There are too many mistakes to overcome as the Packers' comeback narrowly fails and they lose 31-29 to the Vikings

By STEVE MEGARGEE, AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Sam Darnold threw three touchdown passes and Jordan Addison scored twice as the Minnesota Vikings built an early 28-point lead and beat the Green Bay Packers 31-29 on Sunday.

The Vikings (4-0) are off to their best start since 2016, winning their first five games before falling to 8-8. They trailed by less than 3 1/2 minutes all season.

Minnesota spoiled the return of Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who returned after missing two games with a left medial ligament injury. He threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns, both career highs. But he also set a career high with three interceptions and 32 of 54.

Jayden Reed had seven receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown for the Packers (2-2).

Green Bay got within 31-29 on Dontayvion Wicks' second touchdown catch of the fourth quarter – a 17-yarder with 56 seconds left. Minnesota's Josh Oliver intercepted Daniel Whelan's ensuing onside kick – actually it was a dropkick – to secure the win.

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 interception and lost a fumble.

Addison, who missed Minnesota's last two games with an ankle injury, also scored on a 7-yard run.

The game included seven turnovers – four by Green Bay and three by Minnesota.

Former Packers running back Aaron Jones had 22 carries for 93 yards and four catches for 46 yards in his return to Lambeau Field. Jones spent seven seasons with Green Bay before being released in March and signing with the Vikings.

The Vikings capitalized on two interceptions by Love and two missed field goal attempts by Brayden Narveson to extend their lead to 28-0 in the first 25 minutes. It was their highest-scoring first half since 2017, when they scored 28 points before halftime and beat Washington 38-30.

Minnesota scored on each of its first three possessions as Darnold picked apart a Green Bay secondary that was missing injured cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine. When the Packers finally forced a punt, Shaq Griffin delivered a 28-yard interception return, setting up another Vikings touchdown.

The Vikings led 28-7 and had a second-and-1 through the Green Bay 20 in the third quarter when Xavier McKinney picked off Darnold to become the first Packer to intercept a pass in each of his first four games with the team.

That helped Green Bay get back into the game. The Packers got within 28-14 on Love's 6-yard touchdown pass to Wicks with 11:38 left.

On the Vikings' ensuing possession, Keisean Nixon beat Darnold from the blind side and threw the ball free while Edgerrin Cooper recovered the fumble at Minnesota's 20-yard line.

Two plays later, Love threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft. Love found strength again and converted it into 2 points, making it 28-22 with 10:16 left.

Minnesota regrouped and got into field goal range on Darnold's 27-yard completion to Jefferson. Will Reichard's 33-yard kick extended Minnesota's lead to 31-22 with 6:50 left.

Byron Murphy intercepted Love in the end zone and Kraft lost a fumble on Green Bay's next two series. But the Packers got one last chance after Minnesota's Jailen Nailor was unsuccessfully stopped on a fourth-and-1 at the Green Bay 4 with less than 2 1/2 minutes left.

Love engineered a quick 96-yard drive to cut the lead to two.

Packers WR Christian Watson was carted off the field after injuring his ankle on the play that led to Grugier-Hill's interception. Packers DL Devonte Wyatt injured his ankle in the fourth quarter.

Vikings: Take on the New York Jets at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday

Packers: Visit the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

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