After Further Review: Rodgers practically Jordanesque right now

The anatomy of a drive, those special ones by quarterbacks, is always something fun to study, even more so when they help keep a team in line for a possible perfect season.

That's what we had last week when the Green Bay Packers beat the New York Giants 38-35. Aaron Rodgers had one of those special drives the great quarterbacks have in the final minute to lead the Packers to a 31-yard game-winning field goal by Mason Crosby on the final play of the game.

In studying the five plays that led to the game-winner, moving from his own 20 to the Giants' 18 to set up the field goal, the thing I noticed on tape was how easy it was for Rodgers.

That's where he is now.

He's like Michael Jordan in his prime. He's making tough things look easy to do. The other thing you notice is how he uses his eyes and his pre-snap reads to influence the defense, always seemingly knowing where he's eventually going to go.

Rodgers was special on the drive. Here's a breakdown of it:

• First-and-10 at his own 20 with 58 seconds left in the game: Rodgers lined up in the shotgun with one back and one receiver to his left, three to the right, including tight end Jermichael Finley lined up in the slot between the other two receivers. The Giants rushed four and played man-under coverage. Rodgers took the snap and glanced inside at Greg Jennings, but he was doubled. He then snapped his head to the right and saw Finley in man coverage with rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams. Finley beat him to the outside and Rodgers hit him with a rocket in the perfect spot. Williams dove to tackle Finley, but missed, and Finley ended up with a 24-yard gain when he turned it up the right sideline.

• First-and-10 at his own 44 with 51 seconds left: Rodgers lined up in the shotgun with one back to his right. He had two receivers lined up to the left with Jordy Nelson wide of Jennings. Finley was also lined up next to the tackle on the left side with another receiver wide on the right side. The Giants rushed four and played man coverage with a single-high safety. Rodgers took the snap and immediately was pressured by Justin Tuck, who beat guard Evan Dietrich-Smith with a hard inside move. Rodgers glanced inside at first to Finley, but he was covered. He then took a shot on a long throw to Nelson, who beat corner Will Blackmon in man coverage. Rodgers dropped the ball perfectly into Nelson's hands for a 27-yard gain.

• First-and-10 at the Giants' 29 with 44 seconds left: Rodgers again lined up in the shotgun with running back Brandon Saine to his right. He had one receiver on his left and two to the right. Finley was lined up next to the right tackle. The Giants changed things up here. They went to a zone defense with a four-man rush. Rodgers took the snap and tried to go to the receiver on his left, but he was covered. He quickly turned and threw to Saine on the right, but Corey Webster made a great play to tackle him for a 1-yard loss. Saine actually lost the football, but fell on it.

• Second-and-11 from the Giants' 30 with 21 seconds left: Rodgers again lined up in the shotgun with Saine to his right in the backfield. The Giants were in two-deep zone again and rushed four. Donald Driver was lined up wide left with Jennings in the slot inside of him. Finley was in-line next to the right tackle with Nelson lined up wide right. Rodgers took the snap and quickly saw that Jennings beat corner Aaron Ross with a quick outside move from his slot position. It was an easy throw, and Jennings turned it up field for a 12-yard gain to the 18. Ross played way too soft in coverage.

The next play, Crosby came in and banged home a 31-yard field goal to win it. Five plays, 68 yards in 58 seconds and the ball didn't hit the ground. He also picked on a rookie linebacker and a backup corner in Blackmon, a former teammate in Green Bay. Rodgers knows where to go with the football and he also knows how to make it look really easy.

Film Study (10 things I saw from the tape)

1. In studying Chris Johnson's past two games, the thing you notice is how much quicker and more decisive he looks than earlier this season. He's cutting better and he's also breaking tackles. Earlier this season, Johnson struggled with all of that. But in the past two games, he has looked like the Johnson the Titans expected to see when they signed him to a long-term extension. Maybe Johnson wasn't in shape. He sure looks faster now. In the past two games, Johnson has rushed for 343 of his 852 yards. His per-rush average is now up to 4.1 a carry. At 7-5, Johnson has the Titans back in the thick of the AFC playoff race.

