Rolling Rodgers Helps Packers Scorch Vikings

Aaron Rodgers completed 32 of 44 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns as Green Bay scored TDs on five of six possessions to hammer the rival Vikings.

MINNEAPOLIS – The Green Bay Packers entered Sunday’s season-opening game at the Minnesota Vikings as a team shrouded in questions.

Could Aaron Rodgers take a strong training camp into the regular season? Would the offense be any better after actually being a bit worse in Year 1 under coach Matt LaFleur? Would the offensive line, with major questions at right tackle, hold up? Would the run defense be any more sturdy after getting run off the field in the NFC Championship Game? Would they be ready after an abbreviated training camp?

Mostly, though, was last year a fluke?

Most of those answers were overwhelmingly in the affirmative for the Packers, who struck an early blow in the NFC North race by beating the Vikings 43-34. Green Bay averaged only 16 points in its first four trips to U.S. Bank Stadium but was unstoppable in an empty stadium and against a defense with wholesale changes at cornerback.

Rodgers was sensational. He got rolling early with some easy completions, then rained big plays on Mike Zimmer's defense. He completed 32 of 44 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Davante Adams couldn’t be covered as he hauled in 14-of-17 for 156 yards and two touchdowns.

The offense, other than early red-zone problems, moved the ball up and down the field. Often, it looked like a seven-on-seven drill against the scout team. Rodgers had all sorts of time, Green Bay's receivers had their way and coach Matt LaFleur's play-calling stretched Minnesota's defense this way and that.

The offensive line was strong, whether it was Elgton Jenkins starting at right tackle, or Rick Wagner stepping in at right tackle after Jenkins returned to left guard to replace injured Lucas Patrick, or when rookie Jon Runyan replaced injured right guard Lane Taylor.

The run defense wasn’t very good but it didn’t really matter with how Green Bay’s offensive efficiency dictated the course of the game.

When Rodgers fired a 4-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard with 10 minutes remaining, the Packers took a commanding 36-18 lead. It was Green Bay’s fourth touchdown drive in five possessions. At that point, Rodgers was 28-of-40 for 308 yards and four touchdowns as he destroyed Minnesota’s revamped group of cornerbacks with lethal precision.

Minnesota answered in rapid fashion to pull within 36-26 midway through the fourth quarter but it didn’t matter. Rodgers was as good as he’s been in a couple years. Even first-and-20 didn’t matter, with Rodgers hitting Adams for 40. Aaron Jones capped that drive with the clinching touchdown.

The only negatives for the Packers were injuries. The two players who started the game at guard, Lane Taylor (knee) and Lucas Patrick (shoulder), were knocked out of the game, as was defensive tackle Kenny Clark (groin). Taylor was carted off the field.

The Packers mostly dominated the first half and led 22-10 at the break. The game turned in Green Bay’s direction after a play that should have turned it in Minnesota’s favor. On fourth-and-1, the Vikings finalized a goal-line stand by preventing Rodgers’ goal-line throw to Adams. Instead, on second down from the 4, cornerback Jaire Alexander blitzed and sacked Cousins for a safety that cut an early deficit to 7-5.

The Packers took the free kick and turned it into a 43-yard field goal by Mason Crosby to go ahead 8-7. Za’Darius Smith’s three-and-out sack got the Packers the ball right back and set up Rodgers for one of those all-time-great throws. Extending the play to his right, he fired a bullet to Adams, who was stationed in the end zone but right at the sideline. Adams barely had to move, hauling it in for a 24-yard touchdown to make it 15-7 with 39 seconds remaining in the half.

The Vikings tried to get some points before halftime. Instead, Cousins was intercepted by Jaire Alexander at Minnesota’s 45. Moments later, Rodgers fired a rocket up the right sideline for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who used his speed to get open and strong hands to pull it in and get across the goal line for the touchdown.

Valdes-Scantling struck again late in the third quarter. After dropping a couple passes, he got behind cornerback Mike Hughes – the former first-round pick who was tormented throughout by Rodgers – for a 39-yard gain to the 2 on a free play. One play later, Rodgers hit Adams on a sprintout for the touchdown to give Green Bay a commanding 29-19 lead with 9 seconds left in the quarter. The touchdown pass was the 367th of Rodgers’ career, moving him past Eli Manning and into seventh place in NFL history.