Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers: Second quarter recap and third quarter discussion

Already holding a 14-0 lead over the Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers wasted no time adding to that lead to start the second quarter, as just two plays into the quarter Aaron Jones took a handoff from Aaron Rodgers and blasted into the end zone from three yards out. With the extra point from Mason Crosby, the home team was ahead 21-0.

On the next drive, Dalvin Cook apparently decided that he was fed up with all the nonsense and put the team on his back. He took a handoff from Kirk Cousins, started out to his left, cut inside, and sprinted for a nice 75-yard touchdown to get the Vikings on the board! Dan Bailey hit the extra point, and the deficit was down to 21-7.

The Vikings’ defense finally made a positive impact on the next series, as Rodgers completed a pass to Geronimo Allison, who got taken down by a host of Vikings and fumbled the ball! Harrison Smith made the recovery for the Vikings, giving them a takeaway of their own.

The Vikings couldn’t do anything with the turnover, as the teams wound up exchanging punts. The Vikings then had another turnover, courtesy of Cousins. This time, he attempted to throw a pass to Stefon Diggs in what appeared to be triple coverage, but it was deflected and intercepted by Packers’ defensive lineman Preston Smith.

The Packers went attempted to convert a fourth down after the two-minute warning, but the play was stuffed by Linval Joseph for a turnover on downs. On the ensuing second down, Kirk Cousins got one away while he was falling down and somehow got the ball to Chad Beebe, who turned it upfield for a huge 61-yard play down to the Green Bay 3!

On the very next play, the Vikings appeared to have a three-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Diggs, but after review the officials called offensive pass interference to take the points off the board. The Vikings couldn’t get the ball back into the end zone, and had to settle from a 31-yard field goal from Dan Bailey to make the score 21-10. That’s how they go into the locker room at halftime.

The offensive numbers for the Vikings, particularly in the passing game, have not been great. Cousins has completed just 4-of-14 passes for 98 yards and an interception, with 61 of those yards coming on the big pass to Beebe at the end of the half. That makes Beebe the team’s leading receiver, as Adam Thielen (20 yards), Dalvin Cook (13 yards), and Kyle Rudolph (4 yards) have one catch each.

Dalvin Cook, on the other hand, is still good. He’s carried the ball 10 times for 105 yards and the big 75-yard touchdown that got the Vikings on the scoreboard. Cousins has an 11-yard run, and Ameer Abdullah has carried the ball once for two yards.

Things got off to an awful start for the Vikings, but they appeared to have weathered things a bit, as they go into the half down 21-10. They’ll get the football first coming out of the locker room at halftime with a chance to cut into the deficit.