Week 10 Game Recap: Green Bay Packers 23, Minnesota Vikings 17

What you need to know

Green Bay Packers

QB Brett Favre had one of his best games in the Metrodome in what has been a very difficult place for him and the Packers to win in the past. Favre was only 4-10 lifetime in Minnesota coming into this game. He finished the game with 347 yards and two touchdowns, and played one of best games of the year by side stepping pressure and making big plays in crucial moments. Favre and the pass game were especially effective in converting on third down, especially in key situations. He also protected the ball as the Packers had no turnovers. The Packers’ young offensive line did a good job of protecting Favre and giving him time to find his receivers.

Favre’s favorite target in the first half of the game was WR Donald Driver who had a huge half. Driver had the play of the game as he took a quick slant down the middle of the field 82 yards for a touchdown with less then a minute left in the first half. Driver finished the half with 151 receiving yards. The Vikings secondary was able to do a better job of covering Driver in the second half but not before he added another 40 more yards. He finished with a career high 191 receiving yards and one touchdown.

RB Ahman Green and the Packers’ running game didn’t fare as well as the passing game did against a Vikings’ defense that was ranked number one against the run coming into this game. DT Pat Williams caused havoc for the rush game and made it very difficult for the Packers to run between the tackles. Green was often meet with defenders in the back field and only managed 55 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Minnesota Vikings

Brad Johnson had a decent game statistically going 18 for 30 for 257 yards and one touchdown, but he also had trouble protecting the ball again. He had a fumble and interception as he and the Vikings lost their third consecutive game. Johnson almost had a second touchdown when he hit RB Chester Taylor on 15 yard pass, but he fumbled right before crossing the goal line when he was hit by a Packer defender. The ball was recovered in the end zone by WR Billy McMullen. Johnson was less productive in the second half as the Vikings’ offense only managed three points and was unable to convert third downs. He was harassed most of the game as the Vikings struggled on pass coverage when the Packers blitzed. Johnson also struggled with his pass accuracy and decision making in the second half.

RB Chester Taylor had a workman like performance of 75 yards on 20 carries. The Packers’ run defense did not make it easy for Taylor all day and he was never able to break off a big play, as his longest run of the day was only 11 yards. Taylor’s best scoring opportunity was a 15 yard reception over the middle, but he fumbled the ball before crossing the goal line.

It was the Vikings’ back up receivers that made plays in this game. WR Bethel Johnson and WR Billy McMullen combined for 139 receiving yards. McMullen caught the Vikings’ only touchdown pass on a play in which the Packers had a total breakdown in there pass coverage and left him wide open along the left sideline and it led to an easy touchdown pass. The score snapped a ten quarter offensive scoreless touchdown streak for the Vikings. McMullen got Minnesota’s other touchdown when he fell on Chester Taylor’s fumble in the end zone.

What you ought to know

QB Brett Favre, Pass: 24 - 42 - 347 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -2 - 0

Favre had a magnificent performance against what has been one of the better defenses the first half of the season. He had a big first half as he had 189 passing yards with two touchdowns. His first touchdown pass came as the result of the Packers inability to score inside the five yard line running ball. That led to a five yard touchdown pass to running back Noah Herron out of the backfield on third down. Favre’s second touchdown in the first half came with less then a minute left as he hit wide receiver Donald Driver on a quick slant up the middle and he took it 82 yards for a touchdown.

Favre was well protected by a young, inexperienced line throughout the game as they did not give up a sack. The Green Bay line had done a solid job of protecting Favre most of the season so far only giving up nine sacks coming into this game. Favre did not lead the Packers to a touchdown in the second half, but did put up 158 yards of passing and led them to two field goals. Favre’s success in the passing game was the difference to the game since they struggled running the ball against Minnesota.

RB Ahman Green, Rush: 22 - 55 - 0 (2 targets)

Green had 41 yards on 14 carries in the first half against Vikings run defense that ranked number one coming into this game. He did have some scoring opportunities in the first half. He had a couple of goal line carries in the first quarter, but was stopped by a tough Vikings run defense. Green also missed a catchable ball thrown to him from Brett Favre in the first quarter in the end zone.

The yards came a lot harder in the second half as he only had 14 yards on eight carries as the Minnesota run defense stepped it up. He had a couple of scoring opportunities in the third quarter when he had a run and a pass thrown to him inside the Vikings’ ten yard line, but otherwise it was a very quiet half for Green.