2. The Arizona Cardinals defense is much improved the past four weeks. The big reason is the improved play of several younger players, including corner Patrick Peterson. He still gives up some catches, like he did against Dallas, but he's improving in coverage each week. He got beat on an inside move by Dez Bryant for a touchdown, but it was asking a lot of him on that play. The Cardinals blitzed the middle of the field and it was wide open. Bryant, lined up on the left side of the formation, ran an inside route, stopped for a second to make it look as if he were going back outside, and then continued inside for an easy score. But Peterson broke up a couple of passes and was better in man coverage. Another player who played well is defensive end Calais Campbell. He was a major flop in 2010, but he has emerged as a good down end in their 3-4 scheme.

3. You know we have to have some Tim Tebow evaluation here this week. After watching his tape against Minnesota, here's the conclusion: Better. But I will say this: Both touchdown passes were off the option fake. And the first one was a busted coverage. The second one was a nice scramble play by Tebow, and a good play by Demaryius Thomas to get open off the scramble. But here's the kicker on that: Thomas was open after Tebow's play-fake, but he didn't throw the ball on time. He held it. That led to him scrambling to his left -- even though there wasn't any pressure -- and then he did keep his head up to find Thomas. But he has to get to the point where he throws to Thomas on time. You can't count on "accident" plays all the time. He did move his head better against Minnesota the few times where he did stay in the pocket. The best throw he made all day was on the drive to the tying field goal. The Vikings busted coverage again in zone, and Tebow looked to the middle of the field to make it happen. He then snapped his head to the left and hit a wide-open Thomas for a 40-yard gain. There is no denying he was better last week, but the Vikings helped him with busted coverage.

4. Falcons linebacker Mike Peterson, playing for the injured Stephen Nicholas, played like he did five years ago in Jacksonville. Peterson excelled against the Texans running game, flying around to make tackles. On one play, he took on the fullback, lost his helmet, and still tried to tackle the running back. Peterson, who isn't great in coverage anymore, also had an interception for a touchdown. But it was called back for defensive holding away from the play. For one game, Peterson looked good.

5. I was impressed with T.J. Yates in his first start against the Falcons. He was poised and made some really nice throws. His deep ball to Andre Johnson to set up the first touchdown looked like something you would see from Matt Schaub. He also made a nice throw on a deep cross to Johnson that he dropped. For the most part, Yates seemed to pick out the right receiver and he didn't miss many when they were open. It wasn't a great performance numbers-wise, but it was a good first start. Peterson did pick him for what should have been a score. Yates looked like a rookie on that play, staring down Arian Foster. But he looked poised for much of the day.

6. Whenever you look at a stat line and see interceptions thrown, you immediately think horrible day by the quarterback. But Atlanta's Matt Ryan threw two picks last week against the Texans. One was on a flea-flicker play in which he made a bad deep throw, but the other was the fault of receiver Julio Jones. Ryan thought Jones was going inside Jason Allen on a long route, but he actually jumped outside of him. Allen picked the ball off and returned it 33 yards. That was not on Ryan. I will say that Ryan missed some deep shots by throwing long or high to open receivers.

7. If the Cowboys are to have a real chance to slow the Giants and Eli Manning this week, corner Terence Newman has to play better. He wasn’t very good last week against Arizona. He was picked on all day, and one of the biggest Cardinals offensive plays came when he bit on what looked to be a short pass to Andre Roberts and then Roberts spun away from him down the field for a 40-yard gain to set up the Cardinals' tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. Newman was beaten several other times. He just doesn't seem like the same player he was earlier in his career. Expect the Giants to attack him this week with Hakeem Nicks.

8. How do big mistakes happen for quarterbacks? A lot of times, it's because there aren't enough receivers in a route. Take Eli Manning's interception that Clay Matthews returned for a touchdown last Sunday. On a first-and-10 from the Giants 39, New York ran two receivers into the secondary. The Packers had both covered well, dropping seven, and Manning had nowhere to go with the football. As the Green Bay rush got close to him -- it was linebacker D.J. Smith -- he was flushed to his right where he saw back Ahmad Bradshaw slip out of the backfield. What he didn't see was Matthews, who read his eyes, jumped the route and returned it for a touchdown.

9. Jaguars rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert continued his struggles Monday night against the Chargers. But here's something that most don't know: The Jaguars don't have sight adjustments in their offense. That means when Gabbert sees a blitz, he and the receivers can't adjust to it. On one play Monday night, the Chargers showed an all-out blitz. Gabbert had to call timeout. He saw it, but he couldn't get out of his play. The Jaguars also don't run enough deep routes to the receivers in the middle of the field and rarely use bunch formations. It's too early to call Gabbert a bust with everything going on around him. But he needs to be more comfortable in the pocket. He feels pressure at times when it is isn't there.

