The Green Bay Packers watched a 12-point second-half lead disappear in their season opener.
But Keisean Nixon isn’t treating one rough finish as a forecast for the remainder of 2026.
After Green Bay’s 39-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Nixon sent a message about the import he places on an 0-1 start.
FOX 11’s Vince Lovergine shared Nixon’s comments on Sept. 16, three days after the Packers surrendered 29 consecutive points to close the game.
“It’s one game. Week 1 never defines you towards the end of the season,” Nixon said. “That doesn’t really matter, it’s irrelevant. Half of the NFL is 0-1 right now, you really can’t control that.”
This Packers team came into the year with postseason expectations, so the response from Week 1 makes a difference, facing another road game against the New York Jets this Sunday.
Nixon Calls Week 1 ‘Irrelevant’
Nixon’s confidence arises after a strange opener in which Green Bay produced enough offense to win and lost by 17 points anyway.
The Packers finished with 419 total yards, while the Vikings had 239, via the team’s official game center. Green Bay also committed 12 penalties for 98 yards, compared with three penalties for 15 yards by Minnesota.
The fourth quarter was where the game cracked open.
Green Bay led 22-17 before a failed fourth-and-1 quarterback sneak gave Minnesota the ball back. Three defensive penalties then erased third-down stops during the Vikings’ go-ahead drive, via Packers.com’s game notes. Minnesota went on to score touchdowns after a Jordan Love fumble and interception, turning a close game into a lopsided final score.
Nixon was one of Green Bay’s more productive defenders in the loss.
NFL.com credited him with five total tackles, a half-sack, one pass defense and an interception. He also delivered a more critical assessment right after the game, telling Packers.com, “Can’t leave it in the ref’s hands. And that’s just what we did.”
Packers Have Quick Chance to Change the Tone
Nixon has a career that carries influence in Green Bay’s locker room.
He was an AP first-team All-Pro kick returner in both 2022 and 2023 and made his first Pro Bowl after the 2025 season, per his Packers biography. His role has also expanded past special teams. He started all 17 games in 2025 and has become a fixture in Green Bay’s secondary.
Now the Packers need the reset Nixon described to show up on the field.
After Green Bay visits the Jets on Sept. 20 at MetLife Stadium, they return home four days later to face the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. So, that gives the Packers two games in five days to move past an opener that got away quickly.
The good news from Week 1 was that Green Bay moved the ball and held a double-digit lead into the second half.
The concern was how rapidly the game unraveled once momentum flipped. Penalties, turnovers and a stalled short-yardage attempt all contributed to the collapse.
Nixon’s “irrelevant” message is essentially a challenge for the Packers to prove Week 1 was an isolated stumble.
At 0-1, there is a lot of season left.
The next two games will present a true indication of how well Green Bay can turn the page.
Packers’ 7-Year Veteran Sends Honest Message Ahead of New York Jets Game