Minnesota Vikings v. Packers: 5 best games of past 20 years
By Dan Zinski
Sep 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; A detail of a Minnesota Vikings helmet on the field before a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
3. October 5, 2009
2009 will always be remembered in Minnesota as the Year of Favre.
The Vikings were 3-0 when they went into Lambeau Field for one of the most-hyped games in NFL history, Favre’s return to Green Bay. On the other side was Favre’s replacement Aaron Rodgers.
The old man got in the first shot in the epic battle against his former backup, hitting Visanthe Shiancoe for a TD. Rodgers answered right back with a 62-yard TD to his own tight end Jermichael Finley.
The Vikings re-gained the lead on a TD pass from Favre to Sidney Rice but lost it again when Clay Mathews ran back an Adrian Peterson fumble 42 yards for a score.
Peterson got revenge with a one-yard touchdown to put the Vikings back up 14-10 before the half.
The Vikings pulled away in the second half on a Bernard Berrian 31-yard TD from Favre followed by a safety scored when Jared Allen sacked Rodgers in the end zone.
The Packers cut the Vikings’ lead to 30-20 on a Jordy Nelson 33-yard TD followed by a failed 2-point conversion but it was too little too late and the Vikes went on to victory.
Favre finished the game with 271 yards and three TDs. The Vikings would make a run at the Super Bowl that year while the Packers would bow out in the first round of the playoffs.