Vikings vs. Packers: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2016 Regular Season

If Saturday was any indication, Aaron Rodgers is the last player that teams will want to see if the Green Bay Packers (9-6) are able to punch a ticket to the postseason.  

In his team's 38-25 win over the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) at Lambeau Field, Rodgers shredded the Vikings' heralded secondary to the tune of 347 yards and four touchdowns on 28-of-38 passing. He also scampered for a six-yard score shortly before halftime to put the Vikings in an insurmountable 15-point hole, as the NFL on Twitter showed: 

Jordy Nelson operated as Rodgers' primary target all day long. He picked apart Minnesota's man and zone coverages with precise route running, strong hands and some nifty moves after the catch.

Nelson finished with nine catches for 154 yards and two scores—giving him 14 total on the season. According to NFL Research, Nelson is one of seven receivers to haul in at least 13 receiving touchdowns in three separate seasons. 

During Nelson's breakout performance, ESPN.com's Dan Graziano joked about the Vikings' inability to cover the 31-year-old: 

In addition to feeding Nelson at a high rate, Rodgers also got his other targets involved on a day when he was locked in and channeling that familiar swagger he's become known for over the years. 

Darts from Rodgers were flying all over Lambeau, and his prettiest throw of the day came when he hit Davante Adams (four catches, 44 yards) with a picture-perfect back-shoulder toss, as the NFL documented on Twitter: 

Geronimo Allison also came up big in Randall Cobb's absence (ankle) and snagged four passes for 66 yards as a key supplementary receiving option. 

Despite the lopsided final score, the Vikings did a nice job of counterpunching and keeping pace with the Packers' high-powered offense for most of the first half. 

Quarterback Sam Bradford (34-of-50, 382 yards, three touchdowns) leaned on Adam Thielen to match Nelson's explosive outing. The third-year receiver answered the call with 12 catches for 202 yards (both career highs) and two touchdowns—including a 71-yard score midway through the second quarter: 

And while the Packers defense tightened up after halftime, Bradford and Thielen exposed some serious flaws in Green Bay's secondary that will remain a cause for concern as the team's push for a playoff spot ramps up entering Week 17, according to the Wisconsin State Journal's Art Kabelowsky: 

The Packers will also have to focus on giving Rodgers some extra time to work from the pocket after the Vikings recorded four sacks and six tackles for loss, as the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Aaron Nagler pointed out: 

But on the whole, Saturday represented another step forward for a Packers team that's on the precipice of a playoff berth. 

Per ESPN Stats & Info, Rodgers became the first quarterback to throw for 300-plus yards against the Vikings this season, and he will have a chance to help the Packers capture an NFC North title next Sunday when they travel to the Motor City for a clash with the Detroit Lions. 

And if Green Bay's 34-27 Week 3 win over the Lions was a sign of things to come, Rodgers could have a field day. 

The Packers gunslinger completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns in that early-season triumph, and he could equal or best those numbers considering how hot he's been during the team's five-game winning streak. 

The Vikings, however, can play for just pride at this point. 

Saturday's loss officially eliminated them from postseason contention, and a once-promising season that started with five straight wins can end at 8-8 at best. 

It's a disappointing conclusion for a team that once appeared destined to blow expectations out of the water after Adrian Peterson and Teddy Bridgewater suffered serious knee injuries, but the Vikings can find a silver lining in Week 17 when they host the division-rival Chicago Bears and seek to close their campaign on a high note. 

Postgame Reaction

"We're 9-6," Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said, per the team’s Twitter account. "We've put ourselves in position to win the division next week. Proud of our team."

McCarthy also took time to praise Rodgers following his standout effort. 

"That was an MVP performance," he said, per the Packers’ Twitter account. "No disrespect to other players having great years, but he's the best in NFL."

"I felt good, as I did last week, once I got moving," Rodgers told reporters, per the team’s Twitter. "Was moving around a lot better."

The Vikings, on the other hand, did not have many positives to reflect on. 

"We put ourselves in such a big hole by not covering anyone," head coach Mike Zimmer said, according to KFAN 1003 on Twitter. 

It was also revealed after the loss that Vikings defensive backs ignored Zimmer’s orders to have cornerback Xavier Rhodes shadow Nelson, per the Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer: 

"You look at the teams that go on to compete for Super Bowls, they win in November and December," Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said, per KFAN. "We didn't do that."