Defense sputters in second half

GREEN BAY, WIS. — The Vikings entered halftime of Sunday's game at Lambeau Field with a 17-3 lead based largely on the play of a defense that made life miserable for Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers.

The quarterback had completed five of 11 passes for only 38 yards and been sacked four times. The Packers had 47 yards of total offense, including only 18 net yards passing when the sack yardage was figured into the equation.

There appeared little chance Green Bay would finish with anything close to the 424 yards of offense it accumulated in a 30-23 loss to the Vikings on Oct. 5. However, the Vikings defense wasn't able to continue what it started. The Packers totaled 304 yards of offense in the second half, including 249 passing by Rodgers. He was sacked twice in the half but threw three touchdown passes in the Vikings' 38-26 victory.

"I thought we did a great job shutting down the run," said defensive end Jared Allen, who had three sacks. "The difference in the second half really was just scramble plays. We were still getting heat on [Rodgers], but that's a difference right there. The pressures versus sacks. Aaron did a great job of escaping the pocket."

The Vikings also continued to struggle with missed tackles, something that has become an issue far too frequently this season. Rookie cornerback Asher Allen missed a tackle on Ahman Green after the running back caught a pass that ended up going for 12 yards in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, cornerback Benny Sapp took a poor angle on a Rodgers scramble that went for 35 yards.

Linebackers Chad Greenway and E.J. Henderson also had missed tackles, as did cornerback Karl Paymah.

"We were in pretty good position on a couple of those plays for 2 or 3 yards, but you've got to tackle. That's no secret," Vikings coach Brad Childress said. "A couple of them could have been minus-yardage plays, could have been zero-yardage plays, but you've got to knock them down at that spot and that will continue to be an emphasis."

Part of the issue is that one of the Vikings' best tacklers, cornerback Antoine Winfield, was sidelined by a foot injury for a second consecutive game and coordinator Leslie Frazier is making do with a rotation that includes Paymah, Sapp and Allen all seeing time. Winfield is expected to return shortly after the Vikings' upcoming bye week.

Green Bay's top wide receivers, Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, were able to take advantage of their matchups Sunday after Driver had two catches for 26 yards in the first half and Jennings did not catch a pass. Jennings finished with eight receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown; Driver had six catches for 63 yards.

"I started hitting guys that were open," said Rodgers, who had the opportunity to lead a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter with the score 31-26 in favor of the Vikings. "The first half I struggled. I missed a couple of throws I should have hit. When we get into a rhythm on offense, we're tough to stop. We finally got Greg involved. ... Driver, we got him going as well. We just got into a rhythm on offense."

And, at times, got the Vikings out of their rhythm on defense.