Packers vs. Vikings live updates: NFL scores, game stats, news, highlights, where to watch Week 4 game

It's a battle for first place in the NFC North

We're underway from Lambeau Field with a battle for first place in the NFC North between the 3-0 Minnesota Vikings and the 2-1 Green Bay Packers. 

The Vikings are flying high following consecutive wins against the 2023 NFC champion San Francisco 49ers (23-17 in Week 2) and the 2023 AFC South champion Houston Texans (34-7 in Week 3). Quarterback Sam Darnold is coming off of the best game of his career against Houston, totaling four touchdown passes and no interceptions in the victory. He'll be tested early and often on the road against a Packers defense that leads the NFL with nine takeaways through the first three weeks of the season, seven of which are interceptions. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has the Packers executing a much more aggressive brand of football than his predecessor Joe Barry: The Packers had seven interceptions in all of 2023, a total they have already matched, and only 18 takeaways last season, a figure Green Bay is already halfway toward reaching.

Minnesota has also been powered by the NFL's best pass rush under defensive coordinator Brian Flores: they lead the NFL with 16 sacks and 54 quarterback pressures entering Week 4. That will be a tall task for either face-of-the-franchise quarterback Jordan Love or backup Malik Willis to go against on Sunday. Love has been listed as questionable to return from his MCL sprain after being a limited practice participant all week. If he can't go, Willis has played admirably in his absence: His 9.8 yards per pass attempt and 9.5 yards per carry both lead the NFL since Week 2 among players to have a minimum of 12 attempts for each category. Willis is only the fourth player in the last 50 years to lead the league in both categories in a two-week span along with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in 2022, Titans quarterback Steve McNair in 1997 and Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham in 1987.

Who will come out on top in this battle for early pole position in the NFC North? Stay tuned to this live blog for key updates and analysis to find out. 

Where to watch

Date: Sunday, Sept. 29 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Lambeau Field (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
Channel: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
Follow: CBS Sports App   
Odds: Packers -2.5; O/U 43.5

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Packers kicker Brayden Narveson has missed a field goal in three of four games

 
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Love completed three of his four passes for 29 yards on his opening drive. That last throw was a little low to wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks on third and 14, which led to the Packers settling for a 37-yard field goal attempt. Kicker Brayden Narveson doinks the attempt off the right upright. Vikings lead 7-0 with 6:47 left in the first quarter. Their next drive will begin on their own 27. 

 
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Packers quarterback Jordan Love returns for his first game in 23 days, since Week 1 against the Eagles in Brazil, in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings

 
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Two plays after Darnold nearly throws an interception, he hits Vikings No. 2 receiver Jordan Addison for a 29-yard touchdown. He cooked backup Packers corner Corey Ballentine in one-on-one coverage. The ripple effect of Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine being out is felt early for Green Bay. 

 
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Sam Darnold got away with one there. Pressure by Packers defensive linemen Lukas Van Ness and Kenny Clark flushed him out left, and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie just dropped a pick. 

 
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The Packers win the coin toss, and they chose to put their defense out first. Here we go. 

 
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- Against the Titans in Week 3, the Packers put on a defensive masterclass:

  • 8 sacks (one shy of franchise single-game record)
  • 3 takeaways
  • TD scored (pick-6 by Jaire Alexander) 
 
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Free agent acquisition safety Xavier McKinney also deserves plenty of the credit for the Packers hot defensive start: he leads the NFL with three interceptions, which is a higher figure than the two catches for 23 yards that he has allowed in coverage this season. Green Bay hasn't had a safety this dynamic since Nick Collins was roaming around for their Super Bowl XLV championship team in 2010.   

 
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Green Bay's defense has experienced an incredible turnaround in aggression this season under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. They lead the NFL in takeaways with nine takeaways after having only 18 all season in 2023 under his predecessor Joe Barry. Their seven interceptions this season lead the league and match their 2023 season total. 

 
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The last time Jordan Love faced the Vikings' aggressive defense, he and LaFleur made a mockery of it in Week 17 last season, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns on 24 of 33 passing in a 33-10 Packers road win over the Vikings on New Year's Eve.     

 
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Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has also gotten more creative with his offense than ever before. Green Bay has used motion on 85.3% of their plays this season, by far the highest mark in the NFL. It's not just a "Malik Willis" situation only, they used 77.6% of motion in Week 1 against the Eagles with Jordan Love as the starter. Entering 2024, the Packers had a motion rate never above 60% under Matt LaFleur. 

