Rodgers excels in Packers win

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers passed his first test as the Green Bay Packers’ new quarterback, throwing for 178 yards and a touchdown and scoring on a game-clinching sneak in a 24-19 victory over the Minnesota Vikings Monday night.

Rodgers, who was 18-of-22, got help from the Packers’ special teams, running back Ryan Grant and safety Atari Bigby to beat a division rival in his first regular-season start, which came in the wake of Brett Favre’s unretirement saga.

Will Blackmon’s 76-yard punt return gave Green Bay a 17-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Minnesota’s Tarvaris Jackson answered with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice on fourth-and-1 to cut the Packers’ lead to five with 14:12 remaining. But a two-point conversion attempt failed when Jackson threw a pass slightly behind Rice in the back of the end zone.

Grant then broke free for a 57-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, giving the Packers (1-0) first-and-goal at the 2. After a penalty against the Vikings (0-1), Rodgers was stuffed on his first attempt at a quarterback sneak but plunged into the end zone on the second try.

He emphatically spiked the ball, then jumped into the stands for a “Lambeau Leap” as Green Bay took a 24-12 lead with 6:03 remaining.

Jackson then led the Vikings on an 11-play drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Adrian Peterson, cutting the Packers’ lead to 24-19 with 2:39 remaining.

An onside kick attempt by Ryan Longwell bounced out of bounds, giving the ball back to the Packers at their own 39. But the Packers had to punt, giving the ball back to Minnesota at its own 31 with 1:51 remaining.

But with the Vikings driving near midfield with under a minute remaining, Bigby stepped in front of Jackson’s pass for an interception to put the game away.

Getting his first start that counts in a heated division rivalry — one that became even more intense when the Packers accused the Vikings of tampering with the then-retired Favre in the offseason — Rodgers was effective.

Minnesota got a solid performance from Peterson, who ran for 103 yards and a touchdown. But the Vikings’ own quarterback questions, however, remain unanswered.

Jackson, who hadn’t played since after injuring his knee in an Aug. 16 preseason game against Baltimore, finished 16-of-35 for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception.