Packers 44 vs. Vikings 31: With a balanced attack Green Bay improves to 5-2

Micah Hyde (33) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Micah Hyde, Jordy Nelson and the entire Green Bay Packers defense all had large roles in Sunday night’s 44-31 win over the Minnesota Vikings in the final match-up between these two teams in the Metrodome.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after the game that this was a huge win for his team. At the same time, he gave shout-outs to the young players stepping up: David Bakhtiari, Jarrett Boykin, Eddie Lacy, Myles White, and Micah Hyde. And for good reason. All of these young draft picks have had some level of contribution to the Packers during this difficult time when the team has had so many injuries.

Boykin had several big catches again tonight (5 catches for 89 yards), while Lacy carried the ball 29 times for 94 yards. Not to be outdone, rookie cornerback Micah Hyde also returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown.

Green Bay Packers running back James Starks (44) rushes for a 25 yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Packers fell behind on the opening kickoff when Cordarelle Patterson ran it back 109 yards, but that didn’t disturb Aaron Rodgers and company.

Green Bay drove the length of the field on their first possession and it was Aaron Rodgers who capped it with a touchdown pass to Nelson in the back of the end zone – a perfect pitch and over-the-shoulder catch by Nelson.

The Packers scored again when Rodgers hit Nelson over the middle and he took it 76 yards to the end zone to give the Packers a 17-10 lead. That touchdown was followed by Hyde’s punt return to put the Packers up 24-10.

The Packers continued to eat the clock throughout the half while, for the most part, keeping Adrian Peterson in check. His longest run of the half was 17 yards as he put up 46 yards on 10 carries. His lone touchdown of the night came with the clock running down in the first half and brought the Vikes back to within a touchdown just before halftime, 24-17.

But it was all Packers in the second half. Lacy scored the only touchdown of the third quarter, a one-yard plunge that put Green Bay up 31-17. That was followed by a James Starks 25-yard TD run that put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter. At that point, the Packers led 38-17. Two Mason Crosby field goals and two garbage touchdowns by the Vikings late in the fourth quarter finished off the 44-31 win for Green Bay.

Rodgers finished the night 24-of-29 for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lacy led the team in rushing and was followed by James Starks’ 57 yards on 7 carries.

Nelson led all receivers with 123 yards on 7 catches, followed by Boykin’s 89 yards on 5 carries. White also had five catches for 35 yards.

At 5-2, the Packers stay atop the NFC North, followed closely by the Detroit Lions at 5-3.

Jordy Nelson (87) catches a touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Plays the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field next Sunday as the Bears come off this week’s bye.

Game  Statistics courtesy of SI.com

• Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

Cordarrelle Patterson 109 yd kick return (Blair Walsh kick), 14:47 Drive: 0 play, 0 yard
Minnesota 7-0

Jordy Nelson 11 yd pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 7:23 Drive: 14 plays, 90 yards in 7:24
Tied 7-7

2nd Quarter

Mason Crosby 30 yd FG, 10:29 Drive: 17 plays, 70 yards in 8:24
Green Bay 10-7

Blair Walsh 36 yd FG, 5:09 Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards in 5:20
Tied 10-10

Jordy Nelson 76 yd pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 3:38 Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards in 1:31
Green Bay 17-10

Micah Hyde 93 yd punt return (Mason Crosby kick), 1:30 Drive: 0 play, 0 yard
Green Bay 24-10

Adrian Peterson 8 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 0:04 Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards in 1:26
Green Bay 24-17

3rd Quarter

Eddie Lacy 1 yd run (Mason Crosby kick), 6:50 Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards in 8:10
Green Bay 31-17

4th Quarter

James Starks 25 yd run (Mason Crosby kick), 14:16 Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards in 5:32
Green Bay 38-17

Mason Crosby 20 yd FG, 6:10 Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards in 6:36
Green Bay 41-17

Toby Gerhart 13 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 4:42 Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards in 1:28
Green Bay 41-24

Mason Crosby 45 yd FG, 2:53 Drive: 6 plays, 16 yards in 1:49
Green Bay 44-24

Christian Ponder 19 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 1:24 Drive: 5 plays, 73 yards in 1:29
Green Bay 44-31

Packers

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Packers

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