on early downs and avoid the obvious passing situations that Flores loves. A heavy dose of Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson and even Jayden Reed and other receivers in the run game is likely.
Takeaways
The Packers have generated three takeaways in three straight games to start 2024 and rank first in the NFL with nine total takeaways. The Vikings have generated two takeaways in three straight games to start 2024 and rank third in the NFL with six total takeaways. Winning the ball is a priority every week, and when two teams are so good at taking away the ball, the turnover margin becomes the biggest winning factor. Can Jordan Love or Malik Willis keep the ball protected against a Vikings defense that has confused Brock Purdy and C.J. Stroud the last two weeks? And can Jeff Hafley’s defense force Sam Darnold into a bad decision or two? No one should be surprised if a turnover ends up being the game’s biggest play on Sunday.
Facing J.J.
The much-anticipated matchup of Jaire Alexander vs. Justin Jefferson might not happen. Alexander has a pair of lower-body injuries and is questionable to play. Even if Alexander isn’t available, the Packers must find ways of keeping Jefferson from taking over the game. The challenge is amplified by the Packers’ injury situation at cornerback (Carrington Valentine is doubtful to play) and the return of 2023 first-round pick Jordan Addison. Sam Darnold has distributed the football to a variety of targets without forcing it to Jefferson, so the Packers can’t over-focus on Jefferson and let others go wild. Finding the right mix is the big challenge for first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Prediction: Packers 24, Vikings 23 (0-3)
After two weeks of doubting the Malik Willis-Matt LaFleur magic, we’re back on win-predicting train — regardless of who is playing quarterback on Sunday. The Packers have proven capable of four key winning factors: creating explosive plays, generating turnovers, protecting the quarterback and disrupting the opponent’s quarterback. LaFleur’s team probably needs to do all four to take down the unbeaten Vikings. Protecting the quarterback against Brian Flores’ defense will be a challenge, but if the Packers can handle business pre-snap and at the line of scrimmage, explosive plays could be abundant. And there are good matchups for the Packers defensive front against the Vikings offensive line. One takeaway or explosive play provides the difference for the Packers late in a one-point win.
After two weeks of doubting the Malik Willis-Matt LaFleur magic, we’re back on win-predicting train — regardless of who is playing quarterback on Sunday. The Packers have proven capable of four key winning factors: creating explosive plays, generating turnovers, protecting the quarterback and disrupting the opponent’s quarterback. LaFleur’s team probably needs to do all four to take down the unbeaten Vikings. Protecting the quarterback against Brian Flores’ defense will be a challenge, but if the Packers can handle business pre-snap and at the line of scrimmage, explosive plays could be abundant. And there are good matchups for the Packers defensive front against the Vikings offensive line. One takeaway or explosive play provides the difference for the Packers late in a one-point win.