Jefferson, Vikings beat Packers for O'Connell's 1st win

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Justin Jefferson started his third season with Minnesota by smashing rival Green Bay for 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns, giving new Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell a 23-7 victory over the Packers in his first game on Sunday.

After accumulating the most receiving yards (3,016) in a player's first two years in the NFL, Jefferson set an all-time Vikings receiving record with 158 yards in the first half against a stacked Packers defense.

Kirk Cousins completed 23 of 32 passes for 277 yards without a turnover, targeting Jefferson on more than a third of his throws and keeping the Packers on their heels for most of the afternoon.

Aaron Rodgers' first game without Davante Adams was a struggle, and the three-time defending NFC North champion Packers fell flat in their opener for the second straight season. Last year, they deftly rebounded from a 38-3 defeat by New Orleans, but a repeat will require some new wide receivers to quickly emerge in rhythm with Rodgers.

The Packers are going to need a healthy offensive line for once, too, after they played most of the second half with three backups.

Jefferson rewarded O'Connell for his first critical in-game decision by catching a 4-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-1 to punctuate the first possession. When Adam Thielen ran a slant, cornerback Eric Stokes and safety Adrian Amos both turned inside — leaving Jefferson wide open in the flat after he came in motion across the formation.

Jefferson had a 36-yard reception for a score in the final minute of the first half to give the Vikings a 17-0 lead. He came close to a third touchdown on the previous drive, too, but his diving catch at the edge of the end zone was a bit too far for him to drop both feet down.

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