RB William Henderson, Rec: 6 - 26 - 0 (6 targets)

Henderson had two pass receptions for ten yards in the first half of the game. He had another 16 yards receiving in the second half with four more receptions.

RB Noah Herron, Rush: 2 - -6 - 0, Rec: 2 - 11 - 1 (3 targets)

Herron’s biggest play of the game was a five yard touchdown he caught on a swing pass from Brett Favre in the first half. Herron added one other catch for six yards, but was held to negative yardage in the running game on two carries.

RB Vernand Morency

Morency was inactive this week because of back injury.

WR Donald Driver, Rec: 6 - 191 - 1 (11 targets)

Driver had a huge first half as he had 151 receiving yards and one touchdown. He caught three big passes on third and long on the on the Packers first scoring drive totaling 69 receiving yards on the drive. Driver’s biggest play was when he caught an 82 yard pass with less then a minute left in the first half as Favre hit him quick slant up the middle and he took it all the way.

The Vikings did a much better job covering Driver in the second half. He had 40 yards receiving in that half including a 30 yard play when fellow wide receiver Greg Jennings threw a lateral to Driver after a reception. It was one of the bigger plays of the second half because it set up the Packers’ first field goal of the half.

WR Ruvell Martin, Rec: 3 - 47 - 0 (8 targets)

Martin had a nice second half as he had all of his 47 receiving yards in the second half. He had a 13 yard catch on third down play for a first down in the third quarter. He made a nice 14 yard reception when he made the catch back across his body on a ball thrown behind him in the fourth quarter. Martin made another nice 20 yard reception up the middle of the field and took a big hit after the catch, but he held onto the ball. Martin seems to make a nice third receiver in this offense and Favre’s confidence in him as a reliable receiver seems to be growing.

WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 3 - 38 - 0 (5 targets)

Jennings started this game despite dealing with a sprained ankle. Jennings had a big catch in the third quarter for 12 yards and tossed a lateral pass to Donald Driver who took it another 30 yards and brought the ball to the Minnesota 15 yard line. He also had an important 14 yard reception on a third down play in the third quarter to keep a drive alive.

TE Bubba Franks, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (2 targets)

Franks finally made a return to the stat line for the Packers by catching two passes for 22 yards in this game.

TE David Martin, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (5 targets)

Martin only had two catches for 12 yards but was targeted five times by Brett Favre in the game.

PK Dave Rayner 3 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points

Rayner was three for three for field goals in the game and all of his attempts were within 30 yards. His first was a 20 yard field goal on the Packers’ second drive of the game. His second field goal game in the third quarter when he almost missed a 24 yard attempt by hitting the left upright, but the ball bounced through the uprights. His third field goal came with about two minutes left when he hit a 29 yard attempt that helped seal the Packers win.

GB Rush Defense

The Packers’ rush defense did a pretty good job of holding Chester Taylor to 75 yards on 20 carries. The longest run the Packers gave up in this game was a 15 yard carry to Mewelde Moore. Rookie linebacker A.J. Hawk was the star of the defense for the Packers as he was in on 13 tackles, he had one and half sacks, and forced a fumble.

GB Pass Defense

The Packers’ pass rush harassed Brad Johnson most of the game as they had four sacks and forced him to get rid of the ball much sooner then he wanted several times. They also had one interception in the game. This was a good performance by a pass defense that was ranked last coming into this game.

QB Brad Johnson, Pass: 18 - 30 - 257 - 1 TD / 1 INT

Johnson had a good first half as he was ten for 14 for 165 yards and one touchdown, but he did have a costly turnover in the half. On the first play of the Vikings second drive of the game, Johnson was sacked and lost the football. The Packers recovered the ball and turned it into a touchdown eventually. The Vikings’ line didn’t have its best game as they gave up four sacks and had trouble picking up the blitz. After the turnover Johnson came back by leading the Vikings on a 72 yard touchdown drive that was finished off with 40 yard pass to Billy McMullen. Johnson almost had a second touchdown pass in the second quarter to Chester Taylor, but he fumble just before crossing the goal line and wide receiver Billy McMullen fell on the ball for six points. Johnson’s other big play in the half was a deep pass to Bethel Johnson for 40 yards in which he hit him in full stride down the right sideline.

Johnson and the Vikings’ offense struggled in the second half as they only managed to score three points. He had an interception on a deep ball thrown down the left sideline on a pass to Bethel Johnson who appeared to quit on the route. Johnson and the offense were not able to make any big plays in the second half and struggled to make first downs.

RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 20 - 75 - 0, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (3 targets)

Taylor had 12 carries for 38 yards in the first half as the Packers did a good job of containing him in the half. Taylor caught a 15 yard pass and it appeared he would go in for a touchdown, but was hit by a defender just before he crossed the goal line and fumbled. His teammate Billy McMullen fell on the ball for his second touchdown of the game. That turned out be Taylor’s best and only real scoring opportunity of the game. He did remain the focal point of the Vikings offense as he racked up 95 total yards of offense, although Mewelde Moore got the majority of balls thrown to him out of the backfield in this game.

RB Mewelde Moore, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0, Rec: 5 - 57 - 0 (8 targets)

Moore’s biggest play of the game was 27 yard reception toward the end of the game that set up the Vikings only field goal of the game. He also had a team high eight targets in the game, but he was not much of factor in the running game as he had three carries for 15 yards.

RB Tony Richardson, Rec: 3 - 13 - 0 (2 targets)

Richardson failed to pick up a blitzing Packer linebacker in the first quarter that resulted in a sack and lost fumble. He did make a big third down catch for 14 yards because of a good second effort to break a tackle on the Vikings second touchdown drive of the game.

RB Artose Pinner

Pinner’s biggest impact in the game was an illegal block to the back that nullified a 105 kick return by Bethel Johnson to start the second half. He also had an offside penalty on an onside kick that the Vikings recovered at the end of the game. The Vikings were unsuccessful on there second onside attempt.

WR Billy McMullen, Rec: 3 - 64 - 1 (4 targets)

McMullen had his biggest game of the year scoring both of Minnesota’s touchdowns in the game. He caught a 40 yard touchdown pass from Brad Johnson on the first play of the second quarter. It appeared the Packers blew the coverage as McMullen ran down the left side of the field wide open and Johnson was able to find him all alone for the score. McMullen got his second touchdown in the first half after Chester Taylor fumbled at the goal line and he jumped on the ball in the end zone. He also had 18 yard catch late in the game and finished with 64 yards receiving.

WR Travis Taylor, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (5 targets)

Taylor had another unspectacular game as he had three catches for 28 yards. He simply has trouble getting open and got an offensive pass interference penalty on a key third down play in the game trying to get separation from the defender. This is a penalty he seems to get called for quite often.

WR Bethel Johnson, Rec: 2 - 75 - 0 (3 targets)

Johnson made a beautiful one handed catch with a defender draped on him for 35 yards in the second quarter that helped set up the Vikings second touchdown of the game. He had another big catch for 40 yards in the first half but was pretty much a non-factor in the passing offense after that play as he had no more receptions and only one more pass thrown his way. In what turned out to be a very big play in the game, Johnson had a 105 yard kick return for a touchdown to start the second half called back on an illegal block by Artose Pinner.

WR Troy Williamson (1 targets)

Williamson didn’t have any catches in the game and seems to have lost his confidence. He also seems to have lost the confidence of his quarterback because of his inability to catch the ball or run good routes. The second year receiver continues to be a big disappointment.

WR Marcus Robinson

Robinson did not play in this game because of a back injury he continues to battle.

TE Jermaine Wiggins (2 targets)

Wiggins and the rest of the Vikings’ tight ends made no impact in the passing game as none of them made any receptions and Wiggins was the only one to have any passes thrown to him. Tight ends as pass receivers seem to be an after thought in this offense and hold little, if any value.

PK Ryan Longwell 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points

Longwell made a 34 yard field goal with less then two minutes as the Vikings tried to make up nine point deficit. He also added two extra points earlier in the game.

MIN Rush Defense

The defense came up with a big play early in the game by stopping the Packers on the Minnesota two yard line on a third down and inches play that forced Green Bay to kick a field goal. The Vikings’ defensive tackle, Pat Williams, dominated the Packers’ interior offensive linemen and made it very difficult for them to run the ball. Williams finished with a team high nine tackles. The Packers were held to only 47 total yards of offense in the game.

MIN Pass Defense

For as good as the Vikings’ run defense was in the game, the pass defense proved to be the Achilles heal of the defense. They allowed Bret Favre to throw for 347 yards and two touchdowns. The pass defense gave up several big plays on third down in the first half to Donald Driver. The biggest play was an 82 yard touchdown they gave up with less then one minute left in the first half. The pass defense also failed to make plays as they had no turnovers or sacks in the game against young, inexperienced Packers’ line.