The highly anticipated 2026 season is about to begin for the Green Bay Packers, who have made the postseason as the seventh seed during each of the first three seasons of the Jordan Love era but are still chasing an elusive playoff run. Will this be the year everything falls into place and Matt LaFleur's team looks like a true contender in the NFC come January? The Packers are headed to Minneapolis for the first step of the journey on Sunday, and they will do so without Micah Parsons and Josh Jacobs.
Facing the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium to open the 2026 season provides an excellent first test and a chance to start the season 1-0 in what should be a highly competitive NFC North race.
Previewing Packers-Vikings in Week 1 with managing editor
Zach Kruse and contributor Mark Oldacres:
What we're watching
Zach: Will Matt LaFleur let Jordan Love cook in Week 1? With question marks along offensive line and the danger involved with getting into third-and-longs against Brian Flores, LaFleur might be tempted to stay run dependent and attempt to keep Brian Flores out of preferred blitzing situations. But with no Josh Jacobs, all the weapons at his disposal in the passing game and Love's ability to control the action at the line of scrimmage, Sunday might also be an opportunity for the Packers coach to show true trust in his quarterback. Will the Packers kick off the 2026 season with a more pass-heavy offense, or will Flores force LaFleur to call a conservative game?
Mark: Green Bay's offensive line is the only real concern with the offense entering 2026, but it is a big one. The first question surrounds the availability of the two most senior players, as Zach Bako-Bewele and Aaron Banks enter Sunday's game with 'questionable' injury designations. The Vikings defense throws the kitchen sink at opponents in terms of unique looks, so Green Bay will have their hands full even if they are at full strength. Early in the game, I'll be watching the O-line intently to see if they are holding up or if Jordan Love is constantly under duress.
Biggest reason for optimism
Zach: Jordan Love. He is in full command of the Packers offense, his top weapons in the passing game are healthy, talented and complementary of each other, and he's coming off an excellent 2025 season. Everything is in place for Love to stamp his name among the NFL's elite players. He will need to be at his best on Sunday against Brian Flores, especially with question marks along the offensive line and at running back, plus inside a tough environment in Minneapolis. This looks like a game where the quarterback needs to elevate those around him, and Love looks ready.
Mark: A full complement of pass catchers. Green Bay has Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden and the newly minted Tucker Kraft ready to roll in Week 1, giving Love arguably the most dangerous group of wideouts of his career. The quartet gives the Packers the ability to do damage at every level of the field and in a multitude of ways. Despite concerns around the O-line, if Matt LaFleur can cook up an effective protection plan, Green Bay's 'big four' should have a productive day against a middling Minnesota secondary.
Biggest reason for concern
Zach: The line of scrimmage has the "check engine" light on to start the season. Two players among the Packers starting offensive linemen are listed as questionable to play: Zach Bako-Bewele and Aaron Banks. More importantly, the group got very little time on task together during training camp because of injuries. Can they hold up on Sunday, when communication and cohesion will be vital but difficult? Defensively, the Packers' pass-rush needs to prove it can survive without Micah Parsons. Lukas Van Ness and Devonte Wyatt must be consistently disruptive players or Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson and the Vikings passing game could pick apart a secondary with lingering question marks.
Mark: Justin Jefferson. The Packers will likely do whatever they can to mitigate Jefferson, but no matter Jonathan Gannon's approach, it will be almost impossible to hold him down for a full 60 minutes. Kevin O'Connell is a smart coach who will find ways to put Jefferson in advantageous positions against Green Bay's cornerbacks, and as far as we know right now, none of them can hang with Jefferson if they are left on an island. There is always the potential for a special receiver like Jefferson to take over a game, and that would spell disaster for the Packers.
Matchup to watch
Zach: Jonathan Gannon versus Kyler Murray. Both of these quarterback-coordinator matchups are fascinating for their own specific reasons. Gannon and Murray know each other well after spending three years together in Arizona. Now, both will be attempting to start new gigs on the right foot. The big question: Does Murray know more about attacking a Gannon-led defense after doing so every day in practice, or does Gannon know more about containing a Murray-led offense? This game within the game will be fascinating. Also, it's one thing to know what to do, and another to consistently execute it. The guess here is Gannon will want to squeeze the pocket on Murray and force him to throw from cluttered pockets without having his pass-rushers over-extend and open up run lanes.
