GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings keep proving skeptics wrong while maintaining early control of the NFC North race. Darnold threw three touchdown passes and Jordan Addison scored twice as the undefeated Vikings built an early 28-point lead and hung on down the stretch to beat the Green Bay Packers 31-29 on Sunday.
Picked by many to finish last in the NFC North, the Vikings (4-0) are off to their best start since 2016, when they won their first five games before slumping to an 8-8 finish. They've trailed for less than 3 1/2 minutes all season. “At the end of the day, we believe in each other more than anyone else believes in us,” Darnold said.
Minnesota spoiled the return of Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who returned after missing two games with an injured left medial collateral ligament . He threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns, both career highs. But he also matched a career high with three interceptions while going 32 of 54.
“We fought the whole game and started making plays later, but too little, too late,” Love said. Green Bay (2-2) got within 31-29 on Dontayvion Wicks’ second fourth-quarter touchdown catch — a 17-yarder with 56 seconds left. Minnesota’s Josh Oliver recovered Daniel Whelan’s ensuing onside kick — it actually was a drop kick — to secure the victory.
Darnold was 20 of 28 for 275 yards with touchdown passes of 29 yards to Addison, 2 yards to Oliver and 14 yards to Justin Jefferson. He also threw an inte.