10. It's funny what missing a pass rusher can do to an average corner. We know Champ Bailey is special. But Andre Goodman isn't in that class. When Von Miller is on the field rushing the passer the way he has this season, it helps hide Goodman some. Miller missed last week's game against the Vikings, and Goodman had a rough day. He was picked on a lot by Christian Ponder. But, hey, even Bailey gave up a touchdown in man coverage on a crossing route to Percy Harvin. That's how important Miller is to that defense.

Hot Tub

1. Ravens running back Ray Rice: He rushed for 204 yards against the Browns, showing how valuable he is to this team. He has to get the carries down the stretch and in the playoffs.

2. Texans linebacker Brian Cushing: If he isn't in the Pro Bowl this season, it will be a crime. He was everywhere against the Falcons.

3. Vikings receiver Percy Harvin: He turned in two huge plays because of his speed last week. This is the Harvin the Vikings need to have.

4. Packers DT B.J. Raji: He hasn't had a good year, but he had one of his best games against the Giants. He looked quicker than he has all season long.

5. Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul: He didn't get a sack, but he spent the day pressuring Rodgers.

Cold Tub

1. Bears tackle Lance Louis: He had a horrible day against the Chiefs and is really a guard trying to play tackle. He wins the Spinning Top Award this week.

2. Falcons receiver Julio Jones: Ran the wrong route on the pick and also dropped a pass that would have been a first down. He also could have caught the final pass of the game that would have tied it on the final play.

3. Cardinals right tackle Jeremy Bridges: He had a rough outing against the Cowboys, getting beat for sacks by both Jason Hatcher and DeMarcus Ware.

4. Texans right tackle Eric Winston: Normally one of the top players at his position, he struggled against John Abraham and others last week. Abraham beat him for a sack and also tipped a ball on the next play.

5. Chargers nose tackle Antonio Garay: I watched the Jacksonville game live. Watching Garay, it's hard to believe he's the same player he was a year ago. He spent the game getting blocked.

Three and outs

Three players who are moving up draft boards

1. Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: He reminds me of Mike Wallace of the Steelers. He can fly.

2. Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia: He is a pass-rushing force who has really come on this year. He has a quick first step.

3. Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina: His size is a concern, but boy, is he an athletic player. He will be a 10-year starter and a good one.

Three players you need to keep an eye on when you're playing against them

1. Steelers receiver Hines Ward: Yes, he does it in a sneaky way. But he's as chippy as they come.

2. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh: What he's about has come to light with his Thanksgiving Day stomp, but it's more than that. Just ask his opponents.

3. Falcons right tackle Tyson Clabo: He loves the idea he's on any list like this. And watching him, you know he deserves it.

Tweets at Me

1. From @BradyMagic: @PriscoCBS I think you deliberately incite your twitter haters. We need more ppl like you to expose their spectacular stupidity #Prisco

2. From @BjornTouraque: @PriscoCBS LOVE YOU UNCLE PETE!

3. From @anjamo9: @PriscoCBS thank goodness for adulthood. it allows Pete Prisco to forget how terrible he was at everything as a child and teen

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Rodgers, Brees MVP frontrunners, but don't dismiss Brady

Aaron Rodgers will win this season's MVP award, and he should. I can't imagine where Green Bay would be without him. But there's someone as deserving who won't get the attention, the votes or the hardware, and not because he's done something wrong but because he almost always does something right.

And that's New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Brady is such a superb quarterback that he's become a victim of his own success. Basically, we don't appreciate him for what he is because he's been that way for years. So he wins a zillion games, throws for a slew of yards and touchdowns, leads New England to another division title, and we yawn. He's done it so often that we're inured to it, forgetting how good he really is.

And he's so good now that despite playing with the league's worst defense ... despite playing with its most porous secondary ... despite having no outside threat to launch a vertical passing game ... despite having no franchise running back ... despite losing his starting center ... he still has the Patriots on track to be the AFC's top seed for the upcoming playoffs.

That's not just an accomplishment; it's a coup.

"I think Tom Brady is appreciated," said former head coach Brian Billick, now an analyst with Fox and the NFL Network. "But there's no denying that Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees are having phenomenal years, and you'd have to say they're having better years. But from the standpoint of supporting casts? Green Bay is probably first, New Orleans second and New England a distant third."