Highest PCT of Motion in NFL This Season

Packers 85.3

Rams 76.2

Dolphins 73.0

Saints 71.1

PCT of Motion under Matt LaFleur, Packers Since 2019

2024 85.3

2023 59.9

2022 56.7

2021 54.0

2020 48.3

2019 41.9

Packers' PCT of Motion - By Week

Week 1 77.6 <<

Week 2 92.5

Week 3 84.7

>> Jordan Love Started at QB

 
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What's the best way to slow down a high-powered pass rush? Wear them out by running the football early and often. Green Bay's 612 rushing yards this season are a team's most in their first three games since the 2019 Baltimore Ravens totaled 650 in their first three games. That Ravens team broke the NFL single-season team record for rushing yards in a season with 3,297. 

 
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The Vikings defense led the NFL with 16 sacks and 54 quarterback pressures entering Week 4 despite blitzing over 10 percent less than they did in 2023. Minnesota ranks third in the league in blitz rate (39.6%), but that's a far cry than their 50.7% rate in 2023, the highest blitz rate by a team since the stat was first tracked in 2006.

Vikings' Pass Rush - Last 2 Seasons

            Blitz Rate     Sack Rate     Pressure Rate

2024        39.6                11.6            37.5

2023      50.7 <<              6.6             32.1

>> Highest By a Team Since 2006 

 
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Justin Jefferson is balling out this season despite catching passes from someone other than Kirk Cousins as his starting QB for the first time in his career. 

  • Jefferson has scored in each of the Vikings' three games and is averaging a career-high 19.5 yards per reception (third-highest in NFL, min. 10 catches) 
    • 1 of 5 players in franchise history with TD in each of first three games of season (1972 John Gilliam, 2004 Randy Moss, 2021 Adam Thielen, 2024 Jalen Nailor)
  • Jefferson's 273 yards this season are the fourth-highest in the NFL entering Week 4
  • Jefferson has 30 games of 100+ REC Yds (tied for the most by a player in his first five NFL seasons, this will be his fourth game of his 5th season)
    • Jefferson has 6,172 rec yards in his first 5 NFL seasons (the NFL record is Torry Holt at 6,784)
    • Jefferson passed A.J. Green (6,171) & Mike Evans (6,103) in his last game against the Texans
 
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Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones, the No. 3 all-time leading rusher in Green Bay Packers history (5,940 rushing yards), returns to Lambeau Field as a visitor for the first time on Sunday with the Minnesota Vikings. He enters week four en fuego since Week 16 last season, including the playoffs. 

Aaron Jones, Since Week 16 Last Season

                                                   NFL  Rank

Rush Yds                  812                    1st

Scrimmage Yds         978                   1st

100+ Yd Scrimmage Games 7            1st

>> Incl. Postseason

 
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Through three games, Sam Darnold is on pace for career numbers across the board. 

Sam Darnold - Career Averages

          2018-23              2024

TD PCT    3.5             10.3

Passer Rating 78.3   117.3

Yds/Att     6.7             8.4

Comp PCT 60.1         67.9

 
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Since being thrust into the spotlight as the Vikings' starting QB after J.J. McCarthy's injury, Sam Darnold has shined. Entering Week 4, he lead the NFL with eight passing touchdowns while ranking second in passer rating (117.3) and fifth in yards per pass attempt (8.4). His touchdown rate of 10.3% leads the NFL, a shock since his career rating was 3.5% entering the 2024 season. 

 
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Vikings starting linebacker Ivan  Pace Jr. didn't practice all week and was ruled out with an ankle injury on Friday. The rest of Minnesota's inactives are not a surprise or different than previous weeks. 

 
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Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love is officially active for the first time since suffering his MCL sprain in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Packers Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander, who was questionable to play today, is out with quad/groin injury. That's big blow for a Green Bay secondary readying to face Justin Jefferson. Backup cornerback Carrington Valentine, who was doubtful to play today with an ankle injury, is out as well. First-round pick offensive lineman Jordan Morgan didn't practice all week with a shoulder injury and was ruled out on Friday. 

Packers inactives

CB Jaire Alexander
CB Carrington Valentine
S Kitan Oladapo
DL Brenton Cox Jr.
T/G Jordan Morgan
T Travis Glover
DL Colby Wooden

 
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The Vikings, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2016, have started out hot this season with standout wins over the 49ers & Texans in their last two games. Minnesota did not trail for a single second against both the 49ers & Texans, both teams who won a playoff game last season. Their opponent this week, the Green Bay Packers, won a playoff game last season as well. The Vikings led the Texans for 57 minutes and three seconds, the second-highest total by a team this season (Saints led Panthers for 57 minutes & 8 seconds)