All 25 Aaron Rodgers starts vs. the Vikings, ranked
All 25 Aaron Rodgers starts vs. the Vikings, ranked
Sunday's game marks the 14th straight season where Rodgers has started a game against the Vikings
By Sam Ekstrom
EAGAN — In 2008, the Vikings were the first team Aaron Rodgers faced in his initial season as the Green Bay Packers starter. Minnesota lost that game, kicking off a 14-season struggle against the nine-time Pro Bowler.
Rodgers has faced the Vikings 25 times since that 2008 debut. There have been playoff games, ties, blowouts and barnburners. There have been division-deciding matchups and head-coach-ousting losses. While Rodgers has amassed a 15-9-1 record against the Vikings, the two teams have delivered some epic entertainment.
With Rodgers vs. Minnesota, Episode 26 kicking off on Sunday — possibly the last time he faces the Vikings wearing green and gold — let’s rank the previous 25 meetings with emphasis on entertainment value, importance to the season and fantastic finishes.
#25 — Week 10, 2011: Packers 45, Vikings 7
There are a fair number of games on this list that weren’t compelling because of their lopsidedness… and just about every one of those games went the Packers’ way. While the Vikings have had to scratch and claw for every win in this rivalry, Rodgers helped deliver more than a few laughers, including this Monday night destruction against young rookie Christian Ponder.
Rodgers’ impact: Rodgers was brilliant for Green Bay, tossing four touchdowns, two to Jordy Nelson, and throwing for 250 yards.
#24 — Week 5, 2014: Packers 42, Vikings 10
Ponder found himself on the wrong end of a handful of these games, including this one. After losing his job to Matt Cassel and watching the Vikings draft Teddy Bridgewater, Ponder was a lame duck in 2014, but he got one last chance at glory after injuries to Cassel and Bridgewater. He didn’t do much with it as the Packers led 42-0 after three quarters.
Rodgers’ impact: Rodgers didn’t have to do much heavy lifting in this one as the defense scored a touchdown and Eddie Lacy went off for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Still, Rodgers tossed three touchdown passes despite having only 12 completions.
#23 — Week 7, 2013: Packers 44, Vikings 31
Not as close as the final score indicated. Green Bay led 41-17 late in the fourth quarter before the Vikings closed the gap in garbage time. After Cordarrelle Patterson opened the game with a 109-yard kickoff return, it went downhill fast for Ponder and the Vikings.
Rodgers’ impact: Threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns, both to Jordy Nelson, who went off for 123 yards.
#22 — Week 1, 2020: Packers 43, Vikings 34
Cameron Dantzler, Holton Hill and Mike Hughes may have nightmares for years about this one at U.S. Bank Stadium. Rodgers abused a young Vikings secondary, hanging 35 points in the final 31 minutes of the football game.
Rodgers’ impact: It was Rodgers at his best, throwing for 364 yards and four touchdowns against the overmatched defensive backs. Davante Adams was targeted a whopping 17 times for 156 yards and two scores.
#21 — Week 11, 2015: Packers 30, Vikings 13
There were serious ramifications entering this one as the Vikings held a one-game lead in the NFC North at 7-2 and riding a five-game winning streak. But the Packers entered TCF Bank Stadium and humbled them with a pull-away victory in the second half.
Rodgers’ impact: It was not Rodgers’ best day, going 16 of 34 through the air. But true to form, Rodgers didn’t make many bad mistakes as he played interception free and threw a pair of touchdowns. His TD pass to Randall Cobb with six seconds left in the first half was particularly back-breaking.
“I wouldn’t say that he gives us a new wrinkle every year. He’s good at what he does. He’s the best. He can run their whole offense from the line of scrimmage. You get him in the run-and-play, you get him in the right pass play, he does a great job of reading coverages. And he has the ability to make you miss with his feet and get on the edge and make explosive plays down the field. He’s very tough to defend, and it’ll be a tremendous challenge for us.” — Andre Patterson
#20 — Week 1, 2010: Packers 31, Vikings 3
A whitewash of a game that ended in Brad Childress losing his job as Vikings head coach. Rodgers and the Packers, en route to an eventual Super Bowl, also put the dagger in Brett Favre’s final season, sending the Vikings to a 3-7 mark.
