Packers WIN on the road after three straight losses: 30-13 victory for Green Bay over Vikings
MINNEAPOLIS -- Aaron Rodgers threw for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Datone Jones had two of Green Bay's six sacks and the Packers stopped a three-game losing streak with a convincing 30-13 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday to pull even in the NFC North race.
James Jones had six catches for 109 yards and a score, Eddie Lacy rushed for a season-high 100 yards on 22 carries and the Packers (7-3) beat the rival Vikings for the 10th time in the last 11 meetings with Rodgers at quarterback. He has thrown for 28 touchdown passes with just three interceptions in those games.
The Vikings (7-3) had their five-game winning streak shoved back in their face by a proud Packers team that clearly wasn't ready to concede a division it has won four straight times.
James Jones wears a hoodie under his jersey in game vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Packers won the coin toss and opted to defer. The Vikings would take the ball as play got underway at TCF Bank Stadium Sunday.
The Vikings were forced to punt after their first possession of the game -- after Sam Shields made a tackle on third down.
The Packers would take the ball on their own 20 yard line.
James Starks ran for nine yards on the Packers’ first play.
On third-and-one, QB Aaron Rodgers completed a short pass to James Jones for two yards and a first down.
On third-and-five, Rodgers completed a 25-yard pass to Jones at the Vikings 39.
The Packers faced another third-and-one.
This time, Starks was stopped short.
Rodgers then hard-counted the Vikings offside for a first down at the Vikings 25 yard line.
The Packers' drive stalled, and Crosby came onto the field to try for a field goal.
Then -- there was a bit of excitement with a wayward squirrel on the field!
Wayward squirrel on the field -- Packers vs. Vikings
Crosby's 42-yard field goal was good -- bringing the score to Packers 3, Vikings 0 with 4:49 left to play in the first quarter.
Mason Crosby 42-yard field goal vs. Vikings
Two carries by Adrian Peterson moved the ball across midfield.
Two plays later, the Vikings scored on a 47-yard, play-action pass from Teddy Bridgewater to Kyle Rudolph.
The Vikings scoring drive consisted of four plays for 64 yards in 1:48.
Packers C Corey Linsley left the game with an ankle injury. His return is questionable. Linsley was replaced by JC Tretter.
Shortly after the Vikings touchdown, a cart came onto the field for S Micah Hyde. He has a hip injury, and his return is questionable. Jeff Janis would take over for Hyde.
Micah Hyde carted off the field during game vs. Vikings
Jeff Janis was able to return the Vikings kickoff across midfield -- for 70 yards in all.
The Packers would start with the ball at the Minnesota 34 yard line.
A Mason Crosby 47-yard field goal would make this a tied game, with 1:37 left in the first quarter.
Mason Crosby second field goal vs. Vikings
The game was tied at 6 as the first quarter came to an end.
CLICK HERE for a Packers vs. Vikings first quarter recap.
Early in the second quarter came a sack by Packers DE Datone Jones for an 18-yard loss. The Packers say that sack breaks a "sack drought" for the Packers that dated back to before the bye week (the first sack in four games for the Packers).
Packers WR Randall Cobb fair-caught the Vikings punt, and the Packers would take over on their own 33 yard line.
The Packers were able to get inside the Minnesota 30 yard line with a 27-yard run by RB Eddie Lacy. This, after a nine-yard catch by Davante Adams.
Another Mason Crosby field goal (this time from 40 yards out) would bring the score to Packers 9, Vikings 6 with 10:17 left in the second quarter.
Mason Crosby third field goal vs. Vikings
The Packers scoring drive included six plays for 45 yards in 2:18.
After a holding penalty and a zero-yard sack by LB Nate Palmer, the Packers forced another punt.
Randall Cobb fair-caught that punt at the Green Bay 22 yard line.
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was sacked on third down, and Tim Masthay shanked an 18-yard punt.
The Vikings were then inside Green Bay territory.
Shortly thereafter came another sack of Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater -- this time by Julius Peppers and Mike Neal.
Shaun Hill took over as QB for the Vikings.
Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater on sidelines
At the two-minute warning in the first half from TCF Bank Stadium, the Packers led the Vikings 9-6.
It was announced that Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater has a shoulder injury. His return is probable.
