GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers passed his first test as the Green Bay Packers’ new quarterback, throwing for 178 yards and a touchdown and scoring on a game-clinching sneak Monday night in a 24-19 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Rodgers, who was 18-of-22, got help from the Packers’ special teams, running back Ryan Grant and safety Atari Bigby to beat a bitter division rival in his first regular-season start, which came in the wake of Brett Favre’s offseason unretirement saga.
“I’m happy we won, and that he played well,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “That’s what’s important. I don’t really get caught up in all the other things. And it’s important for him not to, too.”
Will Blackmon’s 76-yard punt return gave Green Bay a 17-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Minnesota’s Tarvaris Jackson answered with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice on fourth-and-1 to cut the Packers’ lead to five with 14:12 remaining. But a two-point conversion attempt failed when Jackson threw a pass slightly behind Rice in the back of the end zone.
Grant then broke free for a 57-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, giving the Packers (1-0) first-and-goal at the 2.
After a penalty against the Vikings (0-1), Rodgers was stuffed on his first attempt at a quarterback sneak but plunged into the end zone on the second try.
“Tonight, knowing I was going to get the first snap was pretty special,” Rodgers said. “And running out of the tunnel to the electric atmosphere that we had, it was a pretty special night.”
After scoring on the sneak, Rodgers emphatically spiked the ball and jumped into the stands for a “Lambeau Leap” as Green Bay took a 24-12 lead with 6:03 remaining.
“I’ve been dreaming about that for four years, to be honest,” he said.
Jackson then led the Vikings on an 11-play drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Adrian Peterson with 2:39 remaining for the final margin.
