MINNEAPOLIS – For the second straight year, the Packers came out of the gates with a sluggish performance, losing their season opener to the NFC North rival Vikings, 23-7, on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota led 20-0, mostly thanks to a huge performance by WR Justin Jefferson, before the Packers scored in the second half. Jefferson had nine catches for a career-high 184 yards and two touchdowns, almost single-handedly beating the Packers. RB Dalvin Cook added 90 rushing yards on 20 carries and those two were all the offense the Vikings needed.
QB Kirk Cousins was 23-of-32 for 277 yards with the two TDs, no INTs and a 118.9 passer rating.
The Vikings scored on the game’s first possession and the Packers would’ve answered on their first play, but rookie WR Christian Watson dropped what should’ve been a 75-yard touchdown as he got well behind the defense.
Green Bay also failed to punch it in on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the second quarter, when the score was just 7-0. RB AJ Dillon was stuffed on an inside run out of shotgun, and the Vikings took over on their own 1-yard line and drove 89 yards the other way for a field goal to make it 10-0.
Leading 17-0 at the half, the Vikings added a field goal early in the third quarter when a sack-fumble of QB Aaron Rodgers set them up in great field position.
Rodgers was 22-of-34 for 195 yards with one INT, and was harassed all day for a 67.6 passer rating. Dillon scored Green Bay’s lone TD and had 91 yards from scrimmage (45 rushing, 46 receiving). Rookie WR Romeo Doubs had four catches for 37 yards to lead the wideouts.
The Packers also sustained several injuries, as G Jon Runyan (concussion evaluation), CB Keisean Nixon (shoulder), LB Quay Walker (shoulder) and LB Krys Barnes (ankle) all left the game.
Here’s a recap of all the action: