Game one of year two looked pretty good for Matt LaFleur’s offense.
In a bizzare setting, an empty US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the Green Bay Packers opened the 2020 season with a 43-34 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, piling up 522 yards and controlling the ball for more than 41 minutes.
Aaron Rodgers passed for 364 yards and four touchdowns, passing Eli Manning for 7th place on the NFL’s all-time list along the way with now 368 for his career. Davante Adams was the favorite target, tying Don Hutson’s single game franchise record (set November 22, 1942) with 14 receptions for 156 yards and two scores. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (4 for 96) and Allen Lazard (4 for 63) also caught scoring passes and Aaron Jones capped the offensive onslaught with a five yard touchdown run in the final quarter.
The game started with concerning red zone plays, the Packers got inside the 20 on there first three possessions but settled for two Mason Crosby field goals (31 and 43 yards) and they had one empty trip when Adams couldn’t pull in a slant on 4th and goal from the one.
The defense, Jaire Alexander in particular, made two big plays in the second quarter which helped the Packers secure control of the game. After the 4th and goal play fizzled, Alexander blitzed on his own to sack Kirk Cousins for a safety pulling Green Bay to within 7-5. Late in the second with Green Bay in front 15-7, he picked off Cousins trying to hit Adam Thielen and two plays later, Valdes-Scantling pulled down a contested 45 yard touchdown to put the Packers up by a couple of scores.
Adams first touchdown came on a 31 yard Rodgers standard. He broke loose from the pocket and on the run, fired a dart for 31 yards that Adams was able to tightrope on the sideline of the end zone. The play was reviewed and confirmed.
Minnesota was able to cover 58 yards in just two snaps in :14 leading to Dan Bailey’s 45 yard field goal that made it 22-10 Packers at the half.
Green Bay’s defense made a 4th down stop late in the third quarter and the Packers cashed in. Valdes-Scantling had a sure 61 yard touchdown on the first play but dropped the ball. Rodgers went back to him for a 39 yard gain leading to a one yard flip to Adams to make it 29-10. That was TD pass number 367 for Rodgers, moving him past Eli Manning for 7th place all-time.
The 4th quarter defense left something to be desired as the Vikings piled up 24 points on three touchdowns and three, two point conversions. Thielen caught a 37 yard strike from Cousins when he got behind Darnell Savage. Dalvin Cook’s second touchdown run covered three yards and Thielen beat Alexander for a 19 yard score with 1:21 to play. All three drives covered at least 65 yards in less than 2 minutes.
But the Packers offense answered each time, Lazard catching a 4 yard TD after a wide open 38 yard catch that should have scored if not for a stumble.
Jones’ five yard run was set up by Adams’ 40 yard grab up the right sideline that was the record tying 14th of the day. He owned Minnesota’s two young cornerbacks Holton Hill and Mike Hughes all afternoon.
Afterwards, the Packers paraded LaFleur and three players before the zoom camera for post-game press conferences.
LaFleur, now 7-0 in his career against divisional opponents, was asked if this was how he envisioned his offense entering year two? 522 yards, 158 on the ground, 41:16 in time of possession, 31 first downs, multiple players getting touches.
Aaron Rodgers put up a passer rating of 127.5, winning at US Bank for the second year in a row but unlike last year, with 67, 157 in attendance in full throat, the official play by play noted the paid attendance at 0.
And then, it was Davante Adams’ turn. Coming off a Pro Bowl season, he put on a dominating performance, 14 catches, 156 yards and two touchdowns.
I asked Davante at the start if he could sense some tentative play from Minnesota’s two new corners and how that impacted his game and he also talked about being one catch away from standing alone in Green Bay Packer wide receiver history.
Minnesota’s numbers didn’t look too bad at the finish, 382 yards but 217 came in the 4th quarter. Cousins was 19 of 25 for 259 yards with 2 scores and a pick for a rating of 118.6. Cook finished with 50 yards on 12 carries and two scores. Thielen had six receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
Newcomer Christian Kirksey led the defense with 12 tackles. A surprising starter alongside him at inside linebacker, Krys Barnes was next with six stops. Barnes was elevated from the practice squad just a day before the game and wound up starting in place of veteran Oren Burks. He made a couple of impressive plays early for the unit. Za’Darius Smith had the other sack along with Alexander who scored a pair of points for the unit.
The offensive line was without Billy Turner (knee), deactivated before the game so Elgton Jenkins moved out to right tackle and Lucas Patrick stepped in at left guard. Patrick left early with a shoulder injury so Jenkins went back to guard and Rick Wagner played right tackle. Then in the second half, Lane Taylor had to be carted off the field with what looked like a serious injury to his right knee and rookie Jon Runyan had to step in. The line help up as Rodgers wasn’t sacked all game and the run game average 4.9 yards a carry, even with backup quarterback Tim Boyle taking a knee twice to finish the game.
Before kickoff, the Packers stayed inside the locker room for the national anthem, a decision the players made Saturday night. Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy issued a statement about that decision. “The Green Bay Packers respect the national anthem and the United States flag and all that they represent, including the right to express ourselves. We decided as a team to remain in the locker room during the playing of the national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” so as not to distract from our message that we stand united for social justice and racial equality. This is part of our continued call on our leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue that results in change. We feel it is important for all of us to participate in these difficult conversations with humility and be open to different perspectives.”
The 1-0 Packers open the home schedule next Sunday, hosting the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.
