MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) — Kirk Cousins completed 24 of 35 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns, and Greg Joseph made a 29-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 34-31 win over the visiting Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Justin Jefferson had eight catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns for Minnesota (5-5). Adam Thielen added eight catches for 82 yards and one touchdown, and Dalvin Cook had 22 carries for 86 yards and a score.
Aaron Rodgers completed 23 of 33 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns for Green Bay (8-3). Davante Adams had seven catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling had four catches for 123 yards and one touchdown.
The Vikings trailed by one point when Cousins connected with Jefferson for a go-ahead touchdown with 2:17 remaining. Under pressure in the pocket, Cousins lofted a pass down the right sideline for Jefferson, who reeled it in for a 23-yard score.
Minnesota added a two-point conversion on a run by Cook, making up for Joseph’s missed extra-point kick earlier in the game, giving the Vikings a 31-24 lead.
Green Bay wasted no time pulling even at 31-31. On the first play of the next possession, Rodgers heaved a deep ball to Valdes-Scantling, who caught it in stride and sprinted 40-plus yards for the 75-yard tying touchdown.
Joseph ended the Vikings’ final possession with a winner from short range. Minnesota got inside the red zone and had Cousins take a knee on back-to-back plays to run down the clock for the field-goal attempt.
After Minnesota had taken a 16-3 lead early in the second quarter, Packers tight end Josiah Deguara caught his first career touchdown pass. Rodgers rolled right and fired a 25-yard strike to Deguara, who was the Packers’ third-round pick (No. 94 overall) out of Cincinnati in 2020.
The Vikings led 16-10 at the half, but Jefferson increased the Vikings’ lead to 23-10 with a 9-yard touchdown catch with 8:26 left in the third quarter.
The Packers pulled back within 23-17 later in the quarter. On a broken play, Adams changed directions in the back of the end zone, and Rodgers hit him for a 10-yard touchdown.
Rodgers and Adams connected again, this time from 18 yards, to give Green Bay a 24-23 lead with 7:49 remaining.
Green Bay left tackle Elgton Jenkins went down in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury. He hobbled to the sideline and eventually was carted to the locker room.
–Field Level Media
