41. Packers 33, Vikings 27 (2011)

The teams were headed in opposite directions. Green Bay was undefeated at 6-0 and Minnesota was 1-5 and the Vikings were starting quarterback Christian Ponder, who was making his first start as a pro. However, despite their records, games between these two more often than not are close slugfests. Ponder threw for 219 yards and two scores, but the Packers were able to hold off a fourth quarter rally by the home team and escaped with the win by six points.

Ponder could not have asked for a better opening drive to his first start of his career. Ponder threw a pass down the left sideline to Michael Jenkins, whose catch and run was initially ruled a 73-yard touchdown, but replay showed his knee was down at the 1. Two plays later, though, Ponder would find Visante Shiancoe for the score to give the Vikings the lead.

That lead did not last long, though, as the Packers went on a 91-yard drive to tie the game up. John Kuhn scored on a 2-yard touchdown reception for the tying score. Aaron Rodgers was red hot out of the gate, going 6-6 for 76 yards and the score.

After a pair of punts, Minnesota grabbed the lead back. After forcing another Vikings punt, Randall Cobb muffed a punt by Chris Kluwe and the Vikings recovered at midfield. Seven plays later, Peterson plowed in from a yard out to give Minnesota the lead back. Peterson had 23 yards rushing on the drive.

The next three possessions resulted in field goals, two by Green Bay and one by Minnesota. Green Bay’s last one was just before the end of the half and the Packers cut the Vikings lead to 17-13.

I think Mike McCarthy lit a fire under his team at halftime. Green Bay would score on its first four possessions of the second half to take control of the game. Right out of the gates, Rodgers threw a 79-yard touchdown to Greg Jennings to take the lead for the first time.

After a three-and-out was forced by the Packers defense, Kluwe’s punt was returned by Cobb for 42 yards, down to the Vikings 37. Four plays later, Rodgers found Jermichael Finley and the visitors had a 27-17 advantage.

Charles Woodson would put an end to Minnesota’s next two drives, but the Packers were only able to cash in two field goals and the Packers had a 33-17 lead.

Just when people thought Minnesota was out of it, the Vikings scored 10 points in two possessions to cut it to six. The touchdown was a Ponder pass to Jenkins for 24 yards with just under eight minutes left.

A pair of punts left the Packers with the ball with two and a half minutes left. The Vikings had all three timeouts and the two minute warning. James Starks rushed for 39 yards on his first three carries of the drive, which put the ball in opponents territory. After two carries gained a total of three yards, the green and gold faced a 3rd-and-7. With Minnesota out of timeouts, Starks once again was given the ball and he blasted for a game-clinching 13-yard pickup.

Green Bay would go onto have its best regular season ever at 15-1, but would fall in the NFC Divisional round to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.