This improbable season is getting more believable by the week.
The Green Bay Packers delivered all kinds of presents two days before Christmas but a determined defense, an explosive running back and a resilient team led by a rookie coach defeated the Minnesota Vikings in front of a raucous record crowd at US Bank Stadium 23-10 to become the 2019 champions of the NFC North Division.
There were so many, yes, but....victories this season but the Packers shoved all that aside in their signature win of the campaign to lock down at least one playoff game at Lambeau Field next month and keep themselves in position for more, possibly much more.
On the game's third snap, Aaron Jones was stripped by Anthony Barr after a short catch and Eric Kendricks picked up the loose ball and returned it 24 yards to the 10. The defense held their ground and forced Dan Bailey to hit a 23 yard field goal for a 3-0 lead just 2:49 into the contest.
After Mason Crosby got the game even with a 42 yard boot, the first snap of the second quarter offered more generosity. Aaron Rodgers tried to hit Davante Adams on a corner route but the ball was slightly underthrown and Anthony Harris made a lunging interception, his sixth of the year but the first thrown by Rodgers in 278 attempts, the second longest pick free streak of his career.
Minnesota cashed that takeaway into their only touchdown, a pretty 21 yard toss from Kirk Cousins to Stefon Diggs who beat tight coverage from Jaire Alexander.
The Packers reponded with a 60 yard drive that fizzled in the red zone and Crosby came on for a 33 yard field goal.
Turnover number three came three minutes later when Harrison Smith punched the ball out of the hands of Adams and Kendricks covered it up at the Green Bay 48. The Vikings tried to fool the Packer defense when Diggs took a lateral and rolled to his right with Cousins running free up the right sideline but the option pass was overthrown. Minnesota then went for it on 4th and 4 but a deep route to Diggs went incomplete.
The offense was forced to punt and the defense kept the Vikings pinned inside their 10 and they got one more shot with :55 to play. They drove to the 1 with :07 left but they had to burn their final timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty. Rodgers pass to the left goal line for Adams was thrown a bit too far inside and he couldn't pull it in. Crosby hit the 19 yard field goal to bring the Packers to within 10-9 at intermission. Remarkably turnover prone, they were only down a point.
Kevin King made the big play for the defense in the third quarter when he chased down a deep post for Diggs, making a leaping interception and returning it 39 yards to midfield.
That's when the running game started taking control. With a fine lead block from receiver Allen Lazard, Jones went off the left side for a 12 yard touchdown giving Green Bay it's first lead at 15-10. The point conversion was made by Geronimo Allison who pulled in a sliding catch at the back line.
Midway through the final period, Jones put the game away with a 56 yard touchdown dash up the left sideline. Again, a receiver made the key block as Marquez Valdes-Scantling sealed Xavier Rhodes on the edge getting Jones loose. Crosby missed his first extra point of the season and the score stood at 23-10.
The defense, which had neutralized Minnesota's running game minus Pro Bowl back Dalvin Cook who was inactive with a shoulder injury, ramped up the pass rush and flustered Cousins nearly all night. The last three possessions all featured sacks, from Kenny Clark and then from Za'Darius Smith who had three and a half by himself for the game. He also had five other quarterback hits and five tackles for losses.
Minnesota managed all of 139 yards of offense for the game and just seven first downs.
Rodgers took a knee three times inside the two minute warning and the party was on for the visitors, handing the home team it's first home loss of the year and securing Green Bay's first win at the glitzy venue in four tries.
In his first season at the helm, Matt LaFleur continues to lead a team that keeps finding ways to win football games:
(Audio: Matt LaFleur)
At 12-3, the Packers will finish at Detroit next Sunday. If they win, they'll lock down no worse than the number 2 seed with a first round bye and if they get a little help from Seattle by beating San Francisco, Green Bay would climb all to the way to the number one seed in the NFC.
Hard to imagine after the pain of the last two years, the end of the Mike McCarthy era, a new coach, the influx of so many free agents and draft picks but here they are, maybe an unexpected division title according to Rodgers:
(Audio: Aaron Rodgers)
Rodgers had a pedestrian 68.3 passer rating on 26 of 40 for 216 yards with the interception. The Vikings played a lot of 2 high safeties making intermediate and deep routes almost impossible so a short passing game turned complimentary to an impressive rushing attack. Jones finished with 154 yards on 23 carries and 2 scores, giving him an NFL leading 19 touchdowns on the season. Jamaal Williams also ran hard gaining 33 yards on 6 carries before he left with a shoulder injury. Jones picked up the entire load and certainly made amends for his early fumble. The Packers controlled the clock for 37:32.
Adams matched a career high with 13 receptions for 116 yards but his longest gain was just 18. Lazard worked a couple of slants for 5 catches and 45 yards.
Mike Boone was Minnesota's lead back for the injured Cook but gained only 28 yards on 11 carries. Cousins finished 16 of 31 for 122 yards with a score and a pick but the five sacks left the Vikings with just 82 net passing yards.
The inactive players were Ryan Grant, Dexter Williams, Tony Brown, Ka'Dar Hollman, Alex Light, Jace Sternberger and newly signed tackle John Leglue.
Smith, a Pro Bowl snub, was dominant and afterwards said all he wanted for Christmas was a hat and a shirt. He got his wish.
The North Division championship hats were passed out in the locker room along with green T-shirts that read "The North is not Enough" across the front.