Rodgers’ impact: In front of thousands of Packers fans at the Metrodome, Rodgers shined. He tossed four touchdowns with 301 yards. Greg Jennings finished with 152 yards and three TDs.
#19 — 2012 Wild Card: Packers 24, Vikings 10
It’s unfortunate the lone Vikings-Packers playoff game had to go down the way it did. Christian Ponder got injured in the teams’ Week 17 matchup, leaving Joe Webb as the Vikings starter. Ponder, for all his warts, had actually been playing well down the stretch, but Webb had no chance on a freezing night at Lambeau.
Rodgers’ impact: Another clean performance for Rodgers: 23 of 33 for 274 yards and one touchdown.
#18 — Week 16, 2016: Packers 38, Vikings 25
Ah, the Rogue Corners Game. The Vikings allowed 28 first-half points, and Xavier Rhodes more or less said after the game that they changed Mike Zimmer’s gameplan behind his back. The Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs with the loss, which wasn’t as close as the score shows. They were down 38-13 at one point in the fourth quarter.
Rodgers’ impact: Rodgers sure knows how to dagger a team on the brink. Perhaps sensing the Vikings were fragile, he played one of his best games of the season, passing for 347 yards, four touchdowns and running for a fifth.
“Aaron is a very, very talented quarterback, probably one of the best quarterbacks to throw the football — back-shoulder fades and his ability to throw his receivers open, his arm power. If you want to be a quarterback, you kind of want to follow some of the things that Aaron Rodgers has done and some of the things he’s able to do. We have our hands full. We know what these guys are capable of doing on offense, we know that right now I believe they are rated the No. 1 offense but for us everything is still right there in front of us. What we have to do is focus on this week, focus on getting a win this week and hopefully everything else will fall right behind it.” — Patrick Peterson
#17 — Week 13, 2012: Packers 23, Vikings 14
The Vikings entered Lambeau Field with a chance to take the division lead, but they were turned aside despite a 210-yard day from Adrian Peterson, who was en route to a 2,000-yard season. Christian Ponder was dreadful in defeat with two interceptions, and the Packers scored the game’s final 13 points.
Rodgers’ impact: It was a rare day where Rodgers threw an interception, but he still managed 286 yards and a touchdown to get the Packers over the top.
#16 — Week 16, 2019: Packers 23, Vikings 10
The Vikings had a chance to set themselves up for an NFC North crown with a victory on Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, but the Packers had other ideas. Kirk Cousins was flustered throughout the night as Green Bay rolled to victory thanks to their defense and ground game.
Rodgers’ impact: The Vikings wasted a huge opportunity with a legitimately below-average Rodgers performance. He threw for 216 yards, no touchdowns and one interception to Anthony Harris, yet the Packers still won comfortably in the end.
#15 — Week 6, 2017: Vikings 23, Packers 10
A truly forgettable football game if not for the first quarter hit that knocked Aaron Rodgers from the game — a massive moment in the season. Anthony Barr’s borderline late hit that injured Rodgers’ shoulder drastically changed the landscape of the NFC North and helped pave the way for the Vikings to win the division. Meanwhile, Case Keenum paced the Vikings to an easy victory over backup Brett Hundley.
Rodgers’ impact: Removed from the game early, Rodgers scarcely made a dent on this huge NFC North battle. He would only play in one game for the rest of the season.
“He’s really hard to fool. He’s extremely smart. He takes all the time at the line of scrimmage that he can, especially on third down. Obviously he’s got great vision and can put the ball anyplace that he wants to. I think Cobb being back has helped him some in the slot, but they use two tight ends a lot, and in Jones and Dillon they’ve got two good backs as well. Their offensive line does a nice job. Every play is a fight.” — Mike Zimmer
#14 — Week 7, 2011: Packers 33, Vikings 27
Remember when there was genuine excitement over Christian Ponder? The rookie was actually pretty decent in his first career start, but it wasn’t enough to stop a 20-point onslaught from the Packers in the third quarter. The Vikings would only win three games this year, while the Packers would win 15.
Rodgers’ impact: The Rodgers-Jennings connection was at its best as the two connected for 147 yards and a touchdown. Rodgers had 335 and three with no picks.
