The Green Bay Packers had a 22-10 lead on the Minnesota Vikings with 5 minutes, 9 seconds left in the third quarter of their Week 1 opener. Sounds like a decent road performance, right? Well, from that exact moment, they were outscored an absolutely brutal 29-0 through the end of the game, collapsing to a 39-22 loss. That’s a gut punch, and honestly, after an entire offseason of hoping things would be different, it looks like it’s the same old script for Titletown.
The Collapse is Now a Tradition
This wasn’t just some one-off fourth-quarter blunder. This Week 1 collapse marks their sixth straight loss overall, dating all the way back to last season. What’s even crazier? In four of those six losses, including this opener, the Packers held at least a 9-point lead in the second half. A 22-10 lead in the third quarter against the Vikings should have been enough to close it out, but instead, they completely fell apart. The question they couldn’t answer all of 2025? Could they finish? Yeah, they still can’t. They had outplayed Minnesota, doubling their yardage by the end of three quarters, yet the final score tells a completely different story. It’s a pattern, and it’s getting harder to ignore.
Love Under Siege, O-Line Implodes
Jordan Love, for his part, was put in an impossible situation by the end. He finished the game 21-of-42 passing for 387 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Head coach Matt LaFleur had even raised eyebrows during camp praising Love’s ability to adjust protections before the snap. Love showed flashes, hitting explosive plays against Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ relentless blitz packages. But eventually, the Vikings’ pass rush broke through. Love was sacked four times in the second half alone and hit a staggering 15 times throughout the game. The turning point? Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkle came unblocked on third down, sacked Love, stripped the ball, and set up a short Vikings touchdown. No quarterback can endure that kind of pressure.
And let’s talk about that offensive line. Aaron Banks, who was dealing with knee tendinitis, was inactive. Rookie Jager Burton got most of the starting left guard reps in camp, but the coaching staff went with Donovan Jennings for the start. Maybe Burton wouldn’t have fared better in a loud road stadium, but the bottom line is the offensive line was overpowered all game. Even head coach LaFleur made a questionable call in the fourth quarter, taking 3 points off the board that would have given them an 8-point lead, only for Love to fail on a fourth-and-1 attempt. And the run game? Absent. MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks combined for a measly 66 yards on 20 carries. It’s Week 1, and the finishing problem is screaming louder than ever.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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