It took almost three full quarters for this team to get going, but Minnesota finally found its groove, earning a 39-22 victory over Green Bay to open the 2026 season. 29 unanswered points and a defense that caused multiple turnovers spearheaded the Vikings to begin the year 1-0.
We're handing out game balls, three of them today!
Game ball #1: Justin Jefferson
Game ball number one goes to Justin Jefferson, who had his best game since November 2024, going for 8/92/2 touchdowns, including a two-point conversion. Jefferson got off to a slow start, but ended the first half with a deep-ball touchdown on a free play and put the nail in the coffin late in the fourth quarter. This is the kind of performance fans missed from Jefferson and hope to get plenty more of this season.
Game ball #2: Carson Wentz
Carson
Wentz earns our second game ball, as he came in for an injured Kyler Murray and helped orchestrate a second-half comeback. Minnesota was down 12 points in the third quarter and helped lead this offense come from behind to help Minnesota earn their first win of the season. The status of starting quarterback for the Vikings will be day-to-day as we wait to hear about Murray.
Game ball #3: Dallas Turner
Coming into the 2026 NFL season, Dallas Turner was arguably under the most pressure of anyone on the Vikings, as he was tasked with being the team's primary pass rusher. What did he do in his first game of the year?
- 10 QB pressures
- 1 sack
- 7 QB hits
- 1 forced fumble
Turner turned up the pressure in the second half and came out swinging, making his presence felt often. This is the type of performance Minnesota needs this year, and he is off to a rocking start.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Gameballs from the Vikings' Week 1 win over the Packers
