What a game to open the 2026 season. The fourth quarter was insane? Unfortunately, we had neither sustained defense nor offense for most of the first three quarters. But winning is great, and it was so nicely done in the fourth.

Below are my 3 Ups and 3 Downs for the game.

1. The entire fourth quarter. Unbelievable defense and opportunistic offense. I give the defense credit for sacking Love multiple times when it mattered most.

2. Punt and kick return games were improved. Keep up the good work.

3. Wentz’s overall play as the backup. He won.

1. Kyler goes down early and is in concussion protocol. Not good.

2. Defense gives up too much too easy early on. No pressure on Love when he dropped back until the fourth and gave up a lot of yards. And of course, we give up a 2-minute Packers scoring drive before half that answered our second quarter TD.

3. Our punt and kick coverage needs to improve. Way too many yards given up.

Looking forward to the Bears already.

First off, it was great to have a few minutes to speak with Jeff before Sunday’s game. He had let me know his annual trip for a Vikings home game was going to be the Border Battle. It was his first Border Battle since attending one with his father at the Old Met decades ago.

Jeff’s seats were diagonally opposite my vantage point, about as opposite as the first 40 minutes were compared to the final 20.

That final 20 minutes was textbook complementary football, with special teams delivering a huge kickoff return by Myles Price (career-long 68-yarder that was enabled by DeeJay Dallas’ block) for a 28-yard touchdown drive capped with a 16-yarder to T.J. Hockenson.

Packers turnover on downs (fourth-and-1 play)

Packers sack fumble returned to the 1

Packers turnover on downs

Vikings victory formation.

Price averaged 35.8 yards on five kickoff returns to open his second pro season.

Green Bay’s Bo Melton averaged 31.0 on four.

Minnesota rookie punter Brett Thorson averaged 40.3 yards on his four punts and netted 36.0. He placed three inside the Green Bay 20, and more importantly the punt coverage team limited Skyy Moore to 17 yards on two punt returns.

Wentz finished 12-for-19 with 133 yards and three scores for a passer rating of 123.5.

Everyone was disappointed for Murray but also happy for what Wentz was able to accomplish, despite not repping with the 1s last week.

The defense allowed five pass plays of more than 30 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown to Christian Watson, as well as a 43-yarder to tight end Jonnu Smith (he got lost in Minnesota’s secondary) and a 42-yarder to Matthew Golden.

Those are some issues that will need to be cleaned up before facing a Bears team that posted 59 points at Carolina in Week 1.