Packers clinch NFC North title on another Monday night debacle for Kirk Cousins

Green Bay improved its record to 12-3 in a successful first season as an NFL head coach for Matt LaFleur. After so much talk before the season about the relationship between LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers are vying with the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks for NFC supremacy. Green Bay currently is the conference’s No. 2 seed.

Rodgers threw an interception, only his third of the season, as part of a three-turnover first half for the Packers. Jones and wide receiver Davante Adams lost fumbles. Those gaffes led to 10 points for the Vikings, via a field goal and a touchdown pass from Cousins to wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

But the Packers, held to a trio of first-half field goals by kicker Mason Crosby, took the lead on Jones’s 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He added a 56-yard touchdown dash in the fourth quarter and now has 16 rushing touchdowns on the season.

Rodgers completed 26 of 40 passes for 216 yards. Jones ran for 154 yards, and Adams had 13 catches for 116 yards for Green Bay.

Cousins and the Minnesota offense struggled all night. Cousins’s career record in Monday night games dropped to 0-9. He threw an interception as part of a 16-for-31, 122-yard passing night. Cousins was sacked five times. Za’Darius Smith had 3.5 sacks for Green Bay.

A 53-yard touchdown strike to wideout Olabisi Johnson with just than four minutes remaining was nullified by a holding penalty. The $84 million quarterback has been far more successful for the Vikings this season than he was in Year 1 in Minnesota. But the Monday night issues have persisted.

The Vikings managed only seven first downs and 139 yards of total offense. They lost for the first time at home this season and their record dropped to 10-5. They previously had clinched a playoff spot in the NFC and now will be a wild-card team and the No. 6 seed. (Final score: Packers 23, Vikings 10)