The national Sunday night audience likely needed to web search the Packers roster to identify Aaron Rodgers' targets.
Jarrett Boykin? Myles White? Andrew Quarless? Who?
Without three of its top four contributors Sunday against the Vikings at Mall of America Field, Green Bay was left with Jordy Nelson and a bunch of little-known receivers.
And yet Rodgers turned those unfamiliar players into an effective pass attack, going 24-for-29 with 285 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 44-31 victory.
"I think it's shaping up to be one of Aaron's best years," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Aaron has had a lot of challenges Monday through Sunday that don't show up on a stat sheet. Just the change and trying to get on a same page with these younger players and trusting the game plan. Because when you are as productive as we've been, there's such a comfort with our no-huddle, and we really felt like we were rolling on all cylinders. So now we've kind of had to go in a different direction, and he has to command it. This obviously wouldn't work without him."
The Packers didn't punt, scoring on seven of their nine drives. They accomplished that without Jermichael Finley, Randall Cobb and James Jones, who all sat because of injuries. They have combined for 1,027 receiving yards and seven touchdowns this season.
If you subtract Nelson, the rest of the Packers receiving corps consisted of five players with a combined 202 receiving yards before the game, yet Rodgers still found a way to effectively pass.
"I don't think you can expect that at all," Rodgers said of the offensive performance without some key contributors. "But you expect greatness out of our guys. We expect guys to be prepared, be accountable for the routes they're running or blocks they're making, and guys did a great job tonight."