Defense helps Packers improve to 5-0

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[October 12, 2015]  GREEN BAY, Wis. -- For the first time since the Super Bowl season of 2010, Aaron Rodgers isn't dragging the rest of the Green Bay Packers along to Victory Lane.

For the second consecutive week, it was the Packers' defense -- not the two-time MVP quarterback -- that was the reason Green Bay stayed undefeated. Behind four interceptions of Nick Foles, the Packers beat the St. Louis Rams 24-10 on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Packers are 5-0 for the first time since starting 13-0 in 2011.

"Good team win today, starting with the defense," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I thought they were clearly the key to our victory. Just the big plays and the constant pressure. So scrappy, a lot of adversity, up and down but, heck, it's great to have those kind of wins. 5-0 feels good."

Rodgers was 19-of-30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns, but St. Louis picked him off twice and also took the ball away with a fumble. That gave the Rams (2-3) a fighting chance to pull off back-to-back road upsets after knocking off Arizona last week.

However, while Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley pounded out 159 rushing yards on 30 attempts, Foles was miserable. He was just 10-of-26 for 73 yards until a long completion to Steadman Bailey in the final moments. He was sacked three times and faced constant pressure, finishing 11-of-30 passing for 141 yards.

"You can't turn it over four times, especially turn it over to Aaron, like we did," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "I'm sure we are going to look at things and say there's some really good things."

The Packers' offense, which had been in a funk since the opening drive against the Rams' superb defense, struck quickly after halftime. Rodgers hit wide receiver James Jones on a post pattern at midfield, and Jones took it the distance for a 65-yard touchdown to put Green Bay in front 21-10.

The Rams had several opportunities but couldn't take advantage. They kept a drive alive when punter Johnny Hekker completed a pass to safety Cody Davis for a gain of 20 on a fake punt. However, that drive bogged down and Greg Zuerlein's 50-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by defensive end Datone Jones.

The Rams, however, got it right back on defensive end Robert Quinn's sack-strip of Rodgers, with cornerback Lamarcus Joyner recovering. However, after one first down, the Rams' offense went in reverse and Zuerlein missed wide left from 53.

The Packers couldn't take advantage of either short field, and St. Louis appeared poised to make it a one-score game on Gurley's 55-yard run and a 15-yard end-around by Tavon Austin that advanced the ball to the 10. However, on third-and-goal from the 7, Foles' pass to tight end Lance Kendricks was deflected by linebacker Joe Thomas and intercepted by safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the end zone.

"I've got to make better decisions to give my teammates the opportunity to make a play," Foles said. "I didn't do that during those throws. Our defense and special teams gave us the opportunity."

The Rams' next possession died on linebacker Clay Matthews' second-down sack. On fourth-and-7, the Rams elected to attempt a 63-yard field goal rather than keep Foles and Co. on the field with 3:37remaining. Zuerlein had plenty of leg but not nearly enough accuracy.

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Green Bay's Mason Crosby tacked on a 35-yard field goal with about a minute to go to complete the scoring.

The Packers took an unusual path to a 14-10 lead at halftime. Rodgers and Foles entered the game with the lowest interception rates in NFL history among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 career passing attempts. They threw three interceptions in the first 14 minutes as the Packers bolted to a 14-0 lead. Rodgers' interception, a deflection that was snared by linebacker James Laurianitis, snapped his record streak of 486 consecutive passes (580 including playoffs) without an interception at home dating to Dec. 2, 2012.

"It was a lot of fun," Rodgers said of the streak. "(I'm going to) have to start a new one. I figured I might as well break the streak with a couple interceptions today. Streaks are meant to be broken, so it's fun to put something together like that. But I'm sure somebody will come along at some point and put up 600 in a row maybe. Maybe not."

Green Bay drew first blood, with the Rams blowing coverage on a third-and-6 pass to wide receiver Ty Montgomery. He caught the ball at the 24 and sprinted untouched for a 31-yard touchdown. Late in the first quarter, an under-fire Foles threw a bad pass that cornerback Quinten Rollins intercepted and returned 45 yards for a touchdown.
 


St. Louis hung in there, though, and seized momentum late in the first half. Foles' short flip to Austin turned into a 6-yard touchdown. The Rams then intercepted Rodgers again, with Trumaine Johnson jumping a route to Jones and returning it 29 yards to the Packers' 33. Zuerlein's 42-yard field goal brought the Rams within 14-10 with 1:40 left in the half.

NOTES: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers hadn't thrown two interceptions in a home game since Oct. 24, 2010, vs. Minnesota. ... Both teams lost starting guards in the first half to injuries -- Green Bay's T.J. Lang (knee) and St. Louis' Rodger Saffold (shoulder). Plus, Green Bay OLB Nick Perry (shoulder), NT B.J. Raji (groin) and St. Louis DE Chris Long (knee) also were injured and did not return. ... Rodgers' three-turnover game was his first since 2009. ... The Packers' three-interception game was their first since October 2012 at Houston. ... For his career, two-time Pro Bowl Rams punter Johnny Hekker is 6-of-8 passing. ... The Rams went 0-for-4 in the red zone, including 0-for-2 in goal-to-go situations.

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