Packers 44, Vikings 31: Aaron Rodgers teamed with Jordy Nelson on two touchdown passes and Micah Hyde returned a punt for a score as Green Bay defeated host Minnesota for its fourth consecutive victory.

Eddie Lacy and James Starks added rushing touchdowns for the Packers (5-2), who lead the NFC North by a half-game over the Detroit Lions (5-3). Rodgers completed 24-of-29 passes for 285 yards and Nelson had seven receptions for 123 as Green Bay converted 13-of-18 third-down opportunities and also was successful on two fourth-down attempts.

Rookie Cordarrelle Patterson set an NFL record by returning the opening kickoff 109 yards – also tying for longest play in league history – and Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart had rushing scores for the Vikings (1-6). Christian Ponder also rushed for a touchdown but passed for only 145 yards in his return to the starting lineup as Minnesota lost its third straight game.

After Patterson’s opening salvo, Green Bay began its game-long dominance with a 14-play, 90-yard drive - capped by Rodgers’ 11-yard pass to Nelson. The contest was tied at 10-10 before Nelson caught a 76-yard scoring pass with 3:38 left in the half and Hyde added a 93-yard punt-return score with 1:30 remaining.

Peterson, who had 60 rushing yards, scored on an 8-yard run with four seconds left in the half to pull the Vikings with 24-17. Lacy scored on a 1-yard run midway through the third quarter and Starks added an explosive 25-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter to boost the lead to 21 points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The other 109-yard play in NFL history also occurred in the Metrodome when San Diego’s Antonio Cromartie returned a missed field goal for a touchdown in 2007. … The Packers totaled 464 yards on 73 plays and possessed the ball for 40 minutes, 54 seconds, while Minnesota ran just 43 plays for 243 yards. … Ponder drew the start because recently acquired QB Josh Freeman was out with a concussion.