Packers vs. Vikings, First Half

Green Bay enters the locker room with a 10-3 lead. The ESPN commentators were debating whether or not GB should have taken a shot in the end zone, but I think it was a smart move to go for the field goal. It looks like this will be a tight game, and heading into halftime with a 2-score lead would have been big. The Pack just got unlucky with the blocked field goal attempt.

Other than that miscue to end the first half, I thought it was a pretty solid 2 quarters. GB started a little sluggish, committing several penalties, and showing an inability to establish the running game. Both of those areas improved in the 2nd quarter. GB heads into the half with 7 penalties committed for 69 yards - but I believe 5 of those came in the 1st quarter. Ryan Grant has 35 yards rushing, Brandon Jackson has 14, and Aaron Rodgers has 35.

Adrian Peterson has 75 yards on 9 carries, but most of that came in the 1st quarter. GB has done a good job on defense of forcing Tarvaris Jackson to make a play with his arm...and he has yet to respond. He's 2-7 for 16 yards...a QB rating of 39.6.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers has looked quite good. He goes into the half 12-16 for 139 yards and 1 TD (a 121.6 rating). He's engineered a few good drives, and his ability to get out of the pocket and run with the ball has been an effective weapon (something #4 hasn't been able to boast for a while now). Rodgers has already made a few Favre-esque plays - the long pass to Jennings (great catch by Jennings btw), and the touchdown throw to Hall (Rodgers was able to evade the pass rush long enough to throw a bullet off his back foot).

But now the thing every Packer fan wants to know about: how's that new punter? Oh, wait, you didn't know that GB has a new punter? This story kind of slipped by unnoticed, but the Pack released Jon Ryan who averaged 44.5 yards during his 2 years in GB. Derrick Frost is the new punter, and he's looked good - 2 punts, averaging 46 yards.

One final note: the UW-Eau Claire marching band was at Lambeau tonight, and performed at halftime.