Kyler Murray injury doesn't stop Vikings from beating Packers behind Carson Wentz

Ben Goessling, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Sep 13, 2026

Published in Football

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MINNEAPOLIS — After Kyler Murray beat J.J. McCarthy out for the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback job, coach Kevin O’Connell went with veteran Carson Wentz as the team’s No. 2 QB over the 23-year-old.

It meant that just over a year after he led the Vikings to a double-digit comeback over a division rival in his first NFL start, McCarthy would begin the season as the team’s No. 3 quarterback, set to play only in the event of injuries to Murray and Wentz.

Murray was gone just 11 plays into Sunday’s season opener, putting the game in Wentz’s hands. And with the Vikings’ defense finding the countermeasures it had sought all day against Packers quarterback Jordan Love, Wentz became the next Vikings QB to score a season-opening comeback win over a NFC North rival.

The Vikings needed just 15:12 of game time to turn a 12-point deficit into a 10-point lead, before Wentz found Justin Jefferson for his second TD of the day with 3:55 to go. It was the Vikings’ third touchdown of the fourth quarter, and fourth of the second half, as they beat the Packers 39-22 to open the season with a NFC North win.

Wentz completed 12 of his 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns, hitting Jefferson for a 39-yard score on a free play after Lukas Van Ness jumped offside in the second quarter. It pulled the Vikings within two points, before Green Bay answered with a scoring drive just before halftime and extended its lead to 12 with a Trey Smack field goal in the third quarter.

Though Love completed just over 50% of his passes, he connected on five of at least 30 yards, strafing the Vikings’ secondary as he unloaded the ball just before Minnesota’s pass rush arrived. The Vikings blitzed Love early and often, hitting him nine times without a sack before Levi Drake Rodriguez had their first of the day.

But they came up with three in the fourth quarter, including an Andrew Van Ginkel sack where the linebacker ripped the ball out of Love’s hands to give the Vikings the ball on the Packers’ 1 with 5:01 to go. Jordan Mason scored on the next play to put Minnesota up 10.

On their previous drive, the Vikings took the lead with the help of three Packers penalties that nullified third-down Packers stops. After Evan Williams intercepted Wentz in the end zone, officials called a defensive holding penalty on Xavier McKinney as coach Kevin O’Connell walked out onto the field yelling for a flag. On the next play, Aaron Jones scored on a toss, with Christian Darrisaw and Max Bredeson escorting the running back into the end zone.

Wentz could start next Sunday in Chicago with Murray in the concussion protocol. It took just three drives for the Vikings to lose their new starting QB.

Murray left the game for a concussion evaluation after being hit by Packers safety Javon Bullard as he went low on a third-down scramble with 6:16 left in the first quarter. Packers edge rusher Van Ness first made contact with Murray’s helmet before Bullard hit him in the neck and shoulder area. Vikings offensive linemen Donovan Jackson and Brian O’Neill quickly waved for the team’s medical staff after checking on Murray, whose helmet came off at the end of the play. O’Connell came out to check on Murray, and had some words for an official as he left the field.

Murray was 3 for 5 for 18 yards and an interception when he left the game, having thrown a pick to Keisean Nixon on his first pass of the game while dealing with pressure in his face from Zaire Franklin. The linebacker came through unblocked between center Blake Brandel and right guard Will Fries, who fell down on the play after initially turning to the outside of the formation. Murray threw into double coverage for Jauan Jennings, and Nixon intercepted the pass.

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