You never ask how, it's how many.
The Green Bay Packers under Matt LaFleur flipped the script and held off the Minnesota Vikings 21-16 in the Lambeau Field opener giving the Pack it's first 2-0 start since 2015. LaFleur joins the statuesque Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi as the only Packer head coaches to win his first two games.
Last week in Chicago, the Packers lost twelve yards on three, three and out series to begin the game. Emphasizing a fast start all week in practice, the offense produced 176 yards and 21 points in their first three series against a shell shocked Minnesota defense.
Down a couple of corners because of injury, Aaron Rodgers found the mismatches right away, hitting Davante Adams for 39 yards on the game's first play. Three snaps later, Jamaal Williams took a screen pass up the middle for a 15 yard touchdown.
After Minnesota's Dan Bailey pulled a 47 yard field goal wide left, Rodgers went back to work. He converted three third down plays (one more than he did in the entire opener) and found Geronimo Allison for a 12 yard scoring strike. Allison went way up to high point the catch against backup corner Nate Meadors.
The defense then came up with the first of four takeaways when Kenny Clark blew past rookie center Garrett Bradbury, knocked the ball out of Kirk Cousins' hands and Dean Lowry covered it up at the Viking 33.
Four plays later, Aaron Jones knifed in from the two and less than a minute into the second quarter it looked like a rout was on.
But the Vikes answered quickly with Dalvin Cook busting through left guard and finding open field. He made rookie safety Darnell Savage miss near midfield and Cook finished off an electric 75 yard touchdown run.
It looked like Green Bay would answer but Allison coughed up the ball trying to stretch for a few extra yards at the Minnesota 28.
Late in the half, Preston Smith cradled a deflected ball over the middle for an interception but the Packers could not convert. After Allison caught a short pass toward the sideline, Rodgers thought the Packers had a first down at the Viking 24. Matt LaFleur realized it was fourth down but miscommunication had Rodgers hurry for a handoff to WIlliams who was smothered for a loss of 2.
Chad Beebe, the son of former Packer receiver Don Beebe, took a short pass and galloped 61 yards to the Packer 3. On the next play, Stefon Diggs caught a drag route and tumbled into the end zone but after a review, an offensive pass interference penalty was detected on Cook for blocking before the catch. The Vikings had to settle for a 31 yard Bailey field goal to make it 21-10 at the half.
Another Green Bay turnover ended the first series of the third quarter when Corey Linsley's shotgun snap was low and Rodgers couldn't reel it in. Minnesota cashed in when Cousins hit Diggs on a 45 yard deep post for a score. Jaire Alexander appeared to be in position for at least a knockdown if not an interception but it got through his hands into the speedy Viking receiver's instead. Diggs was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taking off his helmet after the play moving the point after kick back to the 30 yard line. Bailey's boot was partially deflected by Tony Brown keeping the score at 21-16.
Another third down snap was foiled when Jimmy Graham was asked to block Danielle Hunter who blew through him for a 10 yard sack.
The Packer defense bent a little as Adam Thielen hauled in a 30 yard grab but they got the stop at midfield. The offense, still mired with third and long plays, couldn't get any momentum back and the Vikes were gaining field position with punts being exchanged.
Minnesota got into scoring range with Cook and Alexander Mattison churning out yards, reaching first and goal at the 8. That's when Cousins made the mistake of the game. Rolling out to his right with a defender bearing down, he lofted a pass to the corner of the end zone for Diggs but Kevin King leaped in front for a huge interception touchback with 5:10 to play.
The offense went three and out and the D had to stand up again. They forced a punt and the Packers took over one last time with 3:14 remaining. This time, Jones picked up a big first down on a 13 yard carry, pushing him over 100 for the game. They eventually punted from midfield but the Vikes had only :06 to play and a wild lateral play had the ball hit the ground and Tramon Williams covered it up for the fourth takeaway of the game.
For the second week in a row, it wasn't always pretty, but when the clock hit zero, it was a winning effort for LaFleur's Packers:
(Audio: Matt LaFleur)
About that halftime celebration. Bart Starr was remembered fondly in a tribute video played at intermission with Cherry (escored by one Brett Favre), Bart Starr Jr and the grandchildren on the field.
Team President Mark Murphy spoke and said the team will wear a number 15 decal on their helmets the rest of the season and the Lambeau sideline will have emblems as well.
Cherry also spoke and was gracious as ever, telling fans how much the city and the team has meant to her family. It was a fitting tribute.
As for the contest, the Packer offense again went stagnant for a long stretch against a stout Minnesota defense that made adjustments and covered their weaknesses. After converting 4 of 8 third downs in the first half, the offense was able to move the chains just once in 7 tries after intermission.
Granted they had a hundred yard rusher in Jones (23/116) and a hundred yard receiver in Adams (7/106) but execution errors bogged things down. At one point in the second half, LaFleur sat down on the bench with Rodgers to discuss details and a brief, heated exchange later was caught on camera. Both downplayed the conversation after the game.
The defense gave up three very explosive plays (75, 61 and 45) and they had trouble bottling up Cook most of the afternoon (20/154), but they did continue the early season trend of taking it away.
There was only one injury of note, Raven Greene went down on the first snap of the third quarter and had to be carted off the field with an ankle injury. He was in a walking boot after the game.
The inactives were Darrius Shepherd, Dexter Willilams, Ka'Dar Hollman, Oren Burks, Cole Madison, Lucas Patrick and Kingsley Keke.
The Packers now lead the all-time series with the Vikings 61-54-3 including two playoff games.
Next up, the first of four games against AFC West teams as the Denver Broncos come to Lambeau, 0-2 after a 16-14 loss to the Chicago Bears in Denver.
