The Green Bay Packers kicked off their 2026 NFL season with a tough 39-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, and the opener produced a split verdict. Some elements looked promising for a team with playoff aspirations, while others exposed vulnerabilities that could haunt Green Bay if left unaddressed.

Offensive line problems are hard to overcome

The bad news centered on the offensive line, which struggled throughout the game and made things extremely hard on Jordan Love. The formation itself raised eyebrows from the jump. Green Bay had the option to start rookie fifth-rounder Jager Burton at left guard, but without Aaron Banks, the Packers chose Donovan Jennings to start there instead. Jacob Monk started at right guard as expected. Even the established pieces had tough afternoons. Center Sean Rhyan and left tackle Jordan Morgan both had difficult games.

Minnesota blitzed on roughly four out of every five plays, and that volume of pressure is difficult for any offensive line to handle, let alone one expected to have growing pains. But the extent of the issues was concerning. Love was pressured and hit several times, raising questions about his health as the season progresses.

It’s unclear when Banks will return, but he should theoretically represent an upgrade over Jennings. That said, the improvement probably won’t be significant enough to push Green Bay’s offensive line above average. The Packers will need to find schematic solutions to protect Love while the personnel sorts itself out.

---

Problems to finish the games are still around

The Packers didn’t have a perfect first half by any means, but they were leading 22-10 early in the third quarter. From that point on, the team completely imploded. And it’s something that doesn’t feel new after how things shook out late last season with several late-game collapses.

The team gave up 29 unanswered points in the second half, to a Vikings team led by a backup quarterback in Carson Wentz who barely had first-team reps in training camp while Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy were competing for the starting job. It’s hard to justify this sequence of events.

---

Defensive structure shows Zimmer roots

Another factor interesting to analyze was defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme, despite the second-half issues with penalties (blame them on the team or on the refs) and everything that went . The conversation around Gannon entering this season centered on what he did as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator or as Arizona’s head coach. But Sunday’s game plan traced back further, to his roots as a defensive backs coach under Mike Zimmer with the Vikings.

Green Bay sent frequent A-gap blitzes and corner blitzes, generating pressure while Micah Parsons continues recovering from his ACL injury. It’s unclear exactly when Parsons will return, but the defense found ways to create disruption without him.

The extra pressure occasionally exposed the secondary, though, and the safeties played much worse than you would anticipate considering the talent at the position.

---

Christian Watson is the clear WR1

The most positive takeaway from Sunday’s game was the emergence of wide receiver Christian Watson as the obvious No. 1 option in the Packers’ passing attack. Watson finished with six catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He was productive, explosive, and visibly the player quarterback Jordan Love trusted most on money downs.

Love sought Watson out on third downs and in critical situations, exactly the kind of connection Green Bay needs after giving Watson a contract extension. Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and tight end Tucker Kraft all had their share of targets, but Watson is supposed to be the primary weapon. Against Minnesota, he looked exactly like it.