Anticipation crescendos ahead of every season for the Minnesota Vikings, but this year’s opener offers extra suspense.First and foremost, the Vikings will unveil a new quarterback in Kyler Murray. Throw in the opponent being the rival Green Bay Packers, and it becomes easy to understand the buzz.What will happen Sunday afternoon inside U.S. Bank Stadium? For the fifth straight season, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis and Jon Krawczynski are here for an all-encompassing preview.Can the Packers claim their first NFC North title since 2021?Matt SchneidmanWhat I’m watchingLewis: The trenches. I’ll leave the low-hanging (but incredibly relevant) quarterback fruit for Jon. For me, the most important aspects of this game for the Vikings are the performances of the offensive and defensive lines. Minnesota revamped its rushing attack this offseason. Coach Kevin O’Connell continuously discussed the Vikings’ changes, and Sunday presents the first real opportunity to show their impact. Without Micah Parsons, the Packers’ defensive front looks susceptible. The same goes for the other side of the football. The Vikings loved the progression of Dallas Turner in training camp. Green Bay’s sketchy offensive-line availability and talent could open the door for Turner and the rest of the defensive line to make an introductory statement.Krawczynski: Was that a short joke? I can’t reach the high-hanging fruit is what you’re saying? SMH. It be your own people sometimes.Of course I’ll be watching Kyler Murray. The Vikings went 9-8 last season while enduring a QB carousel that was among the worst in the league. Murray does not need to be 2009 Brett Favre or even 2024 Sam Darnold, though it would be nice if that happened. If he is simply a really good quarterback, that would go such a long way toward helping this team make a playoff run. I’ll be watching to see how he handles the emotions of a Packers game in the season opener. This is, literally, a golden opportunity for him. Put together a strong season, and he’ll cement himself as a longtime starter making big money. If he struggles, life as a backup could be here sooner than later. How will he handle the magnitude of the moment?Biggest concernsLewis: Turnovers. O’Connell took over in 2022, and since then, the Vikings have turned the ball over 108 times. That is tied for second-most in the NFL behind the Cleveland Browns. The Vikings are 35-4 under O’Connell when they break even or win the turnover margin — the highest winning percentage of any team in the NFL over those four years. Conversely, the Packers are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They have turned the ball over only 72 times since 2022. This continues to be the most predictive statistic of wins and losses, and it ties to the first note about the trenches. Remain efficient at running the football, and the Vikings can mitigate risk.Krawczynski: Jordan Love. I’ll admit that I have gone hot and cold on Love over the last couple of years. There are moments when he looks terrific, the NFL’s next great gunslinger. Then there are moments he is really underwhelming. I’m not super high on his receivers, but, man, he throws a beautiful ball. He has had months to prepare for this game and has experience going against Brian Flores. If Love is on his game, it also puts much more pressure on Murray to be great. A double-edged sword.Most interesting matchupLewis: Kyler Murray versus Jonathan Gannon’s defense. Not only did the Vikings draw a Packers team with a new defensive coordinator in Gannon, but Gannon’s history with Murray also adds a dimension to the matchup. On Thursday, Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips talked about preparing for Sunday by watching tape from Gannon’s time in Philadelphia and Arizona. Gannon’s strategy will likely revolve around his strong personnel at safety with Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams. But how he thinks he can attack his former quarterback, a player he said he respects, will be interesting to see.Krawczynski: Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason versus Green Bay’s front seven. I’m gonna zag a little on Alec here because I’ve found it interesting just how intentional O’Connell has been all offseason when discussing the importance of the running game. J.J. McCarthy could have used a similar commitment last season. I don’t know if it would have changed his story, but it was clear he needed a strong ground game to support him, and the Vikings were 23rd in rushing offense. Some of that was due to the injuries on the offensive line, but some of it could be attributable to O’Connell’s approach as a play caller as well. At any rate, the changes he made on the coaching staff and the extra emphasis he has put on the running game this preseason are encouraging. Staying committed to that against a Parsons-less Packers front will be key to keeping Love off the field and helping Murray settle in at quarterback.Most interesting overall storylineLewis: What is the Vikings’ ceiling in 2026? With improved quarterback play and a healthy offensive line, the offense should dramatically improve. There are still defensive questions, especially from a durability standpoint. But Flores has proved he will maximize his personnel. This leaves the team’s potential in a bit of a gray area. The organization has not won a playoff game since 2019. O’Connell is entering his fifth season at the helm. Superstar receiver Justin Jefferson is 27 and in the middle of his prime. Reaching the playoffs seems realistic, but can they go even further?How these teams match up from a data standpointHere is where each team ranked in 2025 in the following categories, using explosive play rate for explosiveness, success rate for efficiency and DVOA’s strength of schedule:VikingsPackersTurnover margin29th12thOffensive explosiveness14th3rdDefensive explosiveness11th10thOffensive efficiency21st7thDefensive efficiency10th20thSpecial teams EPA9th29thStrength of schedule7th21stPredictionsLewis: 24-20 Vikings. Cornerback tackling might be the most underrated aspect of the game for Minnesota. Find a way to limit run-after-catch opportunities for Green Bay’s wideouts, avoid turnovers offensively and Minnesota should be able to ride a raucous crowd to a Week 1 victory.Krawczynski: 23-21 Packers. Here is the good news, Vikings fans: I don’t have a great feeling about this season. I’m concerned about the quarterback, the secondary and their lack of depth across the board should injuries pile up. Why is that good news? Because every time I seem to be pessimistic about their chances, they put together a really good season. This is one of the most well-coached teams in the league. They need the talent to match their brainpower. Really looking forward to this one. Let’s never start the season this late again.