Postgame analysis: Packers 30, Rams 20

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the Green Bay offensive had its way with the St. Louis Rams. The Pack has now won two games in a row for the first time this season.

By James Carlton

Oct 21, 2012 at 6:53 pm ET • 4 min read

The Packers wanted to finish the three-game road swing in their schedule and return home on a winning note. They did just that with a methodical, 30-20 victory over the Rams on Sunday in St. Louis, finishing the road trip 2-1.

Coming off their biggest win of the season last week over the Texans, Green Bay (4-3) rode the peerless play of QB Aaron Rodgers, who despite the offensive lineman-sized chip on his right shoulder, still managed a 132.2 passer rating. He found his top three targets, WRs Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb, a combined 22 times for 264 yards and three scores.

The Rams (3-4) managed to keep the score close in the first half by dominating time of possession. However, they were able to convert that advantage into only two field goals. In the second half, though, it was a different story, as the Packers controlled the clock with long scoring drives and had the ball for more than 21 of 30 minutes after halftime. By the time the Rams found the end zone for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, the game was out of reach.

The Packers have won two games in a row for the first time this season. The toughest part of their schedule is in the rear view mirror, and they return home for two winnable games before their Week 10 bye.

When the game turned: The Rams were down only 10-6 at halftime, thanks to a run game that gave them a significant time-of-possession advantage and kept Rodgers off the field for most of the second quarter. But the Green Bay offense came out of the tunnel to start the third quarter and imposed its will on St. Louis, using a 12-play, 80-yard drive that ate up nearly seven minutes of clock and ended with a five-yard Cobb TD, to flex their muscles and end any upset fantasies at the Edward Jones Dome.

Highlight moments: In the first quarter, the Rams were flagged for defensive offside, giving Rodgers a free play. He took advantage by flinging a deep toss down the right sideline that found Nelson for a 52-yard completion. That bomb was one of three Nelson completions on that drive, including a 15-yarder and a 3-yard touchdown. … Immediately following Nelson’s score, the Packers called a surprise onside kick, despite being up 7-3 in the first quarter. K Mason Crosby hit it well, CB Jarrett Bush took out the closest Rams' player to the ball and the Packers recovered -- a perfectly executed onside kick. The Packers got a field goal out of the extra possession.

Top-shelf performances:

Rodgers -- 30 of 37 for 342 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions

Nelson -- eight catches for 122 yards and one touchdown

Cobb -- eight catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns

What they said about the large contingent of Packer fans at the game in St. Louis:

Rodgers: “This is one of the shorter trips for some of our fans, which is still a jaunt. I think it's probably eight hours if you're busting the speed limit a little bit. The chants are incredible and the boos that we had on one of those calls from our fans was incredible. It was louder than the cheers for the Rams."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy: “Our fans are unbelievable. There are Packers fans everywhere. You’d think we’d be on Oneida Street (in Green Bay). We never get tired of hearing ‘Go Pack, Go!’ ”

Rams DE Chris Long: “I kind of expected that they'd be well-represented here. We just never got a chance to quiet them down."

Numbers you should know: With Sunday’s win, the Packers are 17-0 in games in which Nelson has at least 75 receiving yards. … Cobb is the only player in the NFL with 400 receiving yards, 400 kick-return yards, 150 punt-return yards and 50 rushing yards. … Packers rookie CB Casey Hayward, making his first career start, got his fourth interception in the last three games. … Rams K Greg Zuerlein’s 50-yard field goal in the first quarter that gave St. Louis the early lead made him 5 for 7 this year on field goals from at least 50 yards. … Rams WR Chris Givens had a 56-yard reception on a screen pass in the fourth quarter, his fourth straight game with a 50-yard plus reception.

Injury update: Packers: LB Mike Neal left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury. … Rams: CB Trumaine Johnson suffered a hip injury on the Packers’ onside kick in the first quarter. DE Eugene Sims suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. He will undergo additional medical tests.

Going forward: Packers: The Packers finished their three-game road stretch on an up note, going 2-1 to raise their overall record to 4-3. They return home for two winnable games at Lambeau Field, against the Arizona Cardinals and the Jacksonville Jaguars, before a Week 10 bye that can’t come soon enough for an injury-ravaged team. Green Bay really needed this win for some consistency and now it hopes to go into the bye at 6-3. … Rams: St. Louis had been undefeated at home before Sunday’s loss dropped it to 3-1 at the Edward Jones Dome and 3-4 overall. The Rams have another tough matchup this week with the New England Patriots coming to town, before a Week 9 bye. Then, it’s off to first-place San Francisco for a divisional game against the 49ers.