Game Summary
The Minnesota Vikings (8-9 in 2021) will open the 2022 season by hosting the Green Bay Packers (13-4 in 2021). The matchup, which is set to kickoff at 3:25 p.m. CT at U.S. Bank Stadium, will mark the second time the Packers have visited the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium to start a season (2020) and the first game of the Kevin O’Connell head coaching era with the club. The Vikings have played the Packers a total of seven times in Week 1, posting a 3-4 record, and Minnesota owns a 4-2 record against Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota last met Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 11 of the 2021 season, where the Vikings topped the Packers 34-31 after a game-winning field goal by K Greg Joseph. The victory marked Minnesota’s 500th win in regular-season history and evened the Vikings record in home games against the Packers to 30-30.
VIKINGS VS. PACKERS ALL-TIME
Won 56, Lost 64, Tie 3; Home 30-30, Away 26-34-3
Top Performers vs. Packers
KIRK COUSINS
Eight games (eight starts, one start with WAS), 169-of-253 passing (66.8%), 2,254 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns, five interceptions, 110.4 passer rating
DALVIN COOK
Seven games (seven starts), 113 carries, 533 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 18 receptions, 226 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns
ADAM THIELEN
15 games (11 starts), 74 receptions, 986 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns, four rushes, 73 rushing yards
JUSTIN JEFFERSON
Four games (three starts), 19 receptions, 279 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns
HARRISON SMITH
18 games (18 starts), 112 tackles (league stats), 3.0 sacks, eight tackles for loss, five interceptions, nine passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery
ERIC KENDRICKS
14 games (14 starts), 116 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, seven tackles for loss, three passes defensed
Vikings-Packers Series Notes
• Minnesota and Green Bay will meet for the 61st time in Minnesota. The clubs are 30-30 in games played in Minnesota.
• The Vikings are 4-2 in the past six games played at home against the Packers.
• On Oct. 5, 1969, the Vikings played the Packers in Memorial Stadium on the University of Minnesota’s campus, marking the first time a professional football game had been played in a Big Ten stadium.
• While with Philadelphia, WR Jalen Reagor returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown against Green Bay on 12/6/20. He also tallied one reception for 34 yards and one rush for 11 yards in that game.
• WR Justin Jefferson had eight receptions for 169 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the previous matchup against the Packers, his only multi-touchdown game in the 2021 season. Jefferson earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 11 for his
performance against Green Bay (11/21/21).
• S Harrison Smith had two of the best games of his career in 2017 vs. Green Bay. Smith totaled five tackles, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, two passes defensed, two QB hits and a diving one-handed interception vs. Green Bay (10/15/17). In the second meeting of 2017, Smith helped power the defense to a shutout victory by grabbing a career-high two interceptions at Green Bay (12/23/17).
• RB Dalvin Cook tallied a career-high 30 carries at Green Bay (11/1/20) for 163 yards. He matched that at Chicago two weeks later before topping it with 32 against Jacksonville on Dec. 6, 2020.
• QB Kirk Cousins has five career games with at least 300 passing yards against the Packers, including 425 passing yards at Green Bay (9/16/18), his most in a single game as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
• 425 passing yards at Green Bay on Sept. 16, 2018
• 375 passing yards vs. Green Bay on Nov. 20, 2016
• 342 passing yards vs. Green Bay on Nov. 25, 2018
• 329 passing yards vs. Green Bay on Jan. 10, 2016 (Wild Card game with Washington)
• 341 passing yards vs. Green Bay on Nov. 21, 2021
WK 1
9/11/22
The Vikings will open the 2022 season hosting the Green Bay Packers in a Week 1 game for the second time in the past three years. This will be just the second time the Packers have visited the Vikings to start a season. The Vikings have played the Packers a total of seven times to open a season, posting an overall 3-4 record. The team also owns a 4-2 record against Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium. Minnesota topped Green Bay 34-31 last season at home thanks to a game-winning kick from Greg Joseph. The victory was Minnesota’s 500th in regular-season history and evened the Vikings record in home games against the Packers to 30-30. Minnesota is looking to win back-to-back home games against the Packers for the first time since 2017-18.
