Vikings close with 29 straight
points to beat rival Packers as Wentz replaces injured Murray
[September 14, 2026]
By DAVE CAMPBELL
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carson Wentz has had little time to practice with
Minnesota's voluminous playbook, a late arrival to the team last
season who returned this year in more of a mentor role as Kyler
Murray and J.J. McCarthy competed for the starting quarterback job
in training camp.
The Vikings brought the 11th-year veteran back for emergencies like
these.
Wentz came in after Murray's first-quarter concussion in his
Minnesota debut and led a spirited comeback against the rival Green
Bay Packers, as the Vikings scored 29 straight points to close a
39-22 victory to open the season on Sunday.
“That's why he's here,” coach Kevin O'Connell said. “For him to come
in and do what he did and just be part of that calming presence that
allowed our team to continue playing, I can't say enough about him.”
Wentz had two touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson, matching the
two-time All-Pro's 2025 season total, and the pair connected on a
2-point conversion when the Vikings took their first lead at 25-22
with 6:37 remaining. Green Bay extended the drive three times with
crushing defensive penalties.
“Football is a funny game,” Wentz said, “but it's fun to be on this
side of it.”
Jordan Love, who had been brilliant against a relentlessly blitzing
defense, wilted along with the rest of the team by losing a fumble
on a sack and throwing an interception deep in Packers territory.
Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason each had rushing touchdowns and T.J.
Hockenson caught one of the three scores thrown on a turnover-free
afternoon by Wentz, who was appointed the backup to Murray ahead of
the 2024 first-round draft pick McCarthy for his considerable edge
in experience.
Wentz went helped the Vikings convert eight of 15 third downs and
posted a 123.5 passer rating in another memorable comeback among
many in five seasons under O'Connell, who has yet to win a playoff
game.
“This one will stick with me for a long time,” O'Connell said.
Momentum shifted when the Packers were stopped on fourth-and-1
Love finished 21 for 42 for 387 yards and two first-half touchdowns
to Christian Watson, but the two late turnovers and a 3-for-12
conversion rate on third downs loomed large as the Packers picked
right up where they left off with a five-game losing streak that
ended last season.
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson celebrates a
defensive stop against the Green Bay Packers as he watches from the
sideline during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday,
Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
The Packers lost four times after leading in the
second half by at least two possessions, including their wild card
playoff collapse against another NFC North rival, the Chicago Bears,
who outscored the Packers 25-6 in the fourth quarter of that game.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur might have mistakenly triggered this
meltdown with his decision to take rookie Trey Smack's field goal
off the board to set up a fourth-and-1 on an offside penalty. Love
was stuffed at the line with a five-point lead, and the Vikings went
the other way for the go-ahead score by Jones, the former Packers
favorite who had yet to reach the end zone against his former team.
The Packers actually four defensive penalties on that drive,
starting with a seemingly innocent encroachment call on Jonathan
Ford.
Javon Bullard, whose injurious hit on Murray was flagged, was called
for illegal contact to negate a third-down sack. Rookie Chris
McClellan was penalized for a late hit on Wentz to wipe out a
third-down incompletion. Then Xavier McKinney's defensive holding
call erased an end-zone interception by Evan Williams, and Jones
scored on the next play.
Though the penalties on McClellan and McKinney in particular were
contested by the Packers, they had only themselves to blame for this
collapse.
“Momentum is a strong thing,” Watson said, “and we didn’t respond.”
Injury report
Murray seemed to be doing well after the game, O'Connell said,
but the timetable for his return was unknown. ... Packers LG Aaron
Banks (knee) was inactive, giving Donovan Jennings his first career
start.
Up next
Packers: at New York Jets on Sept. 20.
Vikings: at Chicago Bears on Sept. 20.
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