Vikings sweep Packers 20-17

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 11/23/2005

 

Green Bay, Wisconsin — After 10 weeks, the Minnesota Vikings (5-5) have fought themselves back to even par. Paul Edinger’s 27-yard game-winning field goal helped the Vikings win their third straight game 20-17 over the Green Bay Packers (2-8).

 

It was the Vikings’ fourth win in five games and their second straight win on the road. Suddenly the Vikings, who started the season 0-2 and 1-4, are now very much alive in the NFC North.

 

They are still looking up at the red hot Division-leading Chicago Bears (7-3), winners of six straight. But it was the second time the Vikings have spotted their arch rivals an early lead and battled back to win at the buzzer.

 

Quarterback Brad Johnson, now 3-0 since taking over for the injured Daunte Culpepper, engineered a textbook 58-yard, game-winning drive in the final minutes, when he hit wide receiver Koren Robinson for 35 yards to set up Edinger’s game-winning kick.

 

“Our defense came in focused,” said defensive tackle Pat Williams. ‘”Our special teams played good, and our offense came out in the second half and played great. Everybody was on the same page in the second half.”

 

After a shaky start that included two first-half turnovers, a fumble and an interception, Johnson caught fire in the second half, completing eight of 11 passes for 114 yards.

 

Johnson was under heavy pressure in the first half; he was sacked five times before Head Coach Mike Tice became frustrated with right tackle Mike Roesenthal and benched him, replacing him with rookie backup Marcus Johnson.

 

Suddenly the offense started working together as a unit, punching big holes in the Packers’ defense for running back Mewelde Moore. Moore was sensational, running for a game-high 122 yards on 22 carries. The Vikings dominated time of possession, keeping the ball for nearly 38 minutes, which keeps your defense fresh.

 

During this three-game winning streak, the Vikings’ defense continues to set the tone. They simply stuffed the Packers’ running game, holding Green Bay to only 21 yards rushing, just 236 yards of total offense, and just 13 first downs.

 

Brent Favre did throw two touchdown passes, but he was intercepted twice, once on a great play by rookie defensive back Dovonte Edwards, who upon intercepting Favre raced 51 yards for a touchdown.

 

It was the third time this year that Ted Cottrell’s defense scored the Vikings’ first points of the game; the Vikings are now 2-1 when they score a defensive touchdown. The Packers were in control 7-0 with just a minute left in the first half when Edwards’ scored to tie the game.

 

The Vikings are now 3-1 in the division with two games left against Detroit and Chicago. It’s the first time in franchise history that the Vikings have beaten the Packers twice in the same year at historic Lambeau Field.

 

Who can forget the Vikings’ 31-17 playoff win on January 9, 2005, at Lambeau when Randy Moss grabbed two of Daunte Culpepper’s four touchdown passes and proceeded to fake mooning the Packers fans? The controversial act and the subsequent storm that it created led to the Vikings trading Moss to Oakland.