The Packers took over on their own 20 yard line, and Rodgers was sacked on second down.
With under two minutes left to play in the first half, Rodgers went deep down the field to Jeff Janis, and that pass was incomplete.
Pass interference was called on Vikings CB Terence Newman -- a 50-yard penalty.
It was then first down for the Green Bay Packers.
A completion to James Jones put the Packers in the red zone.
The Packers took their final timeout of the half with 40 seconds left in the first half. It was then second and nine from the Minnesota 15 yard line for the Packers.
A holding penalty on LT David Bakhtiari was offset by a roughing the passer penalty on Linval Joseph, replaying third-and-nine from the Minnesota 15.
On that play, Vikings LB Anthony Barr was flagged for defensive holding, giving the Packers a first down on the 10-yard line with 19 seconds left.
An Aaron Rodgers pass into the end zone was caught by Randall Cobb -- and that meant a Packers TOUCHDOWN -- the first Packers TD this game -- with just six seconds left to play in the first half.
With the extra point, the score was then Packers 16, Vikings 6.
Randall Cobb celebrates TD catch
CLICK HERE for a first half recap via Packers.com.
As the second half got underway, the Packers would start at their own 15 yard line.
The Packers announced Linsley and Hyde would be out for the remainder of the game.
Packers RB Eddie Lacy had five carried for 27 yards on the Packers drive, but that drive stalled at the Minnesota 24 yard line.
Mason Crosby would again take the field. Crosby's fourth field goal this game (for 42 yards) would bring the score to Packers 19, Vikings 6.
Mason Crosby fourth field goal vs. Vikings
The Packers scoring drive included 12 plays for 61 yards in 4:47.
Packers Ha Ha Clinton-Dix got the fourth sack of Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater in the third quarter.
Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater sacked by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Bridgewater's 18-yard scramble on third down came up short for the Vikings, and Randall Cobb would field the punt at the Green Bay nine yard line.
The Packers offense would get back to work with about six minutes left to play in the third quarter.
A pass to Randall Cobb was incomplete on third down -- leading the Packers to punt from their own end zone.
A flag was down on the return after Tim Masthay's punt, and it was ruled an illegal block on the Vikings.
The Vikings would start on their own 37 yard line.
A Vikings touchdown came following a six-yard run by Adrian Peterson.
With the extra point, the score was then Packers 19, Vikings 13 with 2:37 left to play in the third quarter.
Adrian Peterson TD run vs. Packers
The Vikings scoring drive included four plays for 63 yards in 2:00.
Aaron Rodgers found Packers James Jones for 37 yards down on the sideline -- converting third and six.
That put the Packers at the Minnesota 25 yard line.
An Aaron Rodgers pass to James Jones for 27 yards resulted in a Packers touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
The Packers opted to go for two -- and Aaron Rodgers easily completed a pass into the end zone to James Jones.
The score was then Packers 27, Vikings 13 with 14:51 left to play.
The Packers scoring drive included seven plays for 80 yards in 2:46.
Aaron Rodgers to James Jones for the TD early in the fourth quarter vs. the Vikings
The Packers announced James Jones was over 100 yards receiving on the day.
Packers Sam Shields was able to recover a fumble for the Packers -- and Morgan Burnett was credited with that forced fumble.
The Packers would get the ball back on their own 21 yard line.
Packers RB Eddie Lacy carried the ball three times for 21 yards -- but he was stuffed on third and one.
Tim Masthay's punt pinned the Vikings on their own nine yard line as they began their offensive drive.
In quick succession came two sacks of Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater -- one by Mike Daniels, and one by Datone Jones.
The Packers went three-and-out, and the Vikings fair-caught the punt at their own 11 yard line.
Packers Datone Jones was able to bat down a third down pass at the line of scrimmage, and it was then fourth down for the Vikings on their own 33 yard line.
The Vikings opted to go for it -- and QB Teddy Bridgewater, under pressure, was incomplete.
The Packers would take over on downs in Minnesota territory.
Mason Crosby was able to complete his fifth field goal on the say -- a 52-yard field goal, which brought the score to Packers 30, Vikings 13 with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter.
Mason Crosby completes fifth FG vs. Vikings
Vikings QB Terry Bridgewater's pass on fourth down was incomplete, and the Packers would then take over with 2:13 left to play in the game.