Packers drop opener to Vikings, 23-7

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.

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