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          Big-play TDs: Kene Nwangwu's 98-yard return, Justin Jefferson 's 50-yard catch spark Vikings

          • Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterNov 7, 2021, 03:15 PM ET
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              Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.

          BALTIMORE -- The Minnesota Vikings opened the second half of their Week 9 game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday with a bang, courtesy of rookie Kene Nwangwu.

          Playing in just the second game of his NFL career after a hyperextended knee had him on injured reserve for the first six weeks of the season, the running back took the second-half kickoff 98 yards down the visitor's sideline for a touchdown to extend Minnesota's lead to 24-10.

          Nwangwu logged the first kickoff return touchdown for the Vikings since 2016. Before Sunday, the last five kickoff return touchdowns by a Viking were all by Cordarrelle Patterson, who's currently with the Atlanta Falcons. The last one not named Cordarrelle Patterson was Percy Harvin in Week 4 of 2012 at the Lions (105 yards).

          Nwangwu's return wasn't the Vikings' only big play of the game.

          After a three-game drought, Justin Jefferson was back Griddying in the end zone upon catching a 50-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter .

          Facing third-and-7 from midfield, the Ravens defense was slow to get the call in prior to the snap. Lined up outside to the left of Kirk Cousins, Jefferson ran an out route and sped past Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey. While dropping back, Cousins found Jefferson sprinting behind the Ravens' last line of defense.

          The 22-year-old receiver ran untouched for 20 yards into the end zone with three Ravens defensive backs trailing.

          The Vikings now lead the NFL with 41 points on their opening drives this season and have scored on their opening drive in seven straight games. Cousins' touchdown pass to Jefferson traveled 41 air yards, the longest touchdown pass via air yards that Cousins has thrown since 2019, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

          With his 50-yard touchdown, Jefferson became the second-fastest player to 2,000 career receiving yards in the Super Bowl era, trailing only Odell Beckham Jr.