JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With the NFL's leading rusher and one of the league's best defenses, the Minnesota Vikings easily made an early lead hold up.

Jacksonville provided plenty of help, too.

Adrian Peterson ran for 80 yards and a touchdown, Minnesota's defense harassed the Jaguars in all sorts of ways and the Vikings used two scores in the first 1:41 to beat Jacksonville 30-12 Sunday.

With their second road win of the season, the Vikings (6-5) kept pace with Chicago in the NFC North. The Jaguars (4-7) fell to 1-5 at home, and faded even further back in the AFC playoff race.

Jacksonville had five turnovers, none more costly than the two fumbles to open the game.

The Vikings were up 14-0 before many fans even found their seats. They added three field goals over the next 50-plus minutes and then sealed the victory with Peterson's 16-yard touchdown run with 6:55 to play.

The Jaguars never really found a rhythm, thanks to three fumbles, three sacks, numerous holding calls — four alone on right tackle Tony Pashos — and two interceptions.

The game, though, really was decided in the opening minutes.

It started on the first play. David Garrard lined up in shotgun formation, but Brad Meester apparently thought he was under center.

Meester's snap fell to the ground, Napolean Harris picked it up and ran 28 yards for a touchdown. The Jaguars were behind 7-0 and stunned after just 7 seconds. It got worse, too.

Rookie Brian Witherspoon fumbled the ensuing kickoff — the first of six mistakes on special teams — and Minnesota recovered another loose ball. Chester Taylor found the end zone three plays later, scoring on a cutback run from 3 yards out and making it 14-0.

The Jaguars got a loud roar when they managed to hold onto the ball on the next kickoff. They got even more cheers when Witherspoon returned a punt 42 yards that helped set up Garrard's short TD pass to Reggie Williams that cut the deficit in half, 14-7. The Jaguars tried to surprise the Vikings with an onside kick, but an offside penalty nullified the play.

Scobee's kickoff then went out of bounds, giving Minnesota the ball near midfield. Peterson's first run of the game — it came on the team's third drive — went for 21 yards and set up Ryan Longwell's 54-yard field goal.

Trailing 17-7, the Jaguars went to the air and seemingly moved the ball with ease. Josh Scobee had three field-goal attempts, but missed wide left from 46 and 38 yards. It was the first time Scobee has missed two in a game since 2006.

Maybe more odd was Minnesota's use of Peterson. He ran just six times for 32 yards in the first half — against a team that has struggled to stop the run all season. Vikings coach Brad Childress was sharply criticized for not letting Peterson touch the ball in the fourth quarter last week, a 19-13 loss at Tampa Bay.

Peterson was much more active after the break, helping take the load off Gus Frerotte, who was knocked out of the game twice. Frerotte finished 12-of-20 for 120 yards with an interception.