Packers|Packers 44, Vikings 31
Simply the best: Aaron Rodgers' virtuosity makes up for injury-depleted roster in Packers' victory over Vikings
Packers running back Eddie Lacy celebrates his third-quarter touchdown after a 1-yard run. Lacy led an effective running attack for the Packers, rushing for 94 yards on 29 carries. Credit: Rick Wood
Bob McGinn
Bob McGinn: Missing key weapons, Rodgers is the difference in victory
Box score: Packers 44, Vikings 31
Running backs: Packers add new flavor to ground game's punch
Hyde: Not known for speed, he blazes 93 yards for a TD
Notes: Jordy Nelson shows off versatility
Packers Replay: Player of the game; what if; by the numbers, next up; more
Summary: How they scored
Game blog: Review Tom Silverstein's live coverage
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Scoreboard: Box scores, statistics
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Oct. 27, 2013 0
Minneapolis — It was a tour de force by quarterback Aaron Rodgers Sunday night at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome against the opponent that he has bedeviled the most over the years.
Beating the Minnesota Vikings on countless third downs with his whip-like arm and remarkable feel in the pocket, Rodgers was at his deadly best in the Green Bay Packers' utterly impressive 44-31 victory.
"One word. Quarterback," an executive in personnel for a National Football League team said. "It was as simple as that. Look at the rhythm of Green Bay's game against Minnesota's game. I don't know if it's coaching or quarterbacks.
"Every team in the league has problems. Quarterbacks are the difference."
Rodgers completed 24 of 29 passes (82.8%) for 285 yards and two touchdowns. His passer rating of 130.6 was even better than his record mark of 116.4 in his first 10 regular-season starts against the Vikings, and he scrambled six times for a season-best 31 yards.
Green Bay (5-2) played without seven starters, leaving them to start Jarrett Boykin, Myles White and Andrew Quarless for wide receivers Randall Cobb and James Jones and tight end Jermichael Finley.
It wasn't many weapons for the Packers, who remained one-half game ahead of Detroit in the NFC North Division.
"They got one — what more can you say?" another scout said. "And he was making a whole lot of plays.
"Look at the third-down percentage. That says it all."
Green Bay converted 13 of 18, including seven of nine by halftime.
Fighting to regain their self-respect after a feeble showing last Monday night against the New York Giants, the Vikings (1-6) of embattled coach Leslie Frazier played exceptionally hard on defense for long stretches before inevitably wilting when they couldn't get off the field on third down.
The Packers now own the fourth best record in the NFC, trailing Seattle (6-1), New Orleans (6-1) and San Francisco (6-2).
"Green Bay seems like they can be in the mix," one scout said. "They always seem they can be in the mix. They always will be formidable because they have a lot of key cogs playing at a high level."
Rodgers threw just 29 times because these Packers can run the football with authority. Eddie Lacy (29 carries, 94 yards) and James Starks (7-57) powered the 182-yard ground attack.
"I think they're a great football team," said one personnel man. "I like Starks and Lacy. They storm it. They come through there like they're on fire. And I thought Green Bay's offensive line played extremely well. Josh Sitton is a tremendous player."
The Packers' defense, benefiting from the ball-control offense, faced just 13 carries from Adrian Peterson. He was effective, as usual against the Packers, and finished with 60 yards.
Christian Ponder, the Vikings' third starting quarterback in as many games, did a workmanlike job and posted a passer rating of 86.4.
Thus, the Packers finished with a 15-16 record at the Metrodome, which will be razed shortly after the season so a new $975 million stadium can be built on its footprint just south of downtown.
Coach Mike McCarthy improved to 5-3 in Minneapolis and 12-4 overall against the Packers' border rival.
The game opened with Minnesota's Cordarrelle Patterson returning Tim Masthay's 74-yard kickoff with more than adequate 4.06-second hang time 109 yards for a touchdown. Micah Hyde missed the tackle and Patterson was off.
Patterson returned a kickoff for 105 yards against Chicago on Sept. 15.
"He's done that already this year," one scout said. "Just his natural athleticism. Plus the fact he can see it and get into it. But I don't know if he will be that good (as former Viking Percy Harvin)."
The Packers turned right around and, with the crowd in full throat, converted four third downs in a 14-play, 90-yard touchdown drive. It ended when Jordy Nelson, covered tightly in the right slot by Josh Robinson, turned back in the end zone and the pass from Rodgers came directly into his chest for the 11-yard score.
"Just a great throw," the scout said. "No two ways about it."
After a punt, Green Bay went 70 yards in 17 plays, finally settling for a field goal (Mason Crosby from 30 yards) when Chad Greenway sacked Rodgers on third down.
An 11-play, 62-yard drive by Minnesota tied the score, 10-10, on Blair Walsh's 36-yard field goal.
Three plays later, the Vikings blitzed off the right side, where Nelson was lined up in the slot to that side. Greenway was a step slow getting over to cover Nelson on a seam route.
Nelson made the catch about 15 yards downfield. When Greenway fell off the tackle and free safety Andrew Sendejo overpursued by a few feet, Nelson was off for a 76-yard TD.
"Quarterback made a great read," the scout said. "Greenway was late."
Added another scout: "Jordy is a great player. I never thought he would be, but he is."
Jeff Locke's 53-yard punt hung for 4.66 seconds, and in some cases Hyde might not have even fielded it. This time he did, heading straight up the field.
He split three sets of tacklers and was gone for a 93-yard TD.
"Guess he got even," the scout said, referring to Hyde's missed tackle on the opening kickoff. "He found the right hole."
The Vikings recovered smartly, covering 77 yards in eight plays for a touchdown to cut their halftime deficit to 24-17.
Christian Ponder found Patterson for 17 on the left side against Sam Shields before Tramon Williams was penalized 26 yards for pass interference against Greg Jennings.
The Vikings faced second and 4 from the 8 with 10 seconds left. The call was a draw to Peterson, who dragged A.J. Hawk from the 4 and then ran through a frontal shot by Morgan Burnett to reach the end zone and it was 24-17.
"Pretty strong," the scout said. "Nothing you haven't seen before. I'm not sure if anybody else could do it. I'm not sure another team tries to do that."
At halftime, Rodgers' passer rating of 150.3 was just beneath the NFL maximum of 156.3.
Having deferred to open the game, the Packers took possession to open the third quarter. They then put together another marathon drive, going 80 yards in 15 plays capped by Lacy's 1-yard plunge.
The march included an 11-yard reception by Nelson on third and 1, an 11-yard run by Lacy and an 8-yard pass to Nelson on fourth and 3.
Rodgers scrambled for 14 on third and 2, and then for 3 on another third and 2 when he took several stiff shots.
Green Bay overcame a holding penalty on Don Barclay when Rodgers scrambled right and threw back inside to a diving Boykin for 17.
Then Starks, subbing for Lacy, rushed four times for 49 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown run through the heart of the Vikings' exhausted defense.
That made it 38-17 early in the fourth quarter, and large numbers of fans in the crowd of 64,134 began heading for the exits.
Minnesota scored twice in the final five minutes to make the final score somewhat respectable.
However, the Packers covered the 9-point spread, giving them an 18-12 mark against the line in games at the Metrodome. The 1992 contest was pick 'em.
About Bob McGinn
Bob McGinn is a beat writer and columnist covering the Green Bay Packers. A six-time Wisconsin state sportswriter of the year, he won the Dick McCann Memorial Award in 2011 for long and distinguished reporting on pro football.
@bobmcginn
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
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