MINNEAPOLIS — Despite the disparate records, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers found plenty of competition from Christian Ponder in the fearless rookie’s first start for the Vikings.
Rodgers kept Green Bay unbeaten with three touchdowns and 335 yards passing, holding off Minnesota 33-27 on Sunday.
“There’s not a lot of panic in this team. We’ve been down a couple times at halftime. Just a lot of focus,” said Rodgers, who completed his first 13 passes and finished 24-for-30 on another near-unstoppable afternoon against a depleted secondary.
Ponder was picked off twice in the third quarter by Charles Woodson, who almost grabbed a couple more interceptions, but he kept the Vikings in it from start to finish after completing a 71-yard pass play on his first snap.
Adrian Peterson helped him out by rushing 24 times for 175 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (1-6), but James Starks put the game away with two big gains for first downs before the 2-minute warning and another one right after. He had 75 yards on 13 carries for the Packers (7-0).
“It’s frustrating to come out against the defending champs and be that close and not to come up with the win,” Peterson said.
Ponder went 13-for-32, but he never looked rattled and finished with 219 yards and two touchdowns. Ponder also ran four times for 31 yards.
