Vikings' Josh Metellus, Jordan Addison add to season accolades

GREEN BAY, WIS. – Vikings coaches and players knew entering Sunday's game at Lambeau Field that young Packers quarterback Jordan Love was maybe a tad too aggressive throwing the ball downfield.

The strategy works when defenses play along. No other NFL team entered Sunday benefiting from more pass interference yardage than Love and the Packers.

That was on Vikings safety Josh Metellus' mind in the third quarter while intercepting Love, who heaved a deep throw to receiver Jayden Reed and watched as Metellus ripped the ball out of Reed's hands and returned the pick 43 yards. Metellus backpedaled over the Packers' midfield logo, knowing that none of his teammates were directly behind him.

"I just remember coach telling me if [Love] sees middle-field-[is]-open defense, he's just going to launch it up," Metellus said. "I just wanted to make sure that since I was behind him, I didn't get a PI call. I looked up for the ball and it was right there."

Metellus had another strong game for a dominant defensive effort by the Vikings in a 24-10 victory. The versatile breakout starter made plays at every level of the field: intercepting the deep ball, deflecting an over-the-middle throw to Packers tight end Luke Musgrave, and wrapping up Love on a scramble for a short gain.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said he gave every defender and defensive coach a game ball. The Packers didn't get a first down until less than five minutes before halftime and generated just 270 yards in the game.

Metellus' 43-yard return set up a touchdown pass on the next play.

"I went back to my running back days," said Metellus, a former running back at Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Fla. "I been telling them I'm good with the ball in my hands. That was my first opportunity to show it."

Receiver Jordan Addison joined elite company by catching his seventh touchdown in his eighth NFL game, becoming the sixth player in the Super Bowl era to do so. The list includes Ja'Marr Chase (2021) and Calvin Ridley (2018).

Addison had seven catches for 82 yards and a touchdown, but his day could have been bigger. He couldn't hold on to a potential touchdown when he was hit hard by Green Bay linebacker Quay Walker. Addison also had a 25-yard grab overturned by a Packers challenge that revealed a drop.

"We're using him a lot of different ways," O'Connell said. "Had him out of the backfield [Sunday] once, and just with the motions. Just trying to take advantage of the fact he has a complete skill set."

K.J. Osborn led all receivers with a season-high 99 yards on eight catches. Receiver Brandon Powell briefly left the game due to an injury and was replaced by Trishton Jackson, who re-signed to the active roster on Saturday.

Love, a 2020 first-round pick, did little to answer questions about his outlook as the Packers' successor for Aaron Rodgers. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said conditions around Love weren't ideal, including switching left tackles between Rasheed Walker, who started the game and struggled, and replacement Yosh Nijman. The Packers were also flagged 11 times for 99 yards.

"We've got to make some plays for him, too," LaFleur said. "We had, like, six dropped balls. That's going to be tough to overcome. We've got to throw it better, we have to catch it better, we have to block better and we have to stop having penalties."

Love was sacked four times, including twice by D.J. Wonnum and once by Danielle Hunter; nose tackle Harrison Phillips and safety Camryn Bynum split a sack. Hunter, who has 10 sacks, needs one more to trigger a $1 million bonus.

• Vikings defensive tackle Dean Lowry, who played for the Packers from 2016 to 2022, suffered a groin injury in the first half and did not return.

• Safety Lewis Cine, the Vikings' 2022 first-round pick, was active for the first time since a Sept. 24 hamstring injury, although he hadn't been on an injury report in three weeks. He played solely on special teams.

• Left guard Ezra Cleveland, who was listed questionable, did not play due to a midfoot sprain. Dalton Risner made his second start in a row in his place.