Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell reacts after a play against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

NFL fans were treated to some early morning action in London as the Minnesota Vikings battled the Cleveland Browns.

If you were just waking up, however, your blurry eyes might've missed that Jordan Addison wasn't on the field for Minnesota – until he was. The Vikings receiver missed the first quarter of the Week 5 contest, for reasons that didn't become clear until after the game.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell explained the reason for Addison's apparent benching.

“He missed a walkthrough this week,” O’Connell told reporters in London after the game. “Those types of things aren’t in alignment with our standards and [I] wanted to make sure he was held accountable for that. But at the same time he knows that. I thought he handled it professionally. 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, and he makes the game-winning catch.”

Addison eventually caught the game-winning touchdown, giving the Vikings a 21-17 victory heading into the bye week. He finished with five catches for 41 yards and the touchdown in limited action.

The receiver said after the game via ESPN's Kevin Seifert that he vowed to be ready to play when called upon. However, he wasn't sure if he'd get to participate in Sunday's game at all.

Justin Jefferson said, via Seifert, that he "had words" with Addison after the missed walkthrough that led to his benching. Jefferson added that he has to do a better job of taking the young receiver under his wing and make sure Addison's “head is on straight.”

After spending the last two weeks in Dublin and London, the Vikings are headed for their bye week.

They'll return home in Week 7 to face the Philadelphia Eagles.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vikings' Kevin O'Connell, Justin Jefferson talk Jordan Addison's first-quarter benching

Reporting by Nick Brinkerhoff, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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