Packers are back in first in NFC North after defeating Vikings

The Green Bay Packers are back in first place in the NFC North Division after beating Minnesota 23-14 Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Packers and Chicago are both 8-4 after the Bears lost to Seattle. Green Bay has the tie-breaker because of its Week 2 victory over the Bears.

The Packers are now sitting in the No. 3 playoff spot in the NFC. They scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to beat the Vikings.

Green Bay lost two more starters to injuries in the game. Receiver Jordy Nelson and offensive tackle T.J. Lang both left in the first half.

Nelson injured a hamstring. It was not confirmed whether it was the same one he pulled in October.

Lang hurt an ankle. Rookie Don Barclay replaced him.

Minnesota led 14-10 at the half with the help of a monster day from Adrian Peterson that included an 82-yard touchdown run. Peterson ran for 210 yards, the most since he tore an ACL knee ligament last December.

The Vikings were forced to go to the air after the Pack took the lead.

Starks returns

James Starks scored Green Bay’s third rushing touchdown of the season, and the first since Week 5, on a 22-yard scamper in the third quarter.

Morgan Burnett intercepted Minnesota’s Christian Ponder twice.

Mason Crosby booted two timely second-half field goals.

Green Bay protected its lead with an 18-play, 11-minute drive in the fourth quarter, the most time-consuming drive in the NFL this season.

The Vikings had a chance at the end, but Blair Walsh missed a field goal attempt with two minutes left, and the Viking lost their fourth game in their last five, falling to 6-6.

Ponder threw for 119 yards and a score.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 286 yards and an early score to James Jones. Rodgers threw an interception on a flea-flicker play.

Starks ran for 66 yards and Alex Green had 58 more on the ground.

Randall Cobb caught six passes for 62 yards. Greg Jennings had four catches for 46 yards in his first game since late September.

The Packers had a edge in total yards, 435 to 359, and held the ball 17 minutes longer than the Vikings did.

The Packers have now beaten Minnesota five straight times, and have won their last 10 games against NFC North opponents. They’ll play another one next Sunday night, when they hosts Detroit.

Packers only winners in NFC North

The Packers were the only team in the NFC North Division to win Sunday. Green Bay and Chicago are both 8-4 after the Bears lost at home to Seattle, 23-17 in overtime.

The third-place Vikings dropped to 6-6 after their loss at Lambeau. The Detroit Lions fell to 4-8 after a 35-33 home loss to Indianapolis.

Sidney Rice caught a 13-yard touchdown pass in overtime to give Seattle its victory. Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns, and ran the ball nine times for 71 yards.

Matt Forte scored on one of two TD passes from Chicago’s Jay Cutler.

The Lions lost on the final play. Andrew Luck threw a 14-yard pass to Donnie Avery as the Colts came back from 12 points down to win.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 313 yards and two scores. Calvin Johnson had 13 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown for Detroit.

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