#13 — Week 12, 2014: Packers 24, Vikings 21
Naturally, Greg Jennings found the end zone in this game… but he was a member of the Vikings. Yes, that happened, remember? Nonetheless, Green Bay was able to pick up a big first down late in the game and kneel down in victory formation for a three-point win.
Rodgers’ impact: As you’ll start to see, Rodgers’ performances got more ordinary once Zimmer showed up. In this one, Rodgers was held to 19 of 29 for 209 yards, but he did throw two touchdowns.
#12 — Week 8, 2020: Vikings 28, Packers 22
Last year’s out-of-the-blue Vikings win gave the Packers one of their three losses all season. Dalvin Cook went off for over 220 all-purpose yards on a windy day at Lambeau, where the Packers only scored once in the second half.
Rodgers’ impact: Despite some tough conditions, Rodgers threw for 291 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against a beat-up secondary, but he was strip-sacked by D.J. Wonnum on the game’s final drive to end things in the Vikings’ favor.
“I know we had a lot of DBs go down in that game. But you never want him to have the ball at the end of the game. I don’t think any coach in the league would say, ‘Oh, let’s give him the ball.’ So you’re fighting, scratching, the entire game.” — Mike Zimmer
#11 — Week 12, 2018: Vikings 24, Packers 17
The Vikings took advantage of the tail end of the Mike McCarthy era, beating the Packers for a third straight year at U.S. Bank Stadium. Kirk Cousins completed a clutch pass to Stefon Diggs in the final minutes that allowed the Vikings to run out the clock.
Rodgers’ impact: At this point in time, it might’ve looked like Rodgers’ star was fading. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown in defeat, dropping the Packers to 4-6-1.
#10 — Week 1, 2008: Packers 24, Vikings 19
This one gets a bump simply for its significance in the series. Aaron Rodgers’ first start as the QB of the Packers came against their bitter rival on Monday Night Football. Tarvaris Jackson was no match for the rising star.
Rodgers’ impact: Rodgers was an efficient 18 of 22 for 178 yards and a touchdown, not to mention a rushing touchdown that gave the Packers a 12-point cushion late in the game.
#9 — Week 2, 2019: Packers 21, Vikings 16
One of the wackier games that we’ve seen in the Zimmer vs. Rodgers era. The Packers scored on their first three possessions, and then not again, while the Vikings made mistake after mistake to gift the Packers a victory. Minnesota committed four turnovers, including a late fourth quarter interception by Cousins that was among his worst as a Viking.
Rodgers’ impact: A quiet 209 yards and two touchdowns, while Aaron Jones rumbled for 116 yards and a score. Rodgers was completely bottled up in the final three quarters to give the Vikings a chance.
#8 — Week 17, 2015: Vikings 20, Packers 13
If you thought the Vikings only lost pivotal games against the Packers late in the season, think again. Heading to Lambeau Field with the NFC North at stake would usually favor Green Bay, but Mike Zimmer and the Vikings stymied Rodgers in a low-scoring affair to take the North.
Rodgers’ impact: The Vikings intercepted Rodgers in the end zone on a late fourth quarter drive to tie the game, and they scooped-and-scored one of his fumbles earlier on to build a lead. A tremendous defensive effort.
“It was just a battle the whole game. It was a night game, and Rodgers went back and he threw the ball up, and you’re just saying, ‘Please don’t catch it. Please don’t catch it,’ and then it went down, and everybody’s just so excited. I remember seeing Dennis Ryan jumping up and down. I’ve never seen him do that. So that was my welcome-to-the-Packers-rivalry moment.” — Adam Zimmer
#7 — Week 2, 2016: Vikings 17, Packers 14
This one was fun. The first regular season game at U.S. Bank Stadium ended with a Rodgers drive to potentially tie or win the game, but Trae Waynes — picked on all night long by Rodgers — came up with the game-clinching interception against a quarterback who never throws them. Tremendous stuff. Excellent atmosphere.
Rodgers’ impact: Despite rushing for a touchdown and throwing for another, Rodgers’ threw the game-ending pick and was sacked five times in the loss. Put one in the Zimmer column.
