Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love beat the even most optimistic projections to return from a knee injury as the Packers’ starting quarterback Sunday, but his up-and-down game wasn’t enough to beat Minnesota.

Trailing by as much as 28-0 in the second quarter, Green Bay rallied behind Love’s four touchdown passes, including three in the second half, which pulled the Packers within 31-29 with 56 seconds to play. 

That was as close as Green Bay (2-2) would get, however, after its onside kick failed, and Minnesota held on to win and remain unbeaten at 4-0. 

Sam Darnold passed for three touchdowns, 275 yards and an interception for Minnesota, which is 4-0 for the first time since 2016.

Coming off a breakout 2023 season that earned him a four-year, $220 million extension, Love injured the MCL in a knee in the final minute of a Week 1 loss to Philadelphia, which was played in Brazil, and the team initially described his injury as one that could sideline him for three to six weeks.

As he sat, Green Bay went 2-0 behind Love’s backup, Malik Willis. Returning to face Minnesota, with one of the NFL’s most aggressive defenses, was a test of Love’s recovery and mobility. The Vikings’ 16 sacks entering Sunday led the NFL, and they are among the leaders in blitz rate on first and second downs. They entered Sunday as one of only seven defenses that had yet to allow a play of 40-plus yards from scrimmage. 

That streak ended on Love’s 41-yard pass in the fourth quarter that set up Green Bay’s final touchdown, a play that was typical of Love’s boom-or-bust return. Though he finished with 389 yards passing, he also threw three interceptions.