Packers happy to have another try at Vikings

Article by: KENT YOUNGBLOOD , Star Tribune
Updated: December 31, 2012 - 1:21 AM

Showing all due respect for the treatment it received from AP & Co., Green Bay relishes a chance to host its rival.

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The Packers' DuJuan Harris made his way off Mall of America Field after the Vikings' 37-34 victory Sunday.

Photo: Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune

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As the two teams met at the middle of the field early Sunday evening, Aaron Rodgers sought out Adrian Peterson. A former MVP talking, perhaps, to the award's next owner.

Rodgers' message was simple.

"I told him he's the best," the Packers quarterback said. "He might have won the MVP today. Hopefully we win the game next week."

Rodgers, with elegant simplicity, spoke for an entire visitors locker room filled with tired, frustrated players. After absorbing 199 yards' worth of Peterson's running, after enduring a last-second, 37-34 loss to the Vikings at Mall of America Field, the Packers were frustrated. And thrilled.

Really.

"We're playing them again?" asked defensive end Mike Daniels, as he was informed by reporters of next week's playoff rematch in Lambeau Field. "Are we, really? That is cool."

While giving all sorts of respect to Peterson, the Packers seemed thrilled at the opportunity to atone for what happened in the Dome Sunday.

"One week away, crank it up," said cornerback Tramon Williams. "We're ready to go. Obviously, everybody is disappointed with this loss. But ask any of the 53 guys in this locker room if they're ready to go, right now. They'd say yes. So we got the Vikings next week. Bring 'em on. They have to come to Lambeau."

Indeed, the opportunity for another crack at Peterson and Co. seemed to be nearly enough to make up for the disappointment at not having earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. If the Packers had completed their comeback after spotting the Vikings a 13-0 lead they would have earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC and had a week off.

As it is, now they have to prepare for a third game against their division foes in a month's time. And that's OK.

"Absolutely," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think it'll be a great contest. It's an opponent we're very familiar with, and they're familiar with us. Everybody has confidence going into the playoffs. Most importantly, we'll be at home."

Clearly, the Packers will have to do some work on Peterson, who ran for 409 yards against them in two games this season, prompting Williams to call Peterson the best he'd ever seen.

"No doubt about it,'' he said. "It's not even close. It's just not close. He's the best I've played against. He has hurt us in two games. In past years, we've had some games where we've done some good jobs on him. We can stop him. We can definitely stop him. You know they're going to feed him. We just have to step up and make some plays."

But how?

"He brings it every time he touches the ball," Daniels said. "He doesn't care if you stop him for no yards, minus-3 yards, minus-20. He'll come back, and probably try to make you pay for that. He plays hard. We have no choice but to respect him."

So the stage is set.

"Any time a team does to you what the Vikings did to us today you want to fix that," linebacker A.J. Hawk said. "I don't know if I'd use the word redemption. But we do have a chance at them again. I'll say this: We're looking forward to it."

