Pelissero: Packers offense is more than Aaron Rodgers
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minutes before Aaron Rodgers' touchdown throw sent the Green Bay Packers to the playoffs in Week 17 last season at Chicago, there was a fourth-and-1 conversion on a run to fullback John Kuhn.
These are the situations that can define a season come December and January, which is why it was so encouraging for the Packers that they could shove around the Minnesota Vikings to close out Sunday's 24-21 triumph and win their third straight in November.
"It's kind of like a heavyweight fight. It's pretty awesome," Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari told USA TODAY Sports. "You get kind of jacked up. It's nice when they call upon you and you're able to go out there and show them. We line up and it's like, 'All right, come stop us.'"
Five straight plays in the final 4 minutes Sunday, the Packers handed the ball to Eddie Lacy, who gained 27 yards to seal their fourth division win and moved them past the Detroit Lions for sole possession of the NFC North lead at 8-3, with the mighty New England Patriots (9-2) coming to Lambeau Field next week.
That included a 4-yard run on third-and-2 with 2:31 to go – a call coach Mike McCarthy said was chosen by Rodgers, an MVP candidate who trusted the game plan, his line and Lacy enough to take the ball out of his hands.
"Maybe in the past on third-and-2, we might throw the ball," Packers guard Josh Sitton said. "To be able to go do it on the ground however many straight plays is a great feeling. We'll build some confidence from that."
Lacy – who a Packers spokesman said fell ill after the game and wasn't available to reporters – also ran for 28 yards on five carries the previous possession, then pinballed through the Vikings defense to turn a shovel pass into a 10-yard score.
"When we need (Lacy), no matter what the play is called, he's got great vision," Bakhtiari said. "He ain't going to go down by an arm tackle."
The 230-pound Alabama product is a punishing runner and just seems to be getting warmed up after a slow start to his second season, with 370 combined rushing and receiving yards and five touchdowns on 57 touches in three games since the bye – all Green Bay wins.
It only made sense the Packers would ride Lacy again against the Vikings after battering them for 105 yards and two TDs in the first meeting, a 42-10 rout Oct. 2 at Lambeau Field. He carried a heavier load Sunday with 25 carries for 125 yards and another score early on a 1-yard dive.
"He was obviously a focus coming into this game and delivered," McCarthy said.
The Packers go as Rodgers goes. His 29-yard strike to Randall Cobb on third-and-10 livened up the offense Sunday and set up Lacy's first score in the first quarter. A 1-yard TD throw to Richard Rodgers across his body in the second quarter was as impressive as it gets to a wide-open receiver.
Aaron Rodgers has thrown 25 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in the Packers' past eight games, the turnovers both coming in the lone loss Oct. 26 at New Orleans.
"Aaron's the best in the business at what he does," Bakhtiari said. "To have him not get his chances is asinine for us."
But the Packers aren't strictly a finesse team that must take shots in the passing game to succeed, especially with a banged-up offensive line continuing to be an underrated strength.
Minnesota showed a lot of two-high safety looks on first down and played physically against Rodgers' receivers Sunday. So, the Packers took what was given: a lot of throws underneath and a heavy dose of Lacy, who was at his most indomitable with the game on the line.
"This is important for us to learn to win these kind of games," Rodgers said. "It is great to score 50 points and blow teams out, but these are character wins right here."
