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Week 1 Game Recap: Minnesota Vikings 19, Green Bay Packers 24
What you need to know
| Minnesota Vikings |
QB Tarvaris Jackson moved well in the pocket and during scrambles, showing no ill effects from his preseason knee injury. He demonstrated a strong arm and a good pocket presence but had trouble hitting his receivers on deep routes.
The Vikings defense was a bit sloppy in the red zone in the first half. On three consecutive stops on goal to go the team was called for penalties and eventually the Packers were able to punch it in.
RB Adrian Peterson performed solidly as expected. He bowled over defenders, broke tackles, and bounced outside when necessary. WR Bernard Berrian and WR Sidney Rice were generally quiet in the loss, but mostly due to non-existent passing game in the first half. Berrian was a key part on two big close plays including a near touchdown where he could not get both feet in bounds after catching a deflected pass.
Minnesota dominated time of possession in the second half but failed to put up enough points to win the game. Jackson's interception at the end of the game appeared to be a miscommunication as the intended receiver was still running deep.
| Green Bay Packers |
QB Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers got off to a shaky start in the opening quarter in their first game without Brett Favre at the helm since 1992. The offense amassed five penalties in the first quarter which forced the team into a first and 32 on their second possession. Rodgers settled down and played well.
At the end of the first half, the Packers elected to kick a field goal on third and ten from the 15 yard line with just under 30 seconds to go in the quarter instead of trying to score another touchdown despite having one timeout left. The subsequent field goal kick was blocked.
In the second quarter, RB Ryan Grant failed to score on four carries within the five yard line. The next time the Packers had the ball at the goal line only RB Brandon Jackson and QB Aaron Rodgers received attempts. The Packers also stuck with RB Brandon Jackson when they received the ball with only three minutes left in the game, but the team failed to gain a first down and gave the ball back to Minnesota for a chance to win. However, Grant had a nice game considering the top notch run defense he was up against.
Overall, however, Rodgers and the Packers played well on both sides of the ball, as well as on special teams. KR Will Blackmon scored a touchdown on an electrifying punt return.
What you ought to know
| QB Tarvaris Jackson, Pass: 16 - 35 - 178 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 9 - 65 - 0 |
Jackson did not appear to be suffering any lingering effects from his preseason knee injury. He proved to be elusive in the backfield and ran for a number of first downs. He also hung in the pocket when necessary to make the throw and exhibited a few quality juke moves when avoiding defenders.
Jackson demonstrated his arm strength on a some deep throws but had trouble hitting his receivers down field. At the end of the first half, Jackson was only two of seven for 16 yards but the team put more emphasis on the passing game in the second half with some success.
He overthrew an open WR Sidney Rice in the back of the end zone on the team's two-point conversion attempt. His interception to end the game looked very bad, as the wide receiver was still running a deep route and had not turned around when the ball landed in DB Atari Bigby's hands.
| RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 19 - 103 - 1, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) |
Peterson picked up right where he left off last season. He ran hard, spun around defenders, broke tackles, and ran right over the opposition. On one early play, he knocked DB Al Harris to the ground on his way to a first down. Peterson again exhibited the ability to bounce outside if no holes opened in the line. On the team's final drive, Peterson lined up as a wide receiver.
| RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 5 - 19 - 0, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) |
Taylor continued his role from last season by spelling RB Adrian Peterson. Taylor ran well and will continue to be a useful change of pace back for the Vikings. He also returned kickoffs and caught some passes coming out of the backfield.
| WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 3 - 38 - 0 (7 targets) |
Berrian's first target was a deep bomb from QB Tarvaris Jackson down the sideline which bounced off of Berrian's fingertips mid-dive. However, defensive pass interference was called on the play. In the third quarter, Berrian caught a laser pass from Jackson and had an open path to the end zone but veteran DB Charles Woodson made a nice open field tackle from behind to prevent the score. He also made an acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone on a tipped ball but was just barely unable to get his second foot in bounds.
| WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 2 - 31 - 1 (4 targets) |
Rice was wide open on his touchdown catch on a fourth and one situation early in the fourth quarter. He trotted into the end zone. QB Tarvaris Jackson overthrew Rice in the back of the end zone on the subsequent two point conversion.