That's an understatement. Yet instead of marveling at how Brady does so much with so little, we spend our time debating who's having the better season -- Rodgers or the Saints' Drew Brees -- and, believe me, I understand. Rodgers can't lose, hasn't had a passer rating lower than 106.2 and is performing so adroitly he could become the league's second unanimous MVP in two years.

Brees, meanwhile, keeps piling up touchdowns, is on target to break Dan Marino's yardage record and is closing in on John Unitas' mark for consecutive games with a TD pass. If Rodgers is numero uno at quarterback, Brees is 1-A, pushed to the second chair only by Rodgers' near-flawless play.

But what about Brady? Well, he just keeps doing what he's always done, which is winning, only now he's doing it with the league's 32nd-ranked defense. Nevertheless, that's not enough to gain him the attention he deserves.

But I'd argue that if there's anyone out there who should press Rodgers for MVP -- if there's anyone who is most valuable in the truest sense of the award -- it's Tom Brady. He doesn't have the receivers Rodgers and Brees have. His offensive line is nothing special. His running backs aren't as proficient. And his defense stinks. Yet somehow, some way, New England continues to win.

Yeah, I know, the Packers aren't scintillating on defense, either, especially against the pass -- and I'm being kind. But they have playmakers on that side of the ball. I'm talking about people like Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji and Tramon Williams. Woodson was the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. Matthews was the runner-up one year later. And Williams was the defensive star of last year's playoffs.

Now, tell me what difference maker New England has, especially in its secondary. Julian Edelman? Nope, the Patriots keep winning because of Tom Brady, which means this year is no different than the year before ... or the year before that ... or the year before that.

"He makes everything look so easy," said former coach Eric Mangini, now with ESPN, "that you forget how good he is. He makes the exceptional look commonplace, and it's not. It's special, but he does it so often it's just another day at the office. We've become spoiled."

So Brady wins, the Patriots are the AFC's top seed and we barely notice. It happens. Heck, Chuck Noll never was the league's Coach of the Year, and Phil Jackson won the NBA's award just once. The more they won the more we started thinking they were successful because ... well, because they had more talent than everyone else ... so, we figured, that put them at an advantage.

But that's my point with Brady: He wins without as much talent as everyone else. And it's been that way for years.

With the exception of Randy Moss, Brady never had an elite wide receiver. In fact, the Patriots haven't drafted a wide receiver in the first round on coach Bill Belichick's watch. So Brady makes the best of what he has, and in 2006 what he had was Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney as go-to receivers. Nevertheless, he came this close to advancing to another Super Bowl.

"The difference between Tom Brady and other quarterbacks," said one AFC coach, "is that with Tom Brady it's never a matter of who he plays with. They all get better."

Wes Welker is Exhibit A. Welker annually leads the league in catches, but was rarely a starter in Miami before he was teamed with Brady. Now he's a Pro Bowl regular. Welker and Deion Branch are Brady's favorite outside targets, and both are 30 or older, under 5-10 and without top-end speed. No problem. Brady turns to tight end Rob Gronkowski, makes him a red zone weapon and the Patriots keep pushing forward.

Connect the dots, people. Other than the head coach, there's one constant in the Patriots' decade of success, and it's the quarterback. No club in NFL history has reached a Super Bowl with the league's 32nd-ranked defense, but New England will try -- and it has a chance because of Brady.

"It's Tom Brady's offense where, with Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, you have to say they're playing in Sean Payton's and Mike McCarthy's offenses," Billick said. "But Tom Brady is just like Peyton Manning. They are the offensive coordinators."

I was on a Milwaukee radio station recently when the host asked if I ever witnessed a season like the one Rodgers is having. I said, yes, as a matter of fact, I had: Tom Brady in 2007. When he challenged me, questioning if Brady didn't make the mistakes that Rodgers avoids now, I told him to look it up. And he did.

Through his first 12 starts this season Rodgers has completed 70.6 percent of his passes for 3,844 yards, with 37 touchdowns and five interceptions. Now look at Brady in 2007: Through his first 12 games he completed 70.2 of his passes for 3,696 yards, with 41 touchdowns and five interceptions.

But here's the number I like most: .774. That's Brady's career winning percentage. No other quarterback in the Super Bowl era is higher. He wins passing titles. He wins division championships. He wins conference championships. He wins league MVPs. Most important, he wins Super Bowls. He's been to four, winning three, and tell me what quarterback in today's game can say that.

