GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes in his return to the Minnesota Vikings, who forced four turnovers in a dominant 30-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers in a crucial NFC North matchup Sunday.
Cousins, who started 88 games for the Vikings from 2018-2023, was acquired Tuesday from Las Vegas in exchange for a third-round draft pick. Cousins completed 21 of 31 passes for 207 yards with one interception. Justin Jefferson had nine receptions for 74 yards.
Minnesota (7-2) snapped a two-game losing streak and completed the season sweep of the Packers (6-4).
Green Bay's Jordan Love completed 17 of 27 passes for 220 yards with one touchdown and one interception, but he was sacked eight times for 59 yards. The Packers lost three fumbles, with Andrew Van Ginkel forcing and recovering one for the Vikings.
Minnesota, which entered Sunday allowing a league-low 14.5 points per game, held the Packers to 220 yards, including 56 on the ground.
Minnesota pushed its 17-0 halftime lead to 20 points on Will Reichard's 32-yard field goal, before the Packers got on the board with a 75-yard scoring drive, capped by Love's 32-yard touchdown pass to J. Michael Sturdivant.
Trey Smack's 40-yard field goal pulled Green Bay within 20-10 late in the third quarter.
The Vikings answered with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took almost seven minutes. Cousins kept the drive alive with a 16-yard completion to Jefferson on third-and-12. Cousins' 20-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Bartholomew put Minnesota in front 27-10 with 8:29 remaining.
The Packers fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, resulting in Reichard's 20-yard field goal for a 30-10 lead.
Minnesota jumped ahead early, recovering a fumble on the Packers' 10-yard line. But the ensuing three plays lost six yards, and the Vikings settled for Reichard's 34-yard field goal.
Love was sacked for a 9-yard loss on third down on the ensuing possession and Smack was wide right on a 53-yard field goal attempt.
Cousins answered with a 57-yard drive, hitting Myles Price with a 38-yard touchdown pass on third-and-23 to put the Vikings up 10-0.
Green Bay responded with a drive into the red zone, but Harrison Smith picked off Love's overthrown pass to tight end Tucker Kraft in the end zone.
Minnesota increased the lead to 17-0 with 6:17 left in the half on Aaron Jones' 1-yard touchdown run. Edge rusher Lukas Van Ness appeared to pick off a Cousins pass, but replay ruled the quarterback was down before the throw. Cousins hit Tai Felton with a 24-yard pass on the next play to the Green Bay 1.
--Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media