Rodgers throws 2 TDs to give Packers a 17-0 lead over Ravens at halftime

Rodgers throws 2 TDs; Packers lead Ravens at half

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers threw touchdown passes to Jermichael Finley and Donald Driver, giving the Green Bay Packers a 17-0 lead over the Baltimore Ravens at halftime on a chilly Monday night.

Rodgers, who went 16 of 24 for 147 yards and an interception in the first half, engineered two late scoring drives to turn a defensive slugfest into a comfortable lead.

Inside of 2 minutes, Rodgers scrambled for 23 yards to put Green Bay in scoring range. After an incompletion, Rodgers hit Greg Jennings for a 17-yard gain to put the Packers at the Baltimore 7 with 38 seconds left.

Rodgers then threw a pass to Driver on the right side, who slipped passed Domonique Foxworth and reached the end zone with Lardarius Webb rotating too late to make the tackle.

Rodgers’ first touchdown pass was a 2-yard toss to Finley.

After former Packers cornerback Frank Walker was penalized 25 yards for pass interference, Rodgers completed passes of 29 and 14 yards to Finley to set up first-and-goal at the 2.

Finley motioned out of the backfield to the left and caught Rodgers’ throw over Tom Zbikowski, who was starting in place of Ed Reed (hip) with 4:39 left in the half. Finley finished the half with five catches for 56 yards.

While the matchup featured two of the NFL’s best defenses, it also had its share of mistakes with both teams combining for three turnovers and 10 penalties for 138 yards on the 21-degree night.

The Packers took a 3-0 lead on their first possession on Mason Crosby’s 28-yard field goal.

Baltimore’s first drive accounted for 43 of its 72 yards in the first half and Ray Rice had 30 of them before Clay Matthews III forced a fumble and Nick Collins recovered.

It appeared