Fade to Pack
Rodgers’ injury dims lights on GB
MINNEAPOLIS — Aaron Rodgers has engineered many a lastminute comeback for the Packers. He has a dozen victories over the rival Vikings in 10 years as the starter.
This time? No chance. Rodgers was long gone, and so was Green Bay’s division lead.
Harrison Smith led the Minnesota defense’s thorough dismantling of the Packers, who lost Rodgers to a broken collarbone and left with a 23-10 defeat to the Vikings yesterday that transformed the trajectory of the NFC North race.
Smith had 11⁄2 sacks on safety blitzes, a diving interception and two pass breakups, helping the Vikings (4-2) limit the injury-depleted Packers to a season-low 227 yards.
Anthony Barr delivered the game-changing hit on Green Bay’s second drive when he took Rodgers hard to the turf as the two-time NFL MVP followed through on a pass. Rodgers fell on his throwing shoulder, and the Packers (4-2) announced he could miss the rest of the season.
“I’m not into the soothsaying stuff,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said, when asked if he thought the momentum in the division had shifted toward his team. “Obviously he’s a great player. It’s different when he’s not in there. There’s no doubt about it. But that’s just the way it is.”
Backup Brett Hundley threw his first career touchdown pass in relief, connecting with Davante Adams in the second quarter. The Packers had five first downs and 102 yards over the first three quarters.
“That was a hard day,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “All the players that we lost to injury, it was difficult. We all understand the magnitude of what Aaron means to our football team.”
The Vikings have won three of their past four games against the Packers after a lopsided five-year stretch against their biggest rival fueled mostly by the mastery of Rodgers. Now the Packers must move forward with Hundley, who has 44 attempts in three NFL seasons. Yesterday, he was picked off three times and sacked four times. He finished 18for-33 for 157 yards.
“I love Aaron to death. I let him know I love him and I’ve got him,” Hundley said, “and we’ll go from here.”