1. Run defense still disappoints

The most disappointing part of coach Mike Zimmer's defense remains the inability to stop the run consistently. That core weakness always leads to more breakdowns throughout the defense. The Patriots bludgeoned the run defense to the point where Tom Brady was a nonfactor in a 23-point win. The Saints were able to go on top 13-0 in 10 minutes because Drew Brees was perfectly complemented by a running attack that was missing No. 1 back Mark Ingram. Thursday night, Zimmer's run defense breathed life into Packers running back Eddie Lacy on Green Bay's second possession. Lacy came into the game averaging 3.0 yards per carry. But on that four-play touchdown drive, he had consecutive runs of 18, 29 and 6 yards to set up an 8-yard touchdown pass. And get this: The 53 yards on those three plays were more than Lacy had in any of the Packers' first four games.

2. Hall of Fame (Packmoments?)

It's a pretty good bet that Julius Peppers and Aaron Rodgers will end up together in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. Late in the second quarter, the Packers teammates achieved some milestone career moments. Peppers' 49-yard interception return for a touchdown made him the first NFL player with at least 100 sacks and 10 interceptions. Following another Ponder pick — a Ponder special in which he threw late and behind the target — Rodgers threw his 200th career touchdown. He did it in his 99th game, which is the second-fastest in NFL history behind Dan Marino (89).

3. Surprise! Early third-down stop

The Packers were coming off a game against the Bears in which they didn't punt and scored on their first six possessions. The Vikings had allowed Atlanta to convert 10 of their first 13 third downs last week. And, oh yeah, the last time Rodgers faced the Vikings, he completed 12 of 12 passes for 187 yards, two touchdowns and eight first downs on third and fourth downs. But despite the blowout loss, the Vikings' defense started well, especially on the road. Green Bay went three-and-out on its first possession. It also went three-and-out on its fourth, fifth and sixth possessions, but the second and third ones went for touchdowns. Sound tackling and run defense held the Packers to 8 yards on their first possession. After that, the run defense collapsed first, followed by the pass defense and, of course, Ponder.

4. Offensive woes

Offensive coordinator Norv Turner and the Vikings offense went into Thursday's game having scored three times in four game-opening possessions. They scored touchdowns with Matt Cassel at quarterback against St. Louis and New England, and a field goal with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback against Atlanta. Thursday wasn't as good of a start with Ponder. Running back Matt Asiata opened with a 3-yard run off left guard. And then the drive was ruined when right tackle Phil Loadholt was penalized for holding. That was only the second time this season the Vikings have committed a penalty on their first possession. Facing second-and-15 from their 9-yard line, Turner didn't trust Ponder to throw the ball — for good reason, as we'd see later — so he had Asiata run the ball. He gained 1 yard. Ponder tried to pass on third-and-14 but didn't react well under pressure. He tried to dump the ball off, but Asiata dropped what would have been a short gain or a loss.

5. Difference in deep balls

The Vikings were trailing 7-0 at the 8:28 mark of the first quarter. Christian Ponder had a clean enough pocket to make a play downfield. Jarius Wright was open deep. But, in the words of former Vikings coach Brad Childress, Ponder threw a long foul ball to the wrong side of Wright. Two plays later, Ponder threw underneath to Wright for a 2-yard gain on … third-and-3. Four plays after that, Aaron Rodgers had a clean pocket and an open receiver, Jordy Nelson. Rodgers hit Nelson in stride with a 46-yard pass that turned into a 66-yard touchdown. And that little three-minute window illustrated the difference between hitting on a quarterback in the first round (2005) and missing on a quarterback in the first round (2011). Ponder's two first-half interceptions, including a pick-six, also were painful reminders for Vikings fans.