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The Green Bay Packers parked their sports car in the garage on Sunday and took the old reliable Buick for a drive.
Both means of transportation can lead to the same destination. One just has more style and sizzle.
Unable to run-and-gun against Mike Zimmer's defensive scheme, the Packers shifted to a methodical, workmanlike approach. They gave the ball to bulldozer tailback Eddie Lacy and ground out an old-school 24-21 victory at TCF Bank Stadium.
The Vikings did an admirable job in limiting a red-hot Aaron Rodgers, but the Packers proved they're not a one-trick pony. They don't need to score 50 points or pass for 400 yards to win. They can also demoralize a team with a slow burn.
Stop Rodgers and Lacy runs wild. Focus on Lacy and, well, you know how that ends.
"It's great to score 50 points and blow teams out," Rodgers said, "but these are character wins right here."
The Packers entered the game on such a historic roll offensively that a reporter asked receiver Randall Cobb afterward what it felt like being involved in a close game "for once."
The Packers had scored 108 points in their previous two games and became only the second team in league history to put 53 on the scoreboard in back-to-back games. Rodgers has reduced games to his own seven-on-seven drill, making defenses look silly.
Rodgers credited Zimmer for designing a solid game plan meant to limit passes to Cobb and Jordy Nelson. But as a counter, Rodgers and Packers coach Mike McCarthy harnessed their thirst for the home run and exhibited patience.
They put the ball in Lacy's strong hands and won a different way.
"He's a workhorse," Rodgers said. "We need him in the winter months. He runs really hard. He's tough to tackle. He never goes down with the first contact."
Vikings defenders will wake up sore and achy after getting an extra dose of Lacy, who rushed for 125 yards and nearly had as many carries (25) as Rodgers had pass attempts (29). Put another way: Teddy Bridgewater finished with more completions and passing yards than Rodgers, which would've drawn some crazy odds in Vegas before the game.
"Teams are going to take away what we do best," said Rodgers, who finished with 209 yards passing. "What we've done best is get the ball to Jordy and Randall."
Rodgers resisted that urge even in crunch time. Faced with third-and-2 late in the game and clinging to a three-point lead, Rodgers and McCarthy discussed their options. Basically, pass or give the ball to Lacy.
Rodgers chose Lacy.
Wait, what?
"I just kind of chuckled because it's usually the other way around," McCarthy said.
Yep, Rodgers elected to put the ball in someone else's hands when the Packers needed those 2 yards to keep the final drive alive and run out the clock.
"With the way that Eddie was running the football … you have to give the line a voice," Rodgers said. "Those guys know the pulse of the game, especially late in the game. They felt like a run was something we could get."
Lacy did, and kept leaning on the Vikings until the Packers were able to run out the clock.
Lacy had 10 carries for 55 yards in the fourth quarter alone. He also took a shovel pass 10 yards for a touchdown.
The Vikings were determined not to let Rodgers beat them. So Lacy and his physical offensive line did the honors.
"It makes you feel pretty good when everyone in the stadium knows that you're going to run and we're able to still get a lot of yards," left tackle David Bakhtiari said. "It definitely speaks to this offense, the grit that we have."
Grit? That's not the label most would attach to the Packers offense, but it shows their versatility.
They don't need Rodgers to play out of his mind to succeed. They can win a close game by grinding it out with Lacy.
Their streak of 50-point games came to an end. They only needed half that amount to get the job done.
Chip Scoggins chip.scoggins@startribune.com