People keep telling me he's not having a stellar season and that an elbow injury may be responsible. I don't know about that. Brady threw for a franchise-record 517 yards in the season opener, then followed with a 400-yard effort. Like Brees, he's on schedule to break Marino's single-season yardage record. He's also on schedule to throw 40 touchdowns, joining Marino as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to get there. He has touchdown passes in 28 straight starts. He hasn't thrown an interception in his last four. And his passer rating is 100 or better in nine of 12 games.

All I know is that the Patriots were non-factors until Brady showed up. Then they went to four Super Bowls, and draw your own conclusions. I have. A writer I respect once told me you could make the case each year for Tom Brady as league MVP. Now, more than ever, I understand what he meant.

"I don't like getting in this debate," said Billick, "but when you talk about the greatest quarterbacks of all time, clearly, he's in the discussion -- and his three Super Bowls are the 'screw-you' part of the argument."

I'll second that.

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Rodgers makes Giants latest victim with 'typical' clutch performance

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Aaron Rodgers was already likely to win the MVP race. What he did against the Giants sealed it. All other contenders were just eliminated after a beautiful, jaw-dropping performance in what has been a season of beautiful jaw-dropping performances.

Plug in the tape of Rodgers and you'll see the same, a DVR quarterback stuck on bad ass. Rodgers airs a perfect ball. Tape skips. Rodgers leads an impeccable drive. Tape skips. Rodgers throws a pass between three defenders. Skip. Passes that bounce on air currents or shreds them at high velocity. Skip. Different afternoon, same old Rodgers. Cue the tape. Everyone looks the same.

The Chronicles of Aaron, life on Mars, the forgotten Favre.

The 38-35 Packers win was typical Rodgers and the last drive, the game-winner, is what sealed his MVP supremacy barring an injury or Tim Tebow defeating the Taliban. We've seen quarterbacks play at this level before, going back to Otto Graham, but that doesn't mean this still isn't something impressive, something dumbfounding.

"Shocking?" said Giants coach Tom Coughlin, when asked about Rodgers' final throws that sealed the win. "You sat there and watched it. I don't know how shocking it was."

I don't know what I saw and I was watching it damn closely. That was Joe Montana. That was Jim Kelly. That was Steve Young. That was some of Dan Marino's accuracy. That was some of Michael Vick's footwork.

No, I don't know what the hell I saw on that final drive other than near perfection. The near perfection of the quarterback position and possible perfection of a season.

"Every team is going to give us their best shot," Rodgers said. "Every week is going to be a battle."

The Giants tied the score at 35 with an Eli Manning pass to Hakeem Nicks and then added a two-point conversion on a run by D.J. Ware.

Earlier in the game, Giants player Dave Tollefson mocked Rodgers' belt dance. Mess with the bull you get the belt. The final drive encapsulated what Rodgers has now done for two years. The Packers had a first down at their own 20 with 58 seconds left. His first pass was to Jermichael Finley for 24 yards. It was a tight, perfect spiral.

His second pass was to Jordy Nelson for 27 yards -- "I saw man coverage," said Rodgers -- and the pass was a high bomb that floated gently into Nelson's hands. The throw started off with power but landed like the game was being played on a low gravity planet. It was that soft. (Speaking of perfect, the pass was reminiscent of the accurate long touch pass Bob Griese used to throw.)

The next play was a pass for a loss but Rodgers' throw on second-and-11 at the Giants 30 went for 18 yards to Greg Jennings. That put Mason Crosby in position for what was officially ruled a 31-yard field goal and the Packers had their 12th win of the season as the clock expired.

From the time Rodgers had a first down with 58 seconds remaining until Crosby's attempt was a grand total of 55 seconds. New York's defense is hurt and average but that's still a pro team and Rodgers made that last drive look like he was going against the Indianapolis Colts.

"I'm sick to my stomach," said Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck.

Rodgers has a way of causing defenses gastrointestinal distress.

It's reaching the point where the Rodgers superlatives are running dry. How many times can you say he's great and accurate and nearly flawless? A hundred? A thousand? A million? A week goes by and Rodgers wins another game in a different way.

"I'm running out of things to say about him," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

I just said that.

Rodgers had Giants players in his face all game and was sacked three times but still finished 28 of 46 for 369 yards. He threw touchdown passes of seven and 13 yards to Donald Driver, 20 to Jennings and 12 to Finley. He'd get hit, dust himself off, and reload.

After awhile, you're just left speechless by how he's playing every facet and angle of the position.

"I'd prefer to win them all," said Nelson of a possible 16-0 season. "Why would anyone want to lose?"