Mark: Jordan Love versus Brian Flores. After being hailed as the best quarterback LaFleur has ever been around in terms of setting protections, Love will be put to the test in Week 1 against Flores, and the chess match at the line of scrimmage will be fascinating. Flores is an extremely aggressive play caller and rarely changes his stripes, but Love was PFF's highest-graded quarterback against the blitz in 2025. Love's ability to get the Packers in the right play and communicate with his O-line will be crucial on Sunday.
Packers win if…
Zach: The offensive line and pass-protecting groups consistently hold up. Jordan Love was near unstoppable when operating from clean pockets last season, and he's surrounded by dangerous playmakers entering 2026. If the Packers can consistently handle four-man rushes and then adjust on the fly and block up most of the blitzes, Love is going to enjoy a productive Week 1 throwing the football, and the Packers will likely score enough to win.
Mark: They limit Minnesota's explosive pass plays. That starts with keeping Kyler Murray in the pocket and making him win with his arm. The Packers did not sack Murray when they last faced him with the Cardinals in 2024 but importantly held him to a season-low two yards per rush attempt. He has not been a prolific deep thrower in recent years, so making him stand in the pocket dink and dunk is a good strategy. The Vikings' run game has not offered much of an explosive threat in the last couple of seasons, so focusing on keeping the likes of Jefferson and Jordan Addison from getting behind the defense should be the main focus, even if Gannon's defense gives up a high completion rate as a result.
Data dump
Mark: On offense, Jayden Reed is a Vikings killer. In four matchups between 2023 and 2024, he racked up 317 yards and three touchdowns against Minnesota. For all the talk about Matthew Golden's potential breakout, watch out for Reed this week. On defense, it may seem counterintuitive given his rushing threat, but the Packers could have success in blitzing Murray. In 2024, his 78.1 passer rating when blitzed ranked 33rd in the NFL, compared to a 101.5 passer rating when not blitzed, which ranked 7th. When the Packers met him that year, they blitzed on 25% of his dropbacks, much higher than their 17.3% season average as Arizona only put up 17 points, while Jonathan Gannon blitzed on 35.6% of dropbacks when he faced Murray with the Eagles in 2022, up from a 22.1% season average, with the Cardinals only managing 13 points that day.
Predictions
Zach: What better way to kick off the regular season than with getting the Week 1 prediction wrong, right? I just see a steep climb for Matt LaFleur's team in the opener. No Josh Jacobs. No Micah Parsons. The offensive line has major question marks, and facing a Brian Flores defense in a loud environment without a lot of time on task together is a difficult assignment. Can the run game get going without Jacobs? Third-and-long is death against Flores. Can the corners cover three very good receivers without Parsons? The pass-rush has to affect the quarterback for the defense to survive. I'm in "I need to see it to believe it" mode with the offensive line and the pass rush entering the season. While this is a great opportunity to go prove it on the road against a division rival, I see too many "what ifs" for the Packers right now. The guess here is the offensive line fails in one too many big spots, the defense isn't able to consistently disrupt Kyler Murray or contain Justin Jefferson, and the Packers come up short in the season opener. Vikings 24, Packers 20
Mark: This assumes the Packers’ offensive line is at full strength, or at least has Zach Bako-Bewele, who along with Aaron Banks is questionable for Sunday’s season opener. If given sufficient protection, Jordan Love has shown he can beat the kind of blitzes Brian Flores relentlessly sends. Green Bay’s defense has had success against Kyler Murray in the past, and new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon knows Minnesota’s new quarterback well. Still, a defense with an unproven group of cornerbacks and without Micah Parsons could have a tough time against Justin Jefferson and company. Packers 27, Vikings 24
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers vs. Vikings preview and predictions: Can Green Bay open 2026 with win?
