LONDON -- Jordan Addison came up big when his teammates needed him the most.
The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver was benched for the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns for missing a team walk-through this past week.
But he scored the game-winning touchdown in Minnesota's 21-17 victory over Cleveland at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
“He spoke with the team to let them know that whenever I gave him the opportunity to go in the game, they could count on him,” head coach Kevin O'Connell said.
Addison caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz with 25 seconds left to give the Vikings (3-2) a much-needed win on their historic international road trip, which started with a 24-21 loss to the Steelers in Dublin.
“Having been in Europe for two weeks, pretty much, and losing last week in Ireland, a W was a must,” receiver Justin Jefferson said. “We couldn't go home on that plane 0-2.”
Wentz was 9 for 9 on the 10-play winning drive that started on the Minnesota 20-yard line.
The Vikings improved to 5-0 all time in London.
Addison had five receptions for 41 yards to complement Jefferson's big game: 123 yards on seven receptions.
Addison returned last week after serving a three-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy for a drunken driving case last year.
O'Connell said Addison missing a walk-through is “in not alignment with our standards.”
“I love Jordan Addison. He's a guy that I care about tremendously,” O'Connell said. “He knows that every guy in that locker room has his back. He knows that I will never waver in my confidence and belief in him. But at the same time, we’ve got standards.”
Jefferson, who prides himself as being a team leader, said he “definitely had my words with J.A.”
“It's just all about growing up and just being a part of the team, and knowing the stakes and knowing that he's a valuable part of this team,” Jefferson said.
“I've just got to do better in keeping him under my wing and making sure that he has his head on straight.”
Addison did not speak after the game.
Neither O'Connell nor Wentz seemed interested in discussing who will be under center in two weeks. Wentz started his third straight game - winning two of them - in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy.
“I'm just excited we got the win today, and we're going to move forward in this bye and get as healthy as we can in all positions,” O'Connell said.
Wentz said he doesn't look ahead.
“I'm done doing that. I'm very much trying to live in the moment and appreciate the moment right now,” he said. “I'm going to enjoy this one, get healthy and see what happens.”
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