Green Bay Packers halt slide with win over Minnesota Vikings

But the biggest boon of playing with a lead is the way it unleashes the pass rush. Chicago, the NY Giants and Green Bay close out the regular season.

That certainly seemed to be the case.

With the ball, Eddie Lacy re-emerged with 100 yards rushing, Aaron Rodgers was efficient enough despite several dropped passes, and there were no turnovers. Against a quality opponent like the Packers they weren’t able to overcome them. Vikings fans can hope for the future, but, at present, NFC North dominance still resides east of the St. Croix River. “And, now that we were the hunters, it feels good to have come out on top in this one”. “We didn’t play well on a national stage today”.

That was certainly true. The Packers didn’t have a sack in their last three games, all losses in which they mostly played from behind. Green Bay didn’t score its first touchdown until there were only six seconds left before halftime.

“Maybe we’ll get you guys off our back for a couple days”, said Rodgers following the game against the Minnesota Vikings, according to Fox Sports. We might see, at the very least, a mini-run by the Packers.

By then, Green Bay could have a fifth straight division title wrapped up. “I couldn’t answer that to be honest with you”. We came out strong at first, fell off a little bit and hit a little bit of adversity.

“We’ve got to fix this problem if we want to get to the next level, to the playoff round and to the Super Bowl”, Munnerlyn said.

The Packers has appeared like a quite different club in its three-game drift than the one that started the season with 6-0 record. Overall, the Packers ran for 124 yards on 34 carries. Green Bay is also a step up in comp.

The defensive effort put forth by the Packers in this game was absolutely superb.

Assignment, Adrian Peterson: Suspect at the start of the season, Green Bay’s run defense passed early tests against Marshawn Lynch, Jamaal Charles and Carlos Hyde. They were penalized eight times for 110 yards, and none was more costly than Terence Newman’s 50-yard pass-interference penalty that set up Green Bay’s first touchdown, a pass from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb with six seconds remaining in the first half that sent the visitors into the half leading 16-6. But in my end, this game was about Rodgers. I’m disappointed in our performance, but I’m not discouraged about our future. The only way to be in that situation is to take this stance, I’m glad they got the experience. But Packers coach Mike McCarthy wasn’t putting too much stock in one victory.

The Packers had two injuries of note. Packers punter Tim Masthay averaged only 38 yards for both gross and net, counting a partially blocked kick that traveled only 18 yards in the first half.

The Packers were a wounded team that was ripe for the picking.

Before Week 11, and after their convincing victory over the Raiders, I would’ve told you the Vikings were easily at number three on the list. The way we’ve been challenged from the defense…is something we have to overcome. “The opportunities were slim, and we just couldn’t get going for whatever reason”, Peterson said. Lacy, who averaged just 19.5 rushing yards in his previous four outings, rushed for a season-high against Minnesota. That play made the game’s outcome academic.

Mike Zimmer: “Can’t win playing the way we did, too many mistakes”. “We know we have to tackle better… but he is a good back, there is no doubt about it”. Green Bay’s special teams continue to be problematic despite Crosby’s huge day.

“We played well, but I’m not naïve to the fact there are things we can do better”.