The goals of the run defense, the regrets of Jordan Love and the risks of Kevin O’Connell characterize the Vikings’ victory

The Packers’ No. 1 running game (204.0) tried to outscore the Vikings on first downs early on. Made sense, but it failed, which is one of the reasons the one-dimensional Packers were down 28-0. “Green Bay booked the decisive matchup as a front against our front,” Vikings nose tackle Harrison Phillips said. “We had a chip on our shoulder to figure out what we were doing.” After opening the game with an 8-yard run on first down, Green Bay’s next six first down runs totaled 4 Yards, including tackles for loss on consecutive plays by linebacker Blake Cashman (minus-2) and Phillips and lineman Jerry Tillery (minus-1). “One of our No. 1 goals was to stop the run on first down because they were so good at that,” Cashman said.

Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill is proving to be one of the best backups in the league. His second start came with his second interception, a miracle that surprised Jordan Love and led to a 21-0 lead. “The guy played a good game,” Love said. “I didn’t see him.” Before the snap, Grugier-Hill hugged the left A gap as if he was blitzing on third-and-7. A blink later he was 16 yards further down the field, doubled and took the ball from receiver Christian Watson. “We had a Tampa-2 there,” Grugier-Hill said. “They ran a dagger concept with a receiver, and I just got away and made a play” — one of the best plays of the season.

Harrison Smith’s mind was on a terrible missed tackle in the fourth quarter when his incredible pressure in the fourth quarter was mentioned. “We did a lot of good things, but I have to play better,” Smith said, referring to a missed tackle that turned a 1-yard gain by Tucker Kraft into a 13-yard touchdown and a 28-22 ball game . Four minutes later, Smith was a free runner on a front-court blitz for first down. Love panicked and threw a high ball up for grabs, which cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted. A terrible decision of love. “It’s a total blitz; I felt Smith and it’s one of those critical mistakes,” he said. “I should have thrown the ball away.”

The 31-29 final doesn’t do justice to Kevin O’Connell, who beat Matt LaFleur as coach and improved to 2-1 at Lambeau Field. O’Connell was aggressive and won the maximum of three replays, while LaFleur lost a rash duel and incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on first-and-goal on the Packers 4 and failed when a field goal made it 12 with 2:18 left -Points game would have made. That led to a 96-yard touchdown drive and Green Bay had plenty of time to win with a field goal if it recovered the onside kick. “When I look back, I’m sure people will wonder why this decision was made,” O’Connell said. “But I can’t really make those decisions based on ‘Oh no, what could happen.’ I have to be aggressive and always smart.”

No one expected O’Connell to throw immediately after the Packers turned a strip-sack takeaway into a touchdown, making it a six-point game with 10:16 left. The situation screamed for the Vikings to play it safe. No. The first play was a 17-yard ball from Sam Darnold to Justin Jefferson. “I got the look I wanted for the piece,” O’Connell said. “I knew we were going to give Sam a clean pocket to get into this thing.” O’Connell completed five of six passes and kicked a field goal for a two-point game. “I liked what KO did on that drive,” left tackle Christian Darrisaw said. Smith said: “I like how he trusts his players.”

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