Minneapolis, MN – October 16, 2017 – The Green Bay Packers lost a lot more than just a game on Sunday in Minnesota. The Packers not only dropped their contest against the Vikings 23-10, they also potentially lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the remainder of the season.
It was Green Bay’s second possession of the game. The game was tired at 0-0, the clock showing just over 7 minutes in the first quarter. Green Bay faced a 2nd and 9 at their own 39 yard line. Aaron Rodgers rolled to his right, and threw the ball to a wide open Martellus Bennett as Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr closed in on him. Bennett dropped the pass (which would have resulted in a first down), and Barr finished the hit on Rodgers, driving him shoulder-first into the turf. As Aaron Rodgers rolled on the ground in pain, the Packers fan base collectively held their breath. Aaron Rodgers left the game, was eventually carted into the locker room, and it was later reported he suffered a broken collar bone and could potentially miss the remainder of the season.
Enter Brett Hundley. Hundley, a 3-year starter at UCLA, was drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Packers with the 147th overall pick. Hundley had not seen much meaningful game action up to this point in his career, but was thrown into the fire. Facing 3rd and 9 from their own territory, Green Bay chose not to take any chances and handed the ball to Aaron Jones. Jones did not make the line to gain, and the Packers were forced to punt the ball away.
Hundley’s first opportunity to put the ball in the air came on Green Bay’s next possession. After Ty Montgomery picked up 8 yards on the ground on downs 1 and 2, the Packers faced a 3rd and 2 at their own 26. The Packers lined up 2 receivers to Hundley’s right. They ran a rub route and Hundley threw to the flat looking for Geronimo Allison, but Xavier Rhodes jumped the route and picked off Hundley deep in Green Bay territory. Two plays later, the Vikings found the end zone on a screen pass to Jerick McKinnon who scampered 27 yards untouched into the end zone. The Packers suddenly found themselves down 7-0 in the second quarter.
After another possession that didn’t produce anything for Green Bay, Minnesota got the ball back and went right back to work. As the Vikings were driving deep into Packers territory, momentum changed drastically. McKinnon fumbled on 1st and 10 at Green Bay’s 22, the ball bounced right into Clay Matthews’ hands and he took it the other way 63 yards to the Vikings 18 yard line.
The play set Hundley up for success. On 3rd and 6 from the Minnesota 14, Hundley found Davante Adams from 14 yards out for his first career touchdown pass and the first touchdown for Green Bay in the game. After all of the things that had gone wrong up to this point for Green Bay, they found themselves tied at 7-7 with 10:40 left in the 2nd quarter.
The Vikings added another score on the next possession, a touchdown again from McKinnon who redeemed himself after the fumble. The Packers were able to creep closer by adding a field goal before halftime and went into the locker room trailing 14-10.
With Hundley at the offensive helm, the Packers could not get anything going in the 2nd half. Green Bay had 5 possessions on offense in the 2nd half. 2 resulted in punts, one resulted in a turnover on downs, and Hundley threw two more interceptions. The Vikings mustered 3 field goals in the 2nd half to down the Packers 23-10.
The loss drops the Packers to 4-2 on the year. They not welcome in the 3-2 New Orleans Saints to Lambeau Field on Sunday October 22 at 1:00 pm. You can catch all the action on the air on Marquette County’s Packers affiliate 98.3 WRUP.