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explore the Vikings/NFL

Full Scoreboard

Cincinnati	3:30 PM
Houston

Minnesota	7:00 PM
Green Bay

Indianapolis	1/6/13 12:00 PM
Baltimore

Seattle	1/6/13 3:30 PM
Washington

Full Scoreboard

Cleveland	106	FINAL
Charlotte	104	FINAL

Brooklyn	115	FINAL
Washington	113	FINAL

Sacramento	105	FINAL
Toronto	96	FINAL

Atlanta	84	FINAL
Detroit	85	FINAL

Chicago	96	FINAL
Miami	89	FINAL

Indiana	75	FINAL
Boston	94	FINAL

Philadelphia	85	FINAL
Oklahoma City	109	FINAL

Portland	86	FINAL
Memphis	84	FINAL

Houston	115	FINAL
Milwaukee	101	FINAL

Utah	87	FINAL
Phoenix	80	FINAL

LA Lakers	102	FINAL
LA Clippers	107	FINAL

Full Scoreboard

TX A&M-CC	57	FINAL
Sam Houston St	61	FINAL

Yale	61	FINAL
Holy Cross	54	FINAL

Manhattan	55	FINAL
Saint Peters	53	FINAL

Iona	66	FINAL
Siena	62	FINAL

George Washington	41	FINAL
Georgia	52	FINAL

Brown	47	FINAL
Rhode Island	59	FINAL

Cleveland State	50	FINAL
Valparaiso	74	FINAL

Rider	65	FINAL
Loyola-Maryland	71	FINAL

Wofford	48	FINAL
Tulane	62	FINAL

Savannah State	59	FINAL
Saint Louis	67	FINAL

Memphis	85	FINAL
Tennessee	80	FINAL

Texas Southern	57	FINAL
Alcorn State	48	FINAL

Grambling St	56	FINAL
Alabama State	69	FINAL

Jackson State	87	FINAL
Alabama A&M	88	FINAL

Prairie View	45	FINAL
Southern U	50	FINAL

Fordham	68	FINAL
Ole Miss	95	FINAL

(5) Oregon	35	FINAL
(7) Kansas State	17	FINAL

(10) Texas A&M	41	FINAL
(12) Oklahoma	13	FINAL

Pittsburgh	12:00 PM
Ole Miss

(25) Kent State	1/6/13 8:00 PM
Arkansas State

(2) Alabama	1/7/13 7:30 PM
(1) Notre Dame

Siena	62	FINAL
Canisius	65	FINAL

Fordham	71	FINAL
American Univ	50	FINAL

TX A&M-CC	46	FINAL
Sam Houston St	65	FINAL

Jackson State	48	FINAL
Alabama A&M	66	FINAL

Grambling	60	FINAL
Alabama State	68	FINAL

Texas Southern	61	FINAL
Alcorn State	45	FINAL

Prairie View	55	FINAL
Southern U	60	FINAL

Navy	59	FINAL
Richmond	65	FINAL

Youngstown St	58	FINAL
VA Commonwealth	45	FINAL

Temple	58	FINAL
Howard	61	FINAL

Loyola-Maryland	54	FINAL
Fairfield	64	FINAL

Iona	76	FINAL
Niagara	65	FINAL

UCF	59	FINAL
Bowling Green	56	FINAL

Marist	62	FINAL
Rider	47	FINAL

Bradley	54	FINAL
Indiana State	55	FINAL

Northern Iowa	41	FINAL
Illinois State	72	FINAL

(7) California	55	FINAL
Utah	50	FINAL

SD Mines & Tech	53	FINAL
Colorado State	97	FINAL

USC	56	FINAL
Oregon State	55	FINAL

(16) UCLA	89	FINAL
Oregon	80	FINAL

Arizona	71	FINAL
Washington St	65	FINAL

Arizona State	74	FINAL
Washington	77	FINAL

(4) Stanford	57	FINAL
(20) Colorado	40	FINAL

Date/Opponent	Time	W	L	Score
2012 preseason
Aug 10 - at San Francisco	8:00 PM		X	17-6
Aug 17 - vs. Buffalo	7:00 PM	X		36-14
Aug 24 - vs. San Diego	7:00 PM		X	12-10
Aug 30 - at Houston	6:00 PM		X	28-24
2012 regular season
Sep 9 - vs. Jacksonville	12:00 PM	X		26-23
Sep 16 - at Indianapolis	12:00 PM		X	23-20
Sep 23 - vs. San Francisco	12:00 PM	X		24-13
Sep 30 - at Detroit	12:00 PM	X		20-13
Oct 7 - vs. Tennessee	3:25 PM	X		30-7
Oct 14 - at. Washington	3:25 PM		X	38-26
Oct 21 - vs. Arizona	12:00 PM	X		21-14
Oct 25 - vs. Tampa Bay	7:20 PM		X	36-17
Nov. 4 - at Seattle	3:05 PM		X	30-20
Nov 11 - vs. Detroit	12:00 PM	X		34-24
Open
Nov 25 - at Chicago	12:00 PM		X	28-10
Dec 2 - at Green Bay	12:00 PM		X	23-14
Dec 9 - vs. Chicago	12:00 PM	X		21-14
Dec 16 - at St. Louis	12:00 PM	X		36-22
Dec 23 - at Houston	12:00 PM	X		23-6
Dec 30 - vs. Green Bay	3:25 PM	X		37-34
2012-13 playoffs
Jan. 5 - at Green Bay	7:00 PM