Carrying the momentum from a win over the Chicago Bears home, the Green Bay Packers barely gave the Minnesota Vikings a chance Thursday, rolling to a 42-10 win on a rainy night at Lambeau Field.
The Packers’ offense gave the team a 14-0 lead early, sparked by running back Eddie Lacy, and the Packers’ defense cleaned up with an aggressive performance that included six sacks, three turnovers and a pick-six by linebacker Julius Peppers.
After going three-and-out on the first possession, quarterback Aaron Rodgers engineered scoring drives of 61 and 81 yards on the Packers’ next two drives, finding Randall Cobb for an 8-yard touchdown for the first score and Jordy Nelson for 66 yards on the second.
Lacy spurred the Packers’ first scoring drive by getting back-to-back carries of 18 and 29 yards, both season longs for the second-year running back. Lacy added touchdown runs of 11 and 10 yards in the third quarter, and eclipsed the century mark for the first time this season with 105 yards on 13 carries.
Rodgers would finish 12 of 17 for 156 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball around, with Lacy and Cobb each getting three catches to lead the receiving group. Nelson’s TD was his only catch.
While the offense was building a lead, the Packers’ defense forced Minnesota to punt on its first six drives before quarterback Christian Ponder, who started for the injured Teddy Bridgewater, threw back-to-back interceptions. The first was snagged by Peppers, who returned it 49 yards for a touchdown and his first Lambeau Leap.
Peppers became the first player in NFL history to have more than 100 sacks and 10 interceptions in his career.
The second interception went to linebacker Jamari Lattimore and set up the Packers on the Vikings’ 20-yard line. Three plays later Rodgers found rookie receiver Davante Adams for an 11-yard touchdown. It was the rookie’s first touchdown catch and Rodgers’ 200th.
The Vikings seemed to be driving on their next possession, but running back Matt Asiata fumbled and cornerback Casey Hayward recovered at the Green Bay 34.
Nick Perry had two sacks, defensive linemen Mike Daniels and Letroy Guion each had 1.5 and linebackers A.J. Hawk and Peppers had half a sack each of Ponder.
Lacy’s 11-yard touchdown run capped a Packers’ 70-yard drive on its first possession of the second half. It’s second drive of the half went 52 yards and was capped by Lacy’s 10-yard run.
With the lead in hand, in the fourth quarter, Rodgers gave way to backup Matt Flynn, who finished 3 of 5 for 22 yards and an interception.
The Vikings finally got on the scoreboard with a 6-yard run by Ponder, who finished 22 of 44 for 222 yards and two picks.
Vikings kicker Blair Walsh added a 26-yard field goal later in the fourth.
Asiata finished with 15 carries for 72 yards.
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