It really was a Wild Card night as the Packers met the Vikings at Lambeau Field on a 29 degree night. The wild card in this instance, was a last minute change at quarterback for the visitors. Christian Ponder was a late scratch because of an elbow injury and back up Joe Webb got the call. Undaunted, the Packers took care of job one, neutralizing Adrian Peterson, and the offense did just enough in about a 20 minute span from the end of the first quarter and into the third to advance to the NFC Divisional Round 24-10. After getting scorched to the tune of 409 yards in two regular season meetings by the incomperable Peterson, the Packers held him to 99 yards on 22 carries. As for Webb, he did more damage on the ground than in the air. He rushed 7 times for 68 yards but completed only 11 passes in 30 attempts for 180 yards and a blown coverage 50 yard touchdown to Michael Jenkins with only 3:39 to play. At halftime, the Vikings had just 6 passing yards. Sam Shields picked him off and Clay Matthews harrased Webb all night, getting two of three sacks and on his second, stripped him of the ball and recovered the fumble himself. Peterson gained 30 of his yards in the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand. As for the Packers offense, it took a three and out series to shake off the jitters as Aaron Rodgers engineered an 82 yard drive in 11 plays, capped by a replay reversed 9 yard touchdown run from DuJuan Harris that put Green Bay on top for good 7-3. Harris was originally called down at the one but replays showed he rolled over an offensive lineman and was able to break the plane of the goal. The drive got the raucus crowd into the game after Minnesota took the opening kickoff and moved 53 yards before stalling inside the 20, setting up Blair Walsh for a 33 yard field goal. Midway through the second quarter, facing 4th and 5 at the Viking 34, Mike McCarthy disdained a 52 yard field goal try in a swirling wind, and went for it. Greg Jennings caught a short out pattern to the left and broke Chris Cook's tackle for a 32 yard gain to the 2. The Pack failed to punch it in and Mason Crosby knocked through a 20 yard field goal to stretch the lead to 7 with only 3:25 to play. An Erik Walden sack of Webb forced a punt and the Packers ran a smart two minute drill. Aaron Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for 22, Jennings for 14 and Nelson again for 23. John Kuhn barrelled over from three yards out to make it 17-3 at intermission. To open the third quarter, the Packers drove 80 yards in 12 plays again capped by a Kuhn touchdown. This time he took a pass over the middle and bounced in from 9 yards out. The 24-3 lead appeared insurmountable as the Vikes started turning it over. Matthews got his triple play, a sack, forced fumble and recovery and on the next series, Shields intercepted a deep sideline route. But the offense was bogging down with 6 straight three and out series. Minnesota finally got into the end zone thanks to a badly busted coverage. Jenkins got behind everyone for a 50 yard touchdown pass he reeled in at the 25 and waltzed in. The Packers outgained the Vikes by only 2, 326-324 but Rodgers was masterful again. Taking what the defense gave him, Aaron completed 23 of 33 passes for 274 yards and a score, without a pick for a rating of 104.9. DuJuan Harris was his favorite target with five catches on check down throws. Harris also picked up 47 yards on 17 carries. Rodgers hit 10 different receivers on the night. Mistakes were at a minimum as Green Bay didn't turn the ball over, compared to three for the Vikes and the Packers committed only two penalties. The defense welcomed the return of Charles Woodson, playing his first game since October 21. He finished with 6 tackles including a stop of Peterson for a loss of 2 on the opening series inside the red zone. No injuries were reported by the Pack after the game. The inactives included Jarret Boykin, Davon House, James Starks, Frank Zombo, Jordan Miller, Jerel Worthy and for the second week in a row, Donald Driver. The crowd of 71,548 was the fourth largest in Lambeau Field history. The Packers improved to 7-4 all time in Wild Card games, now 5-2 at home, avenging a playoff loss to the Vikes at Lambeau in 2004. The third seeded Packers now head to San Francisco to meet the 49ers next Saturday night. On the link below, post game quotes from the happy Wild Card winners.
Packers beat Vikings



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