Starter James Starks only gained 14 yards on eight carries, but added a nice 30-yard reception. Jones had six catches for 109 yards and a TD after not registering a catch last week and he is a prime option to start for fantasy owners in Week 12.
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And on special teams: Blair Walsh missed an extra point and Cordarrelle Patterson was flagged for unnecessary roughness when he head-butted kicker Mason Crosby after a big kick return. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is generously listed at 215 pounds and he can’t survive many beatings like he took Sunday. Jones played with confidence all day, averaging 18.2 yards per catch. And the Packers still need to keep winning, because before Sunday the Vikings showed they’re a formidable challenger for the division. A run to the right by Eddie Lacy went back four yards with Brian Robison preventing the first down this time around.
San Diego’s only score was a 52-yard field goal by rookie Josh Lambo.
– Packers defensive end Datone Jones had an eye-opening re-emergence. Cobb was a nonfactor in return to punt returns as the fill-in for Hyde.
The first came in the third quarter. The Packers defense looks like it’s finally ready to step up and Rodgers always has the advantage over Cutler. Given up for dead by many after a stunning home loss to the Lions dropped them to 6-3, the Packers roared back with a huge victory that puts them back in the driver’s seat for the NFC North title. He’s a great back.
Teddy Bridgewater was 25 for 37 for 296 yards and a touchdown and Kyle Rudolph had six catches for 106 yards, including a 47-yard score, for the Vikings (7-3). Perillo had five catches for 58 yards and helped spark the Packers’ inert offense in the fourth quarter of their loss last week against Detroit.
Yet, to me, this game was mostly about Rodgers. Green Bay did allow a six-yard touchdown run by Peterson late in the third quarter that cut the Minnesota deficit to 19-13.
The Packers didn’t have any penalties in the opening 30 minutes; the Vikings had six for 85 yards. Also, Lacy continued to run well, recording 27 yards on five carries. And as cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said in unprintable terms, they again came unraveled when everyone was watching, which is kind of a big deal for a team that is starting to raise its profile. That equaled Crosby’s career high for makes. The defense certainly didn’t lose the games for the Pack.
The next offensive drive for the Vikings was much different, though.
While the Vikings were playing well the Packers had been sputtering coming into this matchup.
“I told (the players), ‘It’s OK to be upset today, ‘ ” Zimmer said Monday.
Green Bay were not at their best on offense, Aaron Rodgers completing just 16 of his 34 pass attempts, but he was responsible for their two touchdowns. The Packers were successful on the two-point try after Rodgers flipped a pass to Jones across the middle. With the exception of the Bears, the rest of the Vikings remaining opponents have a. 500 or better record and will all be fighting for playoff ground. Also, safety Morgan Burnett forced Peterson’s fumble early in the fourth quarter.
Mike Daniels and Jones picked up sacks No. 5 and 6 on the next defensive series for the Packers defense.
Guard T.J. Lang said the Packers knew their backs were against the wall but weren’t “out to prove anything to anybody except ourselves”.
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The featured National Football League game of Week 11 may the matchup that decides the victor of the NFC North, or goes a long way toward doing so.
