The Green Bay Packers opened the 2022 season with a disappointing 23-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Matt LaFleur’s team fell behind 17-0 at halftime and 20-0 at one point in the second half and failed to mount a comeback late despite a few opportunities to get back into the game.
The Packers are now 0-1 and humbled coming out of the opener for the second straight season.
Here are all the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 1 loss to the Vikings
Stars
RB A.J. Dillon: He runs exactly like you’d expect a 250-pounder to run: With terrific power behind his pads, and always downhill through contact. He also catches the football like you’d expect a 200-pound receiver: With strong hands and an ability to pluck it out of the air away from his body. Dillon created 91 yards on 15 touches, led the team in receiving and scored the only touchdown.
DL Kenny Clark: This was an elite performance in terms of rushing the passer from Clark, who led the team with six pressures. Center Garrett Bradbury and rookie right guard Ed Ingram really had issues keeping No. 97 out of the backfield. With power and quickness, he was winning one out of every three reps on true passing downs.
Studs
LT Yosh Nijman: All things considered, he did a commendable job blocking both Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter in the passing game. In fact, Smith and Hunter did all their damage either from the inside or against the right side of the line. In the NFL, allowing one pressure over 43 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle is always a job well done.
LB Quay Walker: It wasn’t all perfect, but Walker displayed legit closing speed and finishing power for much of his NFL debut. He was especially menacing in coverage when he could fly to the football and disrupt plays. PFF had him down for a team-high five stops. More on Walker’s debut here.
Duds
S Adrian Amos: He got mixed up with Eric Stokes on the first Justin Jefferson touchdown and then got fooled by Kirk Cousins on Jefferson’s 64-yarder against a two-high shell defense. Both plays can’t happen. Amos also missed a tackle. This might have been his worst game since joining the Packers in 2019.
S Darnell Savage: He got spun around on Jefferson’s long catch and then was late covering the over route on another big gainer to Jefferson. And like Amos, he missed a tackle as the last defender. The safety play wasn’t nearly good enough un Week 1.
RG Jake Hanson: The Vikings picked on the first-time starter in Week 1. Za’Darius Smith beat him for a third-down sack (which eliminated a likely big play; two receivers were wide open), and interior defenders Dalvin Tomlinson, Harrison Phillips and Ross Blacklock all gave him problems.
QB Aaron Rodgers: He played indecisively and a bit recklessly, although there was chaos all around him for much of the afternoon. Both of his turnovers were uncharacteristic plays. On a second viewing, it just didn’t look like there was a level of trust in the quarterback and his targets in the passing game, which made for an indecisive quarterback who held the ball and made some questionable decisions.
RT Royce Newman: He gave up a sack to Danielle Hunter and was disappointing in the run game. Not sure he’s athletic enough to handle the edge at the NFL level. The Packers need Elgton Jenkins back in a big way.