| TE Garrett Mills, Rec: 3 - 49 - 0 (4 targets) |
Mills looked like a comfortable target for QB Tarvaris Jackson as he pulled in the most yardage of any Vikings player through the air.
| TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (7 targets) |
Shiancoe tipped a ball in the end zone that was nearly reeled in by WR Bernard Berrian but if he had not touched it then Berrian would have had a better chance to catch the ball. Shiancoe shared targets out of the tight end spot with TE Garrett Mills.
| PK Ryan Longwell 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points |
Longwell connected on all of his field goal and extra point attempts. The Vikings attempted one two-point conversion.
| MIN Rush Defense |
Except for the one large gain by RB Ryan Grant, the Vikings did a good job against the run, as expected. After RB Brandon Jackson fumbled the ball DB Darren Sharper tried to pick up the ball instead of jumping on it which allowed the Packers WR Greg Jennings to recover.
| MIN Pass Defense |
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers had success throwing against the Vikings defense. There were no interception threats and Rodgers was given a good amount of time to make decisions in the pocket. DB Cedric Griffin was hurt on a kickoff early in the game and was replaced by DB Charles Gordon.
| QB Aaron Rodgers, Pass: 18 - 22 - 178 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 8 - 35 - 1 |
Rodgers played well in his first NFL start by making few mistakes and completing a high percentage of his passes. He fumbled a snap early in first quarter but fell on it to maintain possession. On the team's third possession Rodgers hit Greg Jennings on a deep 66 yard pass -- taking advantage of CB Charles Gordon who was playing in place of recently-injured CB Cedric Griffin. A few plays later, on third and goal from the one yard line, Rodgers moved to avoid a hit and then threw a laser to a diving FB Korey Hall for a touchdown.
He also moved well in the backfield, avoiding sacks and running for first downs when able throughout the game. He looked poised and composed, showing very little evidence that this game was his first NFL start.
| RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 12 - 92 - 0 |
Grant failed to get the ball in the end zone despite having four carries within five yards of the goal line in the second quarter. The next time the Packers were at the goal line, he did not receive a carry. Grant made an important long run in the fourth quarter, hitting a big hole through the right side and then making a beautiful juke move at the ten yard line before being taken down at the two for a 57 yard run.
| RB Brandon Jackson, Rush: 7 - 12 - 0, Rec: 3 - 18 - 0 (3 targets) |
Jackson fumbled on his first touch of the game after breaking through the line of scrimmage and jumping over a downed referee. Jackson was the most frequent target out of the back field for QB Aaron Rodgers. Jackson received one goal line opportunity in the fourth quarter but was not successful. Jackson also received three consecutive carries late in the fourth quarter as the Packers were trying to kill the clock but the team failed to gain a first down due in part to an untimely penalty.
| WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 5 - 91 - 0 (6 targets) |
Jennings was a big factor in the win for the Packers. He was a common target for QB Aaron Rodgers and pulled in a key 66 yard catch in the first half.
| WR Donald Driver, Rec: 4 - 38 - 0 (5 targets) |
Driver caught quick slant in the third quarter for the Packers and took it to the house for a 67 yard touchdown outrunning DB Antoine Winfield but the play was called back due to OL Tony Moll being called for being an ineligible receiver.
| TE Donald Lee, Rec: 3 - 10 - 0 (3 targets) |
Lee was the target for QB Aaron Rodgers on his first two throws as a starter -- both were caught for short gains. In the second quarter, on second and goal, Rodgers overthrew Lee who was wide open in the end zone. However, that play had been whistled dead due to a penalty.
| PK Mason Crosby 1 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points |
Crosby had a field goal attempt blocked at the end of the first half. The kick was low but the Packers have a new long snapper and holder duo who have been together less than a week.
| GB Rush Defense |
The Green Bay defense did their best against RB Adrian Peterson but like most defenses they were no match for the second year running back.
| GB Pass Defense |
The Packers were able to get to QB Tarvaris Jackson frequently but Jackson was often elusive or able to get the ball out of his hands before the sack. As the Vikings attempted to mount a comeback late in the game -- the Packers blitzed and put pressure on Jackson seemingly every down.
DB Atari Bigby tried to return his interception late in the fourth quarter despite the fact that simply falling to the ground would have ended the game.
DB Nick Collins was hurt late in the third quarter and crawled off the field.