#6 — Week 4, 2009: Vikings 30, Packers 23
Brett Favre’s first game against the Packers was a little less emotional, perhaps, than his return to Lambeau Field, but the game still held plenty of gravitas on the Monday Night Football stage. The Vikings led 30-14 late in the game and cruised to a comfortable win. Favre was the best quarterback on the night as the Vikings stayed unbeaten.
Rodgers’ impact: Rodgers threw for 384 yards and two touchdowns, but an interception and a fumble lost were enough to prevent the Packers from making this a game.
#5 — Week 7, 2010: Packers 28, Vikings 24
From this point on, the games get crazy.
Brett Favre’s second trip to Lambeau isn’t as discussed, but wow, what a game it was. Both quarterbacks were sloppy with five combined interceptions, but the ending was jam-packed with drama as Percy Harvin appeared to haul in a game-winning touchdown grab with 48 seconds left — on 1st and 30, no less — but it was overturned on booth review. The Vikings would fail to convert, and Green Bay would win.
Rodgers’ impact: As mentioned, it wasn’t a good quarterback night. Rodgers threw two interceptions along with two touchdowns but snuck away with the win.
#4 — Week 10, 2008: Vikings 28, Packers 27
Holy smokes, was this game awesome or what? The Packers had an interception return AND a punt return for touchdowns. The Vikings recorded TWO safeties. Adrian Peterson gained 225 yards from scrimmage and ran for the go-ahead score with 2:22 left. And Mason Crosby missed a game-winning field goal in the final minute. Terrific stuff.
Rodgers’ impact: The two safeties weren’t great, and Rodgers wasn’t very effective through the air either, only generating 142 yards and no touchdowns.
“Not only does he have a great arm, but the thing that makes him elite and puts him in the top five in NFL history is the way he can move around in the pocket, like you said. Not only move around the pocket, keep his eyes downfield and find a receiver. So we have to do a great job of, when he moves around, stay in coverage and also be disciplined in our rush lanes and try to keep him from having time to create things with his feet.” — Adam Zimmer
#3 — Week 2, 2018: Vikings 29, Packers 29
A tie? A tie! Daniel Carlson missed a million kicks, yes, but there were other insane things, too. Laquon Treadwell caught a touchdown… and also tipped a ball right into the Packers’ hands in the fourth quarter. Minnesota still scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to tie it, including Kirk Cousins’ memorable touchdown pass to Adam Thielen, which had no business being completed. And overall, Cousins was brilliant. You could argue his popularity was never higher than after this game.
Rodgers’ impact: Rodgers was playing banged up on this day and was merely average. He finished with 281 yards and a touchdown along with four sacks. Green Bay’s offense only generated one touchdown.
#2 — Week 17, 2012: Vikings 37, Packers 34
This will be the game that Christian Ponder tells his grandchildren about. For one Sunday afternoon, Ponder went toe to toe with Aaron Rodgers and outdueled him. The Vikings needed a win to make the playoffs, which they got, and oh yeah, Adrian Peterson was chasing the single-season rushing record. Though Peterson would come tantalizingly close but fall short of the mark, the Vikings didn’t fall short as Ponder made just enough plays (with a lot of help from Peterson). Rookie Blair Walsh walked off with a field goal.
Rodgers’ impact: This one couldn’t be pinned on Rodgers. He did his part with 365 yards of passing and four touchdowns, not to mention a pair of game-tying scoring drives in the fourth quarter.
#1 — Week 8, 2009: Vikings 38, Packers 26
Maybe the final score doesn’t reflect how thrilling Favre’s return to Lambeau Field was, but the fact that people still buzz about this game tells you all you need to know. It was far from a back and forth affair with the Vikings jumping out to a 24-3, but Rodgers foreshadowed what he was about to become with an impressive second-half rally. Green Bay closed to within 31-26 and even got the ball back at the end but couldn’t complete an epic comeback against their rival. Those that were in the crowd that afternoon were lucky.
Rodgers’ impact: Undeterred by the presence of his predecessor, Rodgers threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns along with 52 rushing yards. His dramatic near-comeback demonstrated something that Vikings corner Patrick Peterson talked about during the week: “You’ve got to defend every second on the entire clock.”
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