It was somewhat business as usual for the Green Bay Packers as they headed to Minnesota to face the red-hot Vikings. They needed an attitude to go along with it. Rodgers came in with a passer rating of 117.9 against Minnesota in 15 career games and tormented the Vikings again.
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Signs point to the Broncos suffering a third consecutive loss, but it is worth remembering that they won many of their games earlier this season despite Manning, not because of him. “I think it’s from the top to the bottom”, he said.
Boy, did it ever.
Walt Coleman’s crew drew all sorts of criticisms throughout the game as they threw flag after flag against the NFL’s least penalized team, the Minnesota Vikings.
“This team you saw play today, it wasn’t us”. A loss at home against a team that was ripe for the picking may be something they look back on and regret at the end of the season. The receivers (cough, Randall Cobb, cough) keep dropping passes that are right in their hands. “I said that during the pregame, you could feel something different”. We all stuck together. But, he added, “If we want to get over the hump, that’s who we have to beat”.
It is hard to hear such loud renditions of “Go, Pack, go” during the game.
The Packers had lost three straight games, were ravaged by injuries to the offensive line and receiving corps and hardly resembled the team that has won four division titles in a row. The Vikings’ defensive backs at times took full advantage of what has become one of the more predictable offenses in football. “You’ve got to be able to win when the whole world is watching”, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. “(He) got us out of a lot of trouble. “Try to get us behind the sticks and put us in passing situations so they could let their rushers go”. The Vikings squandered a prime opportunity to take control of the race.
The best development was that all of the players and position groups that had come under the most scrutiny from the media and fans found redemption, a few in a big way.
Rodgers was back performing the way he always has, making big plays with his arm and his feet. “Everybody knows what we have in this locker room”, said James Jones, who had six catches for 109 yards as the Packers (7-3) got their 10th win over the Vikings in the last 11 games with Rodgers at quarterback. “The way our offense performed today is what we’re looking for”, McCarthy said in capsule assessment of the Packers’ resolve in overcoming a three-game losing streak. Minnesota has the better record at 7-2 for the year thanks to the strong play of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and the return of running back Adrian Peterson.
Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby, recently dubbed Missin’ Crosby for his wildness, made all five of his field goal attempts. His stat line wasn’t stellar, finishing with 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but he led Green Bay on scoring drives in the game’s critical moments.
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Yet, to me, this game was mostly about Rodgers.
