The Green Bay Packers used two return touchdowns to take an early lead and then cruised to a comfortable victory over the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst performers from the Packers’ Week 17 win over the Vikings
Top 5 offense
1. TE Marcedes Lewis: 90.7
2. RB Aaron Jones: 77.0
3. WR Allen Lazard: 72.7
4. WR Romeo Doubs: 72.0
5. QB Aaron Rodgers: 71.6
Lewis was dominant as a run blocker over 17 run-blocking snaps and 23 snaps overall. Jones created three runs over 10 yards and five first downs and earned a strong pass-blocking grade. Lazard caught five of six targets, made one contested catch and created four first downs on 24 routes run. Doubs caught three passes for 20 yards and two first downs on 12 routes run. Rodgers was excellent when not blitzed and didn’t have a turnover-worthy play.
Top 5 defense
1. LB Isaiah McDuffie: 90.8
2. DL Kenny Clark: 89.9
3. S Rudy Ford: 83.1
4. DL TJ Slaton: 80.2
5. CB Jaire Alexander: 77.7
McDuffie produced two stops against the run over 12 snaps in the second half. Clark had a strip sack and fumble recovery and tied for the team lead with four total pressures. Ford was charged with Jalen Nailor’s 47-yard touchdown but he also had an interception on a pass to Justin Jefferson. Slaton had a team-high three stops against the run over 24 total snaps. Alexander gave up one catch for one yard and was not responsible for Jefferson’s lone catch.
Bottom 5 offense
1. RG Jon Runyan Jr: 43.6
2. RB Patrick Taylor: 50.3
3. WR Samori Toure: 53.6
4. WR Randall Cobb: 53.9
5. C Josh Myers: 54.4
Runyan had a penalty and the offense’s lowest run-blocking grade overall. Taylor ran five times for 10 yards (long of 3) in garbage time. Toure didn’t have a target despite playing 11 snaps (6 passing snaps). Cobb caught two passes for 20 yards on 15 passing snaps from the slot. Like Runyan, Myers earned a poor grade as a run blocker inside.
Bottom 5 defense
1. OLB Jonathan Garvin: 31.3
2. LB Corey Ballentine: 39.6
3. LB Eric Wilson: 45.6
4. OLB Justin Hollins: 49.2
5. S Darnell Savage: 52.0
Garvin didn’t have a pressure over nine pass-rushing snaps and earned the team’s lowest run-defense grade over nine snaps against the run. Ballentine gave up two catches and a touchdown in garbage time. Wilson allowed two catches for 43 yards. Hollins had a sack and three pressures but wasn’t effective against the run. Savage intercepted a deflected pass but also missed two tackles and received a poor run-defense grade.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: 71.6
Rodgers had an adjusted completion percentage over 75, didn’t have a turnover-worthy play and created first downs or touchdowns on 10 of his 15 completions. He was under pressure on just six of 26 dropbacks. On five attempts over 20 yards, Rodgers completed just one (touchdown to Tonyan). He struggled against the blitz (3 for 8, 20 yards) but was terrific when the Vikings didn’t blitz (12 for 16, 137 yards, one touchdown).
Special teams
Tyler Davis delivered two special teams tackles and was excellent as a blocker. Eric Wilson produced another tackle and the team’s top grade overall, and rookie Tariq Carpenter had a tackle on kickoff coverage for the sixth time in seven games. Of course, Mason Crosby made both field goals, including a 56-yarder, and Keisean Nixon lit up Lambeau Field with a 105-yard kickoff return touchdown.
Rookie spotlight
Quay Walker allowed only two catches for 12 yards on six targets into his coverage, Kingsley Enagbare quietly had four pressures and two quarterback hits, Zach Tom filled in admirably at right tackle for Yosh Nijman (one pressure allowed) and Tariq Carpenter delivered his seventh tackle covering kickoffs.
