Sam Darnold and undefeated Vikings dominate first half and hang on to beat Packers 31-29

GREEN BAY, WI – Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings are silencing their critics as they maintain control of the NFC North, remaining undefeated with a nail-biting 31-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Darnold threw three touchdown passes, and Jordan Addison shone with two scores, helping the Vikings establish a commanding 28-point lead early in the game.

Despite being predicted to finish last in their division, the Vikings (4-0) are enjoying their best start since 2016, when they also won their first five games before fading to an 8-8 finish. Remarkably, they’ve trailed for less than 3.5 minutes all season.

The game marked the return of Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who came back from a left knee injury that sidelined him for two games. Love had a standout performance with 389 passing yards and four touchdowns, both career highs, but he also matched his career worst with three interceptions while completing 32 of 54 passes.

Green Bay (2-2) managed to close the gap to 31-29 with a 17-yard touchdown catch by Dontayvion Wicks with just 56 seconds left. However, Minnesota’s Josh Oliver secured the victory by recovering an unconventional drop-kick onside kick by punter Daniel Whelan.

Darnold finished 20 of 28 for 275 yards, throwing touchdown passes of 29 yards to Addison, 2 yards to Oliver, and 14 yards to Justin Jefferson. He did throw one interception and lost a fumble during the game. Addison, returning from an ankle injury, also added a 7-yard rushing touchdown to his impressive performance.

Former Packers running back Aaron Jones returned to Lambeau Field with a solid game, rushing for 93 yards on 22 carries and catching four passes for an additional 46 yards. Although he didn’t score, he playfully leaped into the stands filled with Vikings fans after the game.

On the Packers’ side, Jayden Reed made a significant impact with seven receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown. The game featured a total of seven turnovers, with the Packers committing four and the Vikings three.

Minnesota capitalized on two of Love’s interceptions and missed field goals by Brayden Narveson to build their 28-0 lead within the first 25 minutes. This marked the Vikings’ highest-scoring first half since 2017. Darnold’s efficient play took advantage of a banged-up Green Bay secondary that was missing key cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine.

After a stunning interception by Xavier McKinney in the third quarter, which marked his fourth straight game with a pick, Green Bay began to mount a comeback. Love connected on touchdown passes to Wicks and Tucker Kraft, bringing the score to 28-22.

The Vikings regrouped, with Darnold linking up with Jefferson to set up a field goal from Will Reichard, pushing their lead to 31-22. However, Love responded with a swift 96-yard drive, narrowing the gap to two points.

Despite the late-game drama, the Packers are left looking up at the surprising Vikings in the NFC North standings.

**Next Up:**
– **Vikings:** Prepare to face the New York Jets on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
– **Packers:** Set to visit the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.