The Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings open 2026 season Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS). Let's analyze NFL odds around the Packers vs. Vikings odds and make our expert NFL picks and predictions for the best bets.
The Packers started the 2025 season with high expectations and they do so again in 2026 despite little roster turnover on a team that dropped its last 4 regular-season games to finish 9-7-1 and then lost to the Chicago Bears in an NFC Wild Card game. The most prominent change came at defensive coordinator, with Jonathan Gannon replacing Jeff Hafley, who was hired as the Miami Dolphins' head coach. Gannon comes to the Packers after 3 straight sub-.500 seasons as head coach of
the Arizona Cardinals. He'll be without star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who will miss at least the first 4 games of the regular season as he continues to recover from ACL surgery on his left knee.
Offensively, the Packers have a solid unit led by QB Jordan Love, who threw for 3,381 yards with 23 TDs and 6 INTs in 2025. While he loses his favorite target, Romeo Doubs, who signed with the New England Patriots in free agency, Christian Watson (35-611-6) and Tucker Kraft (32-489-6) are back for another season in green and gold. One key offensive player who won't be playing Sunday is Josh Jacobs (234 rushes for 929 yards and 13 TDs in 2025), who is on the commissioner's exempt list while the NFL investigates him for potential violations of the personal conduct policy. MarShawn Lloyd, who has played in exactly 1 game for the Packers since being taken in the third round of the 2024 draft, is expected to get the start at RB in Jacobs' absence, though he's unlikely to carry the rushing workload alone.
The Vikings will open the season with a new QB for the fourth straight season with former Cardinals signal caller Kyler Murray drawing the start for the opener. Murray joined the Vikings on a 1-year deal, with Minnesota paying $1.3 million for his services and the Cardinals paying the remainder of his $36.8 million salary. Murray missed most of last season with a foot injury, throwing for 962 yards with 6 TDs and 3 INTs in 5 starts. He'll try to get WR Justin Jefferson re-established as one of the best receivers in the game. Last season, Jefferson had 1,048 yards receiving and 2 TDs, the lowest totals of his career.
Defense should again be a strength for the Vikings, which has excelled under defensive coordinator Brian Flores' tutelage. The Vikings ranked fifth in points allowed per game in 2024 (19.5) and seventh in 2025 (19.6). This offseason, Minnesota traded DE Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, while adding veteran LB Kyle Van Noy, who should fit well in Flores' blitz-heavy scheme, two seasons removed from a 12.5-sack season.
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Packers at Vikings odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 1:40 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Packers +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Vikings -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Packers +2 (-108) | Vikings -2 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 46.5 (O: -110 | U: -108)
Packers at Vikings key injuries
PACKERS
- DT Warren Brinson (calf) out
- T Zach Bako-Bewele (knee) questionable
- G Aaron Banks (knee) questionable
- LB Ty'Ron Hopper (Achilles) questionable
VIKINGS
- No injuries reported
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Packers at Vikings picks and predictions
Prediction
Vikings 24, Packers 13
Moneyline
PASS.
I'm on the Vikings in this one, but I'll go ahead and give the points.
Against the spread
BET VIKINGS -2 (-110).
I think people are sleeping on the Vikings entering the season. I like what Flores does with the defense and the offense could be interesting with Murray at QB if he can stay healthy behind an offensive line that is considered top half in the NFL. The Packers running game is a mystery without Jacobs and the defense isn't the same without Parsons.
The Vikings have won 3 of the past 4 games overall between the teams and 4 of the last 5 games between the teams played in Minnesota.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 46.5 (-108).
This total seems high. While the teams had a couple of high-scoring affairs back in 2024, neither game hit a total of 30 last season. I expect the Vikings to keep the Packers offense in check.
Best prop bet
Kyler Murray OVER 1.5 TD passes (+105 at BetMGM)
I like Murray to come up big in his Vikings debut. There's a myriad of weapons at his disposal and he won't have to worry about Parsons hounding him.
Betting odds calculator
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings odds, picks and predictions
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