MINNEAPOLIS – Christian Watson caught five passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns, as the Packers lead the Minnesota Vikings 19-10 at halftime.
Packers lead Vikings 9-3 after first quarter
Green Bay won the opening coin toss and elected to defer. Keisean Nixon tackled former Packers running back Aaron Jones for a 1-yard loss on first down.
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon sent Zaire Franklin on an A-gap blitz on the next play. Franklin came free on the blitz to force a deep Kyler Murray pass that Nixon intercepted at the Green Bay 47.
Donovan Jennings gets the start in place of Aaron Banks at left guard. He was in line to start here last January before a throat injury landed him on IR. Jennings' third NFL game since signing with Green Bay as an undrafted rookie in 2024.
Chris Brooks picked up 14 yards on a second-and-10 draw and gained another three yards after Jordan Morgan was called for a false start. Jordan Love threw three incompletions and Green Bay settled for a 59-yard Trey Smack field goal to put the Packers up 3-0 with 12 minutes, 11 seconds left in the first quarter.
It's the second-longest field goal in franchise history, behind only Lucas Havrisik's 61-yarder last season against Arizona.
Minnesota took over at its 30 and converted the initial first down with a 9-yard pass to Justin Jefferson on third-and-4. Edgerrin Cooper came free to tackle Jones for a 4-yard loss on the next play.
Murray scrambled for six before back-to-back false starts on the Vikings. Minnesota checked it down to T.J. Hockenson on third-and-23, gaining eight yards and then electing to punt.
Jonnu Smith initially caught the first pass of the season for four yards, but it was overturned to an incompletion after a successful Minnesota challenge.
On the next play, Love hit Christian Watson on a crossing route that the fifth-year receiver extended for an 81-yard touchdown. It was the longest pass of Love's career and longest career completion for Watson.
Green Bay went up 9-0 with 7:43 left in the first quarter after Smack missed the extra point.
On third-and-7, Murray scrambled for 1-yard before being met by Javon Bullard and Lukas Van Ness. Bullard was flagged for unnecessary roughness, as Murray was injured on the play. He's being evaluated for a concussion.
Murray walked off on his own power, with Carson Wentz replacing him. Jefferson completed the next first down with a 9-yard out to the Green Bay 37 on third-and-6.
Jordan Mason gained four yards on the next carry, but the drive stalled after a Wentz incompletion on third-and-5. Will Reichard made a 38-yard field goal to put Minnesota on the board, as the Packers led 9-3 with 1:38 left in the first quarter.
Bo Melton returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to the Minnesota 40. Watson caught a 10-yard pass on third-and-7 to get the first down.
Packers lead Vikings at halftime
The second quarter opened with Smack making a 43-yard field goal to put the Packers up 12-3 with 13:52 left in the first half.
Minnesota started from its 40 and picked up the first down on a Wentz third-and-1 sneak. Deejay Dallas caught a 1-yard checkdown on third-and-9 and Skyy Moore caught a fair catch at the Green Bay 14.
The Packers opened in a three tight end look and Tucker Kraft came open on a crosser for 30 yards. Green Bay came up empty on the series, but Melton downed Daniel Whelan's 45-yard punt at the Minnesota 4.
Aaron Jones opened with a 6-yard carry that nearly busted for him, but he was ruled down by contact. Lukas Van Ness tackled Jones for no gain and then sacked Wentz to force the three-and-out.
Skyy Moore returned the punt to the Minnesota 36 but false start and holding penalties backed Green Bay up to its 49 and the Packers punted after three incompletions.
Jonathan Ford split his first career sack with Nixon, dropping Wentz for an 8-yard loss. Wentz found Jefferson on a 17-yard post for first down on third-and-8, which went for another 15 yards after an unnecessary roughness penalty on Evan Williams.
On third-and-6 from the Packers' 47, Wentz and Hockenson connected for an 8-yard completion on a stop route. Wentz then hit Jefferson on a free play for a 39-yard touchdown to cut Green Bay's lead to 12-10 with 1:55 left in the first half.
Kraft caught a 23-yard pass down the seam on second-and-8 from the Green Bay 28. Melton moved the Packers into Minnesota territory with a 10-yard completion to the Vikings' 39.
Watson then caught a 32-yard pass despite Byron Murphy Jr. being flagged for defensive pass interference on the play. Brooks gained five yards on first-and-goal at the 7.
Watson caught a 2-yard touchdown off playaction to put the Packers up 19-10 at halftime. He finished the first half with five catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
