Spokesman-Review
National Football League
Minnesota 17, Green Bay 14
When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, September 18, 2016
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Temperature: Dome
Head Official: Walt Anderson
Attendance: 66813

MINNEAPOLIS -- This was probably the debut of their new stadium that Minnesota fans dreamed of three weeks ago, with a different face under center. Although the midgame loss of the star running back may yet produce an offensive nightmare for the Vikings.

In the first regular season contest at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minnesota's new billion-dollar football venue, new Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford led the home team to a 17-14 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Bradford, acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles at the end of the preseason after Teddy Bridgewater was lost to a knee injury, threw for 286 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his first start for the Vikings. His favorite target was Stefon Diggs, who had nine catches for 182 yards and a touchdown.

"I thought he played well," Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer said of Bradford, who completed 22 of 31 passes. "Diggs made some big catches. It's a big credit to a guy that's come in here and in 15 days or whatever it was, he's learned enough of the offense to come in and perform against a team that's pressuring and blitzing and attacking him as much as they did."

However, the Minnesota ground game was troublesome, putting it mildly. Running back Adrian Peterson finished with just 19 yards on 12 carries, and he left the game in the third quarter due to a right knee injury. He did not return. Zimmer said Vikings will know more after Peterson undergoes an MRI exam Monday.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ran for a touchdown and threw for another, finishing with 213 yards on 20-of-36 passing. However, his interception, hauled in by Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes with 1:50 to play, enabled Minnesota (2-0) to run out the clock.

"There's some moving pieces right now," Rodgers said. "We've got to go back and be harsh with our critiques of ourselves, myself included, and we've got to get better. But I think we will.

"I don't think this is anything to get super crazy about. It's a tough opponent, a division opponent, they're a good football team. They've still got to come to our place later in the season. Hopefully we're in a position to play for something then."

The Packers (1-1) got 50 yards on the ground from Eddie Lacy, but they trailed by 10 points entering the fourth quarter. Rodgers led a long drive and scored on a 10-yard run with 4:30 to play, but his late interception sealed the outcome.

Waynes, who was targeted by Rodgers much of the night and took several pass-interference penalties, stepped in front of a pass intended for Davante Adams.

The Packers fumbled four times in the game but recovered three of them.

Penalties were the Vikings' biggest problem all night. Minnesota was whistled 13 times for 137 yards, but a late pass-interference penalty on the Packers enabled the Vikings to hold onto the ball. With three seconds to play, Bradford dropped back and heaved a pass out of bounds to end the game.

"We won, and at the end of the day, that's all that matters," Bradford said, acknowledging that Diggs made a huge difference. "He was pretty much unstoppable."

Packers receiver Jordy Nelson will forever have the first touchdown in the Vikings' new stadium, a 1-yard pass from Rodgers in the first quarter, giving Green Bay a 7-0 lead.

Bradford got the Minnesota offense working in the second quarter, answering with a 4-yard pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph to tie the game, and taking a 10-7 lead when Blair Walsh hit a 46-yard field goal in the final minute.

The first-half highlight for the Packers may have been their run defense, which held Peterson to just 12 yards on nine carries.

"They didn't do nothing new. We were just outplayed," said Packers cornerback Damarious Randall, who made five tackles. "It's just a tough loss, and (we're) just going to bounce back from it."

NOTES: With their initial games of the season in Jacksonville and Minnesota, this marks the first time the Packers opened a season with back-to-back road games since 1924. One of those games was in Minnesota, as coach Curly Lambeau's team lost 6-3 to the Duluth Kelleys in their 1924 season opener. ... The Vikings last opened a permanent new home on Sept. 12, 1982, beating Tampa Bay 17-10 in the inaugural game at the Metrodome. ... Packers starting DT Letroy Guion left the game in the second quarter because of a knee injury. ... Vikings Hall of Famers Bud Grant, Fran Tarkenton and Cris Carter were all introduced to the crowd during the pregame festivities.
Top Game Performances
Rushing
Green Bay   Minnesota
Eddie Lacy Player Adrian Peterson
12 Attempts 12
50 Yards 19
4.2 Avg Yards 1.6
0 Touchdowns 0
13 Long 5
Receiving
Green Bay   Minnesota
Jordy Nelson Player Stefon Diggs
5 Receptions 9
73 Yards 182
14.6 Avg Yards 20.2
1 Touchdowns 1
39 Long 46
Team Stats Summary
 
  Yards Scoring Defense
Team Tot Rus Pas TD FG INT Sck FF
Green Bay 263 83 180 2 0 0 4.0 2
Minnesota 284 30 254 2 1 1 5.0 4
Upcoming Games
  • Minnesota will play their next game on the road against Carolina. The Vikings have a W/L % of 1.000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Green Bay will play their next game at home against Detroit. The Packers have a W/L % of .000 after a win and 1.000 after a loss.