Field Level Media
Sep 11, 2022
Kirk Cousins went 23-of-32 passing for 277 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Minnesota Vikings to a 23-7 home win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in the season opener for both teams.
Justin Jefferson caught nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns for Minnesota.
Aaron Rodgers went 22-of-34 passing for 195 yards and an interception in defeat for Green Bay.
The Vikings dominated the first half, taking a 17-0 lead into halftime and outgaining Green Bay 262-100 through the first 30 minutes of action.
Minnesota struck first on the first drive of the game, going up 7-0 with 9:17 remaining in the first quarter on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Jefferson.
The score capped off a 10-play, 78-yard drive.
Minnesota took a 10-0 lead with 3:54 remaining in the second quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Greg Joseph, and then went up 17-0 on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Jefferson with 33 seconds left until halftime.
In the third quarter, after Minnesota recovered a Green Bay fumble, Joseph made a 56-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 20-0 lead with 9:46 to go in the frame.
Green Bay finally broke through, cutting Minnesota's lead to 20-7 with 5:16 left in the third on a 2-yard touchdown run by AJ Dillon, which finished off a 7-play, 75-yard drive.
After each team held firm with defensive stops, Minnesota then took a 23-7 lead with 6:48 remaining in the game on a 29-yard field goal by Joseph.
Green Bay's last gasp came when it drove to the Minnesota 18-yard line late in the fourth quarter, but a fourth-and-1 pass from Rodgers fell incomplete and the Vikings took over on downs with 3:45 remaining.
Dalvin Cook rushed for 90 yards on 20 carries to flank Cousins and Jefferson for Minnesota.
Green Bay turned the ball over twice, while Minnesota didn't have a turnover.
--Field Level Media