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Toe injury can't stop Rodgers as Packers defeat Rams 36-28
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Aaron Rodgers isn't letting his toe injury lower his expectations even as it limits his practice time.
Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and also ran for a score in the Green Bay Packers' 36-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Not bad for someone who hadn't practiced all week.
''When I step on the field, I expect greatness,'' said Rodgers, who says he fractured his pinky toe while working out during his quarantine after a positive COVID-19 test. ''Anyone who's a great competitor feels the same way. I don't lean on excuses: not practicing, a little toe injury.''
Rodgers went 28 of 45 for 307 yards as the Packers bounced back from a 34-31 loss at Minnesota. The reigning MVP threw touchdown passes of 7 yards to Randall Cobb and 5 yards to A.J. Dillon.
His injury had caused him to practice just once in the week leading up to his 385-yard, four-touchdown effort at Minnesota.
''It definitely isn't the ideal situation not to practice,'' Rodgers said. ''But if I can go out there, take mental reps, go through the plan and my preparation and feel good about what I'm doing, and when I get out there, I've just got to rely on my instincts. The beauty is it's an 11-person-a-side game, and I really feel the offensive line allowed me just to settle in.''
The Rams outscored Green Bay 11-0 in the fourth quarter, but their comeback attempt ended when Adrian Amos recovered an onside kick with 17 seconds left.
Green Bay (9-3) has never lost consecutive games within the same season during Matt LaFleur's three-year coaching tenure. The Packers head into their off week with a 3 1/2-game lead over Minnesota (5-6) in the NFC North.
''We've just got to keep stacking wins and ride this momentum,'' Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark said.
The Rams (7-4) dropped their third straight game and continually made mistakes to create scoring opportunities for Green Bay, which scored 16 points off three Los Angeles turnovers.
''Pretty self-explanatory, kind of a lot of the same narratives,'' Rams coach Sean McVay said. ''We turn the ball over too many times. You can't get behind against a good football team like that. I do love the way that our guys continue to battle.''
Matthew Stafford went 21 of 38 for 302 yards with three touchdown passes. But he also lost a fumble to set up a touchdown and had an interception returned for a touchdown. Stafford has thrown a pick-6 in each of the last three games.
Odell Beckham Jr. had five catches for 81 yards with a 54-yard touchdown in his second game as a Ram.
Rodgers opened the scoring and put the Packers ahead for good with a 1-yard touchdown to cap a drive that began at the Rams 6-yard line. Green Bay's Rashan Gary, coming back from an elbow injury that sidelined him last week, sacked Stafford and hit the quarterback's elbow to cause a fumble that Preston Smith recovered to give the Packers first-and-goal.
In the third quarter, Los Angeles' J.J. Koski was returning a punt when Dominique Dafney forced a fumble that Krys Barnes recovered at the Rams 27. That turnover set up Mason Crosby's 29-yard field goal that extended Green Bay's lead to 30-17.
''We're going to continue to learn from these things, that's the only thing that you can do,'' McVay said. ''But we've got to stop with some of these self-inflicted wounds.''
Later in the third, Rasul Douglas made it 36-17 by stepping in front of Stafford's pass to NFL receiving leader Cooper Kupp and scoring his first career touchdown on a 33-yard interception return.
''Cooper Kupp, don't he got like 10,000 yards receiving already in like eight weeks?'' Douglas quipped after the game. ''We know that's his guy. We know a lot of balls get thrown to him and he makes a lot of plays.''
This time, Douglas and the rest of the Green Bay defense made all the biggest plays.
INJURED
Rams: Koski hurt his hamstring in the second half.
Packers: Cobb didn't play the second half due to a groin injury. Cobb caught four passes for 95 yards in the first half. ... Packers CB Kevin King didn't play because of injuries to his knee and hip. ... S Darnell Savage walked slowly to the sideline after taking a hard hit on the onside kick.
HONORING WOODSON
The Packers honored former defensive back Charles Woodson during a halftime ceremony. Woodson's name has been placed on the Lambeau Field facade to honor his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Woodson played for the Packers from 2006-12 and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
A moment of silence was held before the game to remember the victims of the parade crash in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Six people were killed and more than 60 were injured when an SUV crashed into a Christmas parade on Sept. 21. Darrell Brooks Jr., 39, has been charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
UP NEXT
Rams: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.
Packers: Off next week before hosting Chicago on Dec. 12.
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This story has been corrected to show that the Packers are in the NFC North, not NFC Central.
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Follow Steve Megargee at https://twitter.com/stevemegargee
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Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
Time of Pos | 20:20 | 39:40 |
1st Downs | 15 | 21 |
Rushing | 5 | 5 |
Passing | 10 | 14 |
Penalty | 0 | 2 |
3rd Down Conv | 4-13 | 7-19 |
4th Down Conv | 0-1 | 2-2 |
Total Net Yards | 353 | 399 |
Total Plays | 61 | 78 |
Avg Gain | 5.8 | 5.1 |
Net Yards Rushing | 68 | 92 |
Rush Attempts | 20 | 32 |
Avg Rush Yards | 3.4 | 2.9 |
Net Yards Passing | 285 | 307 |
Comp. - Att. | 21-39 | 28-45 |
Yards Per Pass | 7.0 | 6.7 |
Penalties - Yards | 4-30 | 3-32 |
Touchdowns | 3 | 4 |
Rushing TDs | 0 | 1 |
Passing TDs | 3 | 2 |
Other | 0 | 1 |
Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
Fumbles - Lost | 2-2 | 3-1 |
Int. Thrown | 1 | 0 |
Punts - Avg | 5-41.0 | 5-42.4 |
Return Yards | 116 | 71 |
Punts - Returns | 1-13 | 1-0 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 5-103 | 3-38 |
Int. - Returns | 0-0 | 1-33 |
Red Zone Eff. | 1-2 -50% | 3-5 -60% |
Goal to Go Eff. | 1-1 -100% | 2-2 -100% |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
M. Stafford
9 QB
28 FPTS
|
M. Stafford | 21/38 | 302 | 3 | 1 | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Kupp
10 WR
11 FPTS
|
C. Kupp | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
D. Henderson
27 RB
12 FPTS
|
D. Henderson | 16 | 55 | 0 | 7 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Michel
25 RB
2 FPTS
|
S. Michel | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Stafford
9 QB
28 FPTS
|
M. Stafford | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 | 28 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
C. Kupp
10 WR
11 FPTS
|
C. Kupp | 10 | 7 | 96 | 0 | 22 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
V. Jefferson
12 WR
15 FPTS
|
V. Jefferson | 9 | 3 | 93 | 1 | 79 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
O. Beckham Jr.
3 WR
14 FPTS
|
O. Beckham Jr. | 10 | 5 | 81 | 1 | 54 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Henderson
27 RB
12 FPTS
|
D. Henderson | 4 | 4 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Michel
25 RB
2 FPTS
|
S. Michel | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Higbee
89 TE
0 FPTS
|
T. Higbee | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | FF |
D. Williams
11 CB
|
D. Williams | 7-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Reeder
51 ILB
|
T. Reeder | 6-7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Gaines
91 DE
|
G. Gaines | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Ramsey
5 CB
|
J. Ramsey | 5-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Donald
99 DE
|
A. Donald | 3-3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Fuller
4 SS
|
J. Fuller | 3-4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Robinson
94 DE
|
A. Robinson | 3-3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
V. Miller
40 OLB
|
V. Miller | 3-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Scott
33 SAF
|
N. Scott | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Rapp
24 FS
|
T. Rapp | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Jones
50 ILB
|
E. Jones | 2-3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Floyd
54 OLB
|
L. Floyd | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
O. Okoronkwo
45 LB
|
O. Okoronkwo | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Deayon
21 CB
|
D. Deayon | 1-3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Lewis
52 OLB
|
T. Lewis | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
M. Gay
8 K
8 FPTS
|
M. Gay | 2/2 | 39 | 2/2 | 8 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. Hekker
6 P
|
J. Hekker | 5 | 41.0 | 1 | 53 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. Koski 17 WR
0 FPTS
|
J. Koski | 1 | 13.0 | 13 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
A. Rodgers
12 QB
30 FPTS
|
A. Rodgers | 28/45 | 307 | 2 | 0 | 30 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
A. Dillon
28 RB
14 FPTS
|
A. Dillon | 20 | 69 | 0 | 8 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Jones
33 RB
2 FPTS
|
A. Jones | 10 | 23 | 0 | 8 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Rodgers
12 QB
30 FPTS
|
A. Rodgers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 30 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
D. Adams
17 WR
10 FPTS
|
D. Adams | 9 | 8 | 104 | 0 | 43 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Cobb
18 WR
13 FPTS
|
R. Cobb | 5 | 4 | 95 | 1 | 54 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Valdes-Scantling
83 WR
5 FPTS
|
M. Valdes-Scantling | 9 | 4 | 50 | 0 | 28 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Dillon
28 RB
14 FPTS
|
A. Dillon | 5 | 5 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Lazard
13 WR
1 FPTS
|
A. Lazard | 6 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Deguara
81 TE
1 FPTS
|
J. Deguara | 4 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 12 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
E. St. Brown
19 WR
0 FPTS
|
E. St. Brown | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Lewis
89 TE
0 FPTS
|
M. Lewis | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Jones
33 RB
2 FPTS
|
A. Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | FF |
K. Barnes
51 ILB
|
K. Barnes | 7-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Amos
31 SS
|
A. Amos | 4-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Campbell
59 ILB
|
D. Campbell | 4-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Stokes
21 CB
|
E. Stokes | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Clark
97 NT
|