The Green Bay Packers didn’t start the 2026 NFL season the way they hoped.
Late-game collapses were a recurring theme last season and have become an uncomfortable part of Matt LaFleur’s coaching tenure. Green Bay obviously isn’t happy about it, but it has yet to change the narrative.
Even in an ugly loss, however, there were still a few positive takeaways.
Here are seven Packers who stood out in their Week 1 loss to the Vikings.
Edgerrin Cooper (1)
Cooper was all over the field.
His speed was on full display Sunday as he led Green Bay with seven total tackles and added a sack. If this is any indication of what’s to come, Cooper could be in line for a massive season.
Matthew Golden (1)
Matthew Golden followed up his strong playoff performance with another encouraging outing.
He hauled in six receptions for 95 yards, setting career highs in both categories. Now, he’ll look to build on that performance next week and hopefully find the end zone for his first career regular-season touchdown reception.
Jordan Love (2)
Green Bay’s offensive line didn’t do Jordan Love many favors, as he spent much of the game under pressure.
That played a major role in some of his struggles. Love completed only 50 percent of his passes, fumbled twice and threw an interception.
Still, he also kept Green Bay’s offense afloat for much of the afternoon.
Love finished with 387 passing yards, the second-highest total of his career, and threw two touchdowns. It wasn’t a clean performance, but he gave the Packers a chance despite constantly dealing with pressure.
Keisean Nixon (1)
Keisean Nixon wasn’t perfect against Minnesota. There were several key plays where he was beaten in coverage.
However, he made up for some of those mistakes with his aggressiveness elsewhere.
Nixon spent plenty of time in the backfield on blitzes, recording a tackle for loss and half a sack. He also intercepted Kyler Murray on Minnesota’s opening possession, giving Green Bay an early spark.
Trey Smack (4)
Yes, Trey Smack missed an extra point, and there’s some debate about how that may have affected LaFleur’s decision-making on the failed quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter.
Still, Smack continued to show off his leg.
He drilled a 59-yarder for his first career field goal and connected on two additional attempts later in the game.
The missed extra point wasn’t ideal, but hitting three field goals—including one from nearly 60 yards—is still worthy of another game ball.
Jonnu Smith (1)
Jonnu Smith made an immediate impression on Packers fans in his first game with the franchise.
He finished with two receptions for 50 yards, including a 43-yard gain where he found himself wide open and rumbled deep into Minnesota territory.
If only he had a little more speed, he might’ve finished the play in the end zone. Either way, it was an encouraging debut for one of Green Bay’s newest offensive weapons.
Christian Watson (1)
Christian Watson wasted no time rewarding the Packers for his new contract extension.
He looked like the No. 1 receiver Green Bay has been searching for since Davante Adams left town, hauling in six receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
It was arguably one of the best games of Watson’s career and a reminder of just how dangerous he can be when healthy and involved.
Add us as a preferred source on Google