Packers 41, Minnesota 17: 2-minute drill

January 1, 2023
|In Packers
|By Zach Heilprin

Green Bay scored touchdowns in all three phases of the game in 41-17 blowout of Minnesota on Sunday to leave the team just one win away from a playoff spot.

Game Balls

Offense:

RB Aaron Jones

The Packers running back powered a running game that put up 163 yards against the Vikings. That included 111 yards on just 14 carries (7.9 ypc) from Jones. It moved Green Bay to 14-2 in games in which he rushes for 100 yards or more. He also went over 1,000 yards on the season for the third time in his six years in the NFL.

TE Robert Tonyan

It’s been a frustrating year for Tonyan and especially of late as the tight end had caught just three passes over the last three games combined. But the former undrafted free agent came up big Sunday, catching three passes for 52 yards and just his second touchdown of the season.

Offensive line

Not only did the offensive line help the Packers run for 163 yards (4.9 ypc) but the group did a solid job against a good pass rushing group from the Vikings. Rodgers was sacked just once and hit only a couple of times. Former Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith was silent, not registering a sack, tackle for loss or a hit on Rodgers in his return to Lambeau Field.

Defense:

CB Jaire Alexander

The vocal and entertaining Alexander put himself way out there this week by calling Justin Jefferson’s 9-catch, 184-yard performance in Week 1 a fluke. But the former first-round pick backed his talk up, as Jefferson was held without a catch in the first half for just the second time in his career. For the game, the All-Pro managed to grab just one ball for 15 yards. Alexander didn’t do it by himself but he had coverage on 20 of Jefferson’s 31 routes.

DT Kenny Clark

Green Bay’s best interior player came up big for his club. Clark made one of several huge plays by the defense in the first half, stripping the ball from quarterback Kirk Cousins’ hands and jumping on it for the third of the defense’s four turnovers. Clark had a season-high seven pressures.

S Darnell Savage

The much-maligned safety, who had been benched just a few weeks ago, delivered Green Bay’s second touchdown of the day, picking off Cousins and returning it 75 yards for a score.

Special Teams:

KR Keisean Nixon

For weeks, Nixon was on the verge of taking a kick return back for a touchdown, including going 94 yards against Miami last week only to get caught just short of the goal line. Given another chance on Sunday to make an impact, Nixon delivered a 105-yard return for a score to give the Packers a 7-3 lead on its way to a blowout victory. Nixon wasn’t even a guarantee to play after not practicing all week due to a groin injury.

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In Case You Missed It

— One of Minnesota’s captains was Za’Darius Smith, who was cut by the Packers last offseason. It was clear at the time he wasn’t pleased with it and it appears he’s still not over it. During the coin toss before the game, the other three captains shook hands with Green Bay’s captains but Smith did not. After the game, he sprinted to the visitor’s tunnel and had no interactions with his former teammates.

— WR Christian Watson was questionable coming into the game but ended up playing with the hip injury he sustained last week against the Dolphins. He ended up with one catch for 11 yards.

— LT David Bakhtiari returned to the Packers lineup for the first time since undergoing an appendectomy. He had missed the last three games.

— Yosh Nijman got the start at right tackle but didn’t last long due to a shoulder stinger and was replaced by Zach Tom. Coach Matt LaFleur said Nijman was cleared to return but they wanted to play it safe with him.

— The Packers elevated kicker Ramiz Ahmed from the practice squad for the game and he was expected to handle kickoffs. But he got hurt in warmups, forcing Mason Crosby to take on that duty.

Inside the Numbers

56 – That was how long Mason Crosby’s field goal late in the first half was. It is the longest field goal for Crosby at Lambeau Field.

1 – That is how many rushing touchdowns Aaron Rodgers has this season after scrambling in for a score in the fourth quarter. Rodgers threw for 159 yards and a touchdown.

5 – That is how many straight games AJ Dillon has scored at least one touchdown after his fourth quarter touchdown on Sunday. Six of his seven touchdowns have come in the last five weeks.

9 – That is how many interceptions the Packers have in the last four games after managing a total of eight in their first 12 games

1967 — That is the last time the Packers had an interception return for a touchdown and a kick return for a touchdown in the same game.

4 – That is how many games in a row the Packers have won. They’ve gone from 4-8 to 8-8 and can make the playoffs with a win over Detroit in the season finale

What’s Next

Green Bay (8-8) hosts Detroit (8-8) at Lambeau Field with the time still to be decided.