Green Bay, WI (My Sportsbook) - Ryan Longwell's 33-yard field goal as time expired in regulation lifted the
Green Bay Packers to their fourth straight win and a 34-31 victory over the
Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field.
"It felt great," Longwell said of his game-winning field goal. "We've been in a pretty good groove, so I knew we'd have a pretty good shot at getting it."
Brett Favre threw for 236 yards and four touchdowns and Ahman Green recorded 145 yards rushing for Green Bay (5-4), which has ripped off four straight wins after starting the season 1-4. Javon Walker continued his impressive campaign with three catches for 74 yards and a score.
Daunte Culpepper completed 27 of his 44 passes for 363 yards and four TDs, as the Vikings (5-4) suffered their third consecutive loss. Minnesota had won three straight before dropping into its current funk. Nate Burleson had a solid day for the Vikings with 141 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions.
Minnesota also played its second straight game without All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss, who is nursing a slightly torn right hamstring.
Green Bay, which has won three of the last four meetings with Minnesota, travels to Houston next Sunday. The Vikings, meanwhile, host Detroit.
Minnesota took advantage of Donald Driver's fumble on a reverse with about five minutes left in the third quarter, and eventually trimmed the deficit to 24-17 on Culpepper's TD pass to Burleson with 2:39 to go. Culpepper was 4-of-5 for 54 yards during the march.
"I love him, he's a gamer," Culpepper said of Burleson. "He expects big plays and he is going to continue to get better."
The Packers weren't phased and pushed the margin to 31-17 on Favre's six-yard touchdown pass to William Henderson less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.
Culpepper then orchestrated a 16-play, 86-yard drive late in the fourth capped by Onterrio Smith's two-yard touchdown grab with 2:53 left. Smith took a pitch from Culpepper and barreled his way into the end zone for a 31-24 score. Burleson kept the drive alive with a nine-yard catch on 4th-and-2.
Minnesota stepped up its defense and got the ball back at its own 34-yard line after two straight penalties with 2:18 left. Culpepper ran up the middle for nine yards on first down and hooked up with Burleson for a 17-yard completion on the next play. The big quarterback then fired a pass to Williams, who rumbled 17 yards for the game-tying touchdown with 1:20 left.
The Packers had one last chance and got excellent field position courtesy of Robert Ferguson's 37-yard kickoff return. Vikings defensive back Antoine Winfield forced a fumble but the officials ruled that Green Bay tight end Ben Steele recovered. However, Larry Ned of the Vikes emerged from the pile with the ball.
Favre then found Tony Fisher for a 25-yard gain and Bubba Franks on a seven- yard pass. Green then busted up the middle for a seven-yard run and Longwell followed with the game-winning kick.
"It's nerve racking, no doubt about it," Favre said of the last drive that set up the field goal. "You have to roll the dice."
Favre's 50-yard bomb to Walker 4:52 into the game gave the Packers a 7-0 lead. The score capped an eight-play, 73-yard drive and gave Favre a touchdown pass in 34 straight games. Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas has the best mark with 47.
The Vikings countered with a lengthy nine-play march that covered 71 yards culminated by Culpepper's 13-yard TD pass to Jermaine Wiggins. The PAT kick was good and made it 7-7 with 6:25 left in the first quarter.
Green Bay took back the lead at 14-7 on Favre's two-yard touchdown toss to Fisher at the 14:09 mark of the second quarter.
Minnesota pulled within 14-10 on Morten Andersen's ensuing 21-yard field goal with 8:47 remaining.
Favre's third touchdown pass of the game -- a 17-yard strike to Franks at 7:27 of the second -- staked the Packers to a 21-10 lead. Longwell kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to extend Green Bay's lead to 24-10.
Culpepper and Favre did not throw an interception. Favre also threw four touchdown passes in a Week 3 loss to Indianapolis. He has thrown four TD passes in a game 17 times in his career, tying Unitas for second all-time. Former Miami legend Dan Marino is first with 21.
Green has four 100-yard rushing games for the season and 28 in his career.
Favre played in his 200th consecutive game (219 including playoffs) and made his 198th consecutive start.