The Green Bay Packers led the Minnesota Vikings by 12 points deep into the third quarter but still ended up losing Sunday's season opener by 17 points, creating one of most unique late-game collapses in NFL history.
According to OptaStats, the Vikings became the first team in league history to trail by at least 12 points with under 20 minutes to go in a game and still end up winning the game by at least 17 points.
The Packers led 22-10 until backup quarterback Carson Wentz hit T.J. Hockenson for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 2:08 left in the third quarter. From there, the Vikings scored 29 straight points to beat the Packers by a stunning 39-22 final score.
Wentz's final touchdown pass -- a 9-yard score to Justin Jefferson -- came with 3:55 to go
in the fourth quarter. So in roughly 13 minutes of game action, from the 2:08 mark in the third quarter to the 3:55 mark in the fourth quarter, the Vikings turned a two-score deficit into a three-score lead. And a historic win.
The final two scores were turnover related. Jordan Love lost a fumble that was recovered at the 1-yard line, creating a one-play, one-yard touchdown drive for the Vikings, and Love was intercepted on the next drive, setting the Vikings up at the 14-yard line. The 15 yards gained and 14 points scored after the two turnovers turned a tight, 25-22 game into a 39-22 blowout.
The Packers were also stopped on a 4th-and-1 sneak after taking a field goal off the board, and Love was unable to get the Packers into the end zone on fourth down after driving to Minnesota's 12-yard line during garbage time in the fourth quarter.
Incredibly, the Vikings gained only 239 total yards and averaged 3.9 yards per play but still managed to score 39 total points.
LaFleur's team was outscored 22-0 in the fourth quarter.
Collapses of this nature have become commonplace suddenly in Green Bay. In January during the NFC Wild Card Round, the Packers were outscored 25-6 in the fourth quarter and lost 31-27 in a game they led 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 late in the fourth quarter.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers lost to Vikings in a uniquely terrible way to open season
