GREEN BAY, WIS. – Vikings receiver Jordan Addison immediately announced his return during Sunday’s 31-29 victory at Lambeau Field, telling the world his ankles are fully healed with one route.
Vikings receiver Jordan Addison shows his ankles are just fine with two touchdowns in Green Bay
Vikings star Justin Jefferson said Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor and himself in a package is “something no defense wants to see.”
The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 30, 2024 at 3:14AM
Addison, who missed two games because of a Sept. 8 ankle sprain after previously injuring his other ankle in the preseason, caught a 29-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He ran a slick stop-and-go maneuver that froze Packers cornerback Corey Ballentine in his tracks.
“It was a little curl takeoff,” Addison told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “We repped it in practice and I had a good one. But it didn’t come to me in practice. The fact it came to me today, it worked out.”
Addison had just four touches, but he made the most of each. After his touchdown grab, he took a handoff on a 7-yard touchdown run that required him to juke Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon. He added two first downs with his other grabs, finishing with three catches for 72 yards.
The Vikings played their first full game with every top wide receiver available (Addison was injured in the third quarter of Week 1), while the Packers defense had to play without injured cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine.
“When it’s me, Speedy [Jalen Nailor], and J.A. in a package,” receiver Justin Jefferson said. “That’s something no defense wants to see.”
Receiver Brandon Powell called it dangerous.
“Who are you going to cover? Me and Trent [Sherfield] will go in and block, dog you out,” Powell added. “We can also catch. But we got Jets, Jordan and Speedy that’ll cook you on any route they run.”
Murphy’s redemption
Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. was the recipient of one of coach Kevin O’Connell’s postgame game balls. Murphy, who was on the wrong end of a touchdown catch by Packers receiver Jayden Reed, helped seal the victory with two takeaways in the fourth quarter. He first intercepted Packers quarterback Jordan Love on a deep ball intended for receiver Dontayvion Wicks.
“I’ve always looked at Murph as he’s got that kind of closer’s mentality,” O’Connell said. “The smarts come into play knowing the call, knowing the possibility that ball is going to come out one way or another, staying visual to track it.”
On the defense’s next possession, Murphy punched the ball free from tight end Tucker Kraft. Murphy said the Packers’ 22 fourth-quarter points came as Love seemed to get more comfortable against the Vikings defense.
“He was checking a lot,” Murphy said. “He was probably getting familiar with what [defensive call] we were in. He probably didn’t know what we were in, but I feel he was getting more comfortable.”
Powell injury leads to turnover
Powell said quarterback Sam Darnold came up to him on the sideline to apologize after a late third-down pass over the middle that got Powell drilled by a couple of Packers defenders. Powell missed the end of the first half with a rib injury.
“It’s a timing play,” Powell said. “That’s his fault I got hurt, but it’s football.”
When Powell was out, the Vikings had Nailor return a Packers punt. That’s when Nailor muffed the return, leading to a Packers recovery and Green Bay’s first points on an ensuing touchdown.
“It’s tough back there,” Powell said. “I think [Nailor] hasn’t done it since college.”
Animated coaching
O’Connell went a perfect 3-for-3 on coach’s challenges at Lambeau Field, but the former backup NFL quarterback drew some attention for the distance he chucked the red flag to challenge an incomplete ruling on Jefferson’s sideline, toe-tapping grab for 13 yards to convert third down in the fourth quarter.
“I threw it far,” O’Connell said. “You don’t have to be very accurate with that thing, thank goodness. I threw it far in the moment because there was some emotion involved.”
Packers coach Matt LaFleur got heated — and penalized — for unsportsmanlike conduct at the end of the first half. As the clock ticked down before halftime, LaFleur charged onto the field yelling at officials.
“I don’t really want to get into that,” LaFleur said. “I was trying to call timeout. I didn’t think they saw me, so it is what it is.”
The Vikings let go of one of the few remaining players from their 2022 NFL draft class on Saturday morning, cutting cornerback Akayleb Evans after his role on defense had dissolved. He could return to the practice squad.