If Rodgers keeps playing like this, they won't. For a long time.

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Rodgers throws 4 TDs as Packers hold off Chargers

CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 6, 2011

SAN DIEGO -- Aaron Rodgers was at his best, throwing lasers where only his receivers could catch them and finding four different teammates in the end zone.

Yes, Rodgers had a lot to do with the Green Bay Packers remaining undefeated with a crazy 45-38 win over the staggering San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

So did Philip Rivers, whose miserable run of turnovers continued with three critical interceptions, two by Charlie Peprah.

Peprah and Tramon Williams returned pickoffs for touchdowns in a span of six plays in the first quarter, and Peprah's second pick in the closing seconds sealed the win for the Packers (8-0).

Rodgers completed 21 of 26 passes for 247 yards and ran his NFL-leading total to 24 TD throws. He had scoring passes of 5 yards to Jermichael Finley, 16 to Jordy Nelson, 21 to James Jones and 4 to Greg Jennings.

"I think Aaron has a lot of strengths. His decision-making is clearly the highest level that I have personally been a part of," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of his Super Bowl MVP quarterback.

Rodgers, who lives in the upscale San Diego suburb of Del Mar in the offseason, seemed more impressed with the high percentage of cheeseheads in the sellout crowd than being the NFL's only perfect team.

"The crowd was incredible," Rodgers said. "When you're on the road and up by seven and it's late in the game and they have to go on a silent count, that's pretty impressive. I have to give a lot of credit to our fans the way they travel. It says a lot about the kind of fans we have."

Jennings couldn't emphasize enough how much Rodgers means to the Packers.

"He is a special, special, special, special player," Jennings said.

The Chargers (4-4) have lost three straight games, including road collapses at the New York Jets and on Monday night at Kansas City, when Rivers inexplicably fumbled a snap in the final minute of regulation.

Rivers also threw four touchdown passes Sunday to tie his career high, three of them to Vincent Jackson.

"We're fighting through a rough time right now," said Rivers, whose 14 interceptions and 17 total turnovers lead the NFL. "These tough times, you find out a lot about guys, a lot about yourself."

Rivers was 26 of 46 for 385 yards. It was the first time in his career that he threw three interceptions in a game.

The Packers led by 21 points early in the fourth quarter before Rivers threw touchdown passes of 5 and 29 yards to Jackson in the span of 1:07 midway through the quarter.

San Diego had a final chance to tie it, starting a drive at its 32 with 1:05 remaining and no timeouts left. Aided by a pass interference call against Charles Woodson, Rivers moved the Chargers to the Packers 41 before putting up a deep ball that Peprah easily picked off and returned 76 yards to the San Diego 6. The Packers took a knee to end the game.

Rivers threw two pick-6s that gave the Packers a 21-7 lead.

Desmond Bishop tipped a pass intended for tight end Antonio Gates and Peprah intercepted. He broke four tackles during his 40-yard return and got a big block by Clay Matthews.

On the next Chargers possession, Williams jumped a route for an interception and 40-yard TD return.

"On the first one, the guy made a great play," Rivers said. "The other one, they just fooled me."

Peprah said the Packers still have a lot of work to do on defense.

"We're a pressure defense, so we're going to give up some big plays. But we feel we're going to make some, too," he said. "I wouldn't trade a perfect defense for a win, so I'll take the W and we'll clean up that stuff later."

Rivers and Mike Tolbert kept the Chargers in the game. Tolbert scored on an 8-yard run and, after the Chargers held the Packers on fourth-and-2 at the San Diego 36, Nick Novak kicked a career-best 52-yard field goal to pull to 21-17.

Amazingly, the Packers' next drive was just their third of the first half. Although he was sacked twice, Rodgers moved the Packers to the San Diego 16 before throwing a TD pass to Nelson, who hauled it in at the 1 and then rolled into the end zone for a 28-17 halftime lead.

After Rivers hit Gates with an 11-yard TD pass in the third quarter, Rodgers threw a perfect 21-yarder to Jones and then a 4-yarder to Jennings early in the fourth quarter to seemingly put away the game.

Notes

The Chargers played without injured running back Ryan Mathews , wide receiver Malcom Floyd and linebacker Shaun Phillips . San Diego guard Kris Dielman missed his second straight game with a concussion. The Chargers turn around and host the rival Oakland Raiders on Thursday night. Packers LB Frank Zombo left with a hamstring injury in the fourth.

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