Rodgers threw touchdown passes to four different receivers and the Packers benefited from some unintended generosity from Philip Rivers in a wild 45-38 win over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers reached the season’s midpoint at 8-0 and looking unstoppable. Rodgers completed 21 of 26 passes for 247 yards and ran his NFL-leading total to 24 TD throws. He had scoring passes of 5 yards to Jermichael Finley, 16 to Jordy Nelson, 21 to James Jones and 4 to Greg Jennings. His passer rating was 145.8. A perfect rating is 158.3. The Packers know they have work to do, particularly in their porous pass defense. But their quarterback makes up for any deficiencies.
“I think Aaron has a lot of strengths. His decision-making is clearly the highest level that I have personally been a part of,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of his Super Bowl MVP quarterback. “He is a special, special, special, special player,” Jennings said. “He’s playing at an MVP level and he made some plays today,” Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer said. Rodgers, who lives in the upscale San Diego suburb of Del Mar in the offseason, seemed more impressed with the high percentage of cheeseheads in the sellout crowd than being the NFL’s only perfect team. “The crowd was incredible,” Rodgers said. “When you’re on the road and up by seven and it’s late in the game and they have to go on a silent count, that’s pretty impressive. I have to give a lot of credit to our fans the way they travel. It says a lot about the kind of fans we have.”
Charlie Peprah and Tramon Williams returned pickoffs for touchdowns in a span of six plays in the first quarter, and Peprah’s second pick in the closing seconds sealed the win. While Rivers tied his career-high with four touchdown passes—three to Vincent Jackson, he also had his first three-interception game.
San Diego had a final chance to tie it, starting a drive at its 32 with 1:05 remaining and no timeouts left. Aided by a pass interference call against Charles Woodson, Rivers moved the Chargers to the Packers 41 before putting up a deep ball that Peprah easily picked off and returned 76 yards to the San Diego 6. The Packers took a knee to end the game. The Packers led by 21 points early in the fourth quarter before Rivers threw touchdown passes of 5 and 29 yards to Jackson in the span of 1:07 midway through the quarter.
Rivers threw two pick-6s that gave the Packers a 21-7 lead. On the next Chargers possession, Williams jumped a route for an interception and 40-yard TD return. Desmond Bishop tipped a pass intended for tight end Antonio Gates and Peprah intercepted. He broke four tackles during his 40-yard return and got a big block by Clay Matthews “We’re a pressure defense, so we’re going to give up some big plays. But we feel we’re going to make some, too,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade a perfect defense for a win, so I’ll take the W and we’ll clean up that stuff later.” Peprah said the Packers still have a lot of work to do on defense.
BOX SCORE: 8-0
1st Quarter
TD VINCENT JACKSON 23 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NICK NOVAK KICK), 10:32
Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards in 4:28 San Diego 7-0
TD JERMICHAEL FINLEY 5 YD PASS FROM AARON RODGERS (MASON CROSBY KICK), 5:40
Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards in 4:52 Tied 7-7
TD CHARLIE PEPRAH 40 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (MASON CROSBY KICK), 4:33
Drive: 0 play, 0 yard Green Bay 14-7
TD TRAMON WILLIAMS 43 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (MASON CROSBY KICK), 1:52
Drive: 0 play, 0 yard Green Bay 21-7
2nd Quarter
TD MIKE TOLBERT 8 YD RUN (NICK NOVAK KICK), 14:08
Drive: 6 plays, 66 yards in 2:44 Green Bay 21-14
FG NICK NOVAK 52 YD FG, 5:48
Drive: 10 plays, 30 yards in 4:19 Green Bay 21-17
TD JORDY NELSON 16 YD PASS FROM AARON RODGERS (MASON CROSBY KICK), 0:18
Drive: 12 plays, 74 yards in 5:30 Green Bay 28-17
3rd Quarter
FG MASON CROSBY 47 YD FG, 8:25
Drive: 11 plays, 51 yards in 6:35 Green Bay 31-17
TD ANTONIO GATES 11 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NICK NOVAK KICK), 1:58
Drive: 12 plays, 84 yards in 6:27 Green Bay 31-24
4th Quarter
TD JAMES JONES 21 YD PASS FROM AARON RODGERS (MASON CROSBY KICK), 13:00
Drive: 7 plays, 73 yards in 3:58 Green Bay 38-24
TD GREG JENNINGS 4 YD PASS FROM AARON RODGERS (MASON CROSBY KICK), 10:27
Drive: 3 plays, 68 yards in 1:04 Green Bay 45-24
TD VINCENT JACKSON 5 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NICK NOVAK KICK), 7:32
Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards in 2:55 Green Bay 45-31
TD VINCENT JACKSON 29 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NICK NOVAK KICK), 6:25
Drive: 3 plays, 55 yards in 1:07 Green Bay 45-38