Vikings beat Packers 24-10, but Cousins' injury causes concern
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GREEN BAY, Wis. — Kirk Cousins threw a pair of touchdown passes before leaving with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter and the Minnesota Vikings beat the slumping Green Bay Packers 24-10 on Sunday.
Cousins walked gingerly to the sideline after getting sacked on consecutive plays during a series that ended with Green Bay's Karl Brooks blocking Greg Joseph's 44-yard field-goal attempt. Jaren Hall, a rookie fifth-round pick from BYU, took over for the rest of the game.
This marked the first Packers-Vikings matchup since 2006 in which both teams entered the game with losing records, but Minnesota got back to .500 on Sunday with its third consecutive victory.
Now the Vikings (4-4) must wonder whether they're going to have to try continuing this surge without Cousins, who went 23 of 31 for 274 yards. Cousins has never missed a game because of injury in his 12-year career, though he did sit out a game at Green Bay during the 2021 season because of a positive COVID-19 test.
Minnesota's T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison had touchdown receptions less than two minutes apart early in the third quarter. Cam Akers put Minnesota ahead for good in the opening period by giving the Vikings their first touchdown run of the season.
The Packers (2-5) lost their fourth straight and continued their penchant for slow starts. The Packers have been outscored 73-9 in the first half of their past five games and haven't scored a touchdown before halftime in any of them.
Minnesota dominated the first two quarters, but only led 10-3 at the break largely because of missed opportunities. But the Vikings wasted no time breaking the game open early in the third quarter.
Cousins' 2-yard touchdown pass to Hockenson capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive to begin the second half. On the Packers' ensuing possession, Jordan Love threw deep to Jayden Reed, but Josh Metellus made a spectacular catch with his back to the quarterback and then delivered a 43-yard interception return to give the Vikings the ball at the Green Bay 20.
On the next play, Cousins connected with Jordan Addison in the end zone to extend Minnesota's lead to 24-3 with 7:48 left in the third.
Green Bay finally reached the end zone on Love's 1-yard pass to Romeo Doubs on fourth-and-goal late in the third quarter to cut the lead to 24-10, but the Packers couldn't get any closer despite continually reaching Vikings territory in the fourth quarter.
The drive that followed Brooks' blocked field goal ended with the Packers losing the ball on downs at the Minnesota 10-yard line. Hall fumbled while getting sacked on his third snap to give Green Bay the ball at the Minnesota 15, but the Packers again lost the ball on downs. The Packers' final series ended with a fourth down incompletion from the Minnesota 34.
Love ended up going 24 of 41 for 229 yards with one touchdown and an interception.
Minnesota could have put this game out of reach much earlier.
With five minutes left in the second quarter, the Vikings had a 182-26 advantage in total offense and a 13-0 edge in first downs. The Packers already had committed eight of their 11 penalties by that point.
Green Bay didn't get a first down until its fifth series when Love threw an 11-yard completion to Christian Watson with just over four minutes left in the first half. The play drew a heart and sarcastic round of applause from a Lambeau Field crowd frustrated by Green Bay's first-half failures.
INJURY REPORT
Vikings DL Dean Lowry left with a groin injury in the first half. ... Packers OT Yosh Nijman hurt his foot late in the game.
UP NEXT
Vikings: At Atlanta next Sunday.
Packers: Host the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.
Vikings hold on to win 24-10
Though the Vikings' offense didn't do much after Kirk Cousins' injury, the defense held firm and the Vikings beat the Packers 24-10 at Lambeau Field.
Jaren Hall fumbles, Vikings recover
On his first drive in relief duty after Kirk Cousins' injury, rookie quarterback Jaren Hall fumbled and the Packers recovered. They take over deep in Vikings territory trailing by two scores.
Cousins ruled out
Kirk Cousins has been ruled out for the remainder of the game after injuring his ankle.
Fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall has taken over.
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Cousins injured, Packers block Vikings field goal
The Vikings had the chance to go up three scores midway through the fourth quarter, but the Packers blocked the kick and will take over.
Kirk Cousins was injured on the play before the kick and hobbled off the field.
Ty Chandler's deep kickoff return negated by holding
Ty Chandler, replacing the inactive Kene Nwangwu on kickoffs, returned one deep into Packers territory, but a holding call negated it and pinned the Vikings back in their own territory.
Packers score to cut Vikings' lead to 2 TDs
The Packers finally found the end zone, going for it on 4th down and scoring with a Jordan Love pass to Romeo Doubs.
The score stands at 24-10, Vikings leading, late in the third quarter.
Josh Metellus picks off Jordan Love, Jordan Addison scores
After going up 17-3, the Vikings get the ball right back on a Josh Metellus interception and then increase their lead with a Jordan Addison touchdown.
Metellus ripped the ball out of Jaylen Reed's hands and returned it deep into Packers territory.
On the next play, Kirk Cousins hit Addison for a touchdown. The Vikings lead 24-3 midway through the third quarter.
T.J. Hockenson TD puts Vikings up 17-3
The Vikings have a two-touchdown lead over the Packers after T.J. Hockenson secured a score in the back of the end zone in the third quarter.
K.J. Osborn had several clutch catches earlier in the drive to get the Vikings into scoring position.
Packers get second chance at last-second field goal after Vikings penalty
It looked like the Vikings would take a shutout into halftime, but an offsides penalty gave Packers kicker Anders Carlson a second chance after missing his first last-second field goal.
Carlson sailed the second one through, making it 10-3 after the first half. The Vikings will get the ball to start the second half.
Vikings lead 10-0 after Greg Joseph field goal
The Vikings' defense has stifled the Packers' offense all day, and now Minnesota leads 10-0 after a Greg Joseph field goal.
Kirk Cousins hit Jordan Addison in the end zone on 2nd down, but a Packers defender knocked the ball loose to prevent the touchdown.
The Packers will get the ball back down two scores early in the second quarter.
Vikings take 7-0 lead after Cam Akers TD
A Cam Akers rushing touchdown — the first touchdown on the ground for the Vikings this season — has put Minnesota up 7-0 over Green Bay.
The scoring drive was extended by two personal foul penalties by the touchdowns and a big catch by tight end T.J. Hockenson.
Greg Joseph misses field goal on opening drive
After one drive apiece, the Vikings and Packers are still tied at 0-0. A promising Vikings drive stalled once it entered Packers' territory, and kicker Greg Joseph missed a 42-yard field goal to keep the game scoreless.
Vikings, Packers release inactive lists
The Vikings and Packers have both announced their inactive players for Sunday's game. Kick returner Kene Nwangwu and left guard Ezra Cleveland are among the notable names for Minnesota.
For the Packers, it's more notable who is not on the list. Cornerback Jaire Alexander will play after being listed as questionable, as will rookie tight end Luke Musgrave, center Josh Myers and linebacker De'Vondre Campbell.
Bynum lobbies for help in wife's visa pursuit
After sealing the Minnesota Vikings' shocking upset over the San Francisco 49ers Monday night, safety Cam Bynum is shifting his focus to his family.
Bynum said on social media that his wife is in the Philippines and unable to come to the United States until her spousal visa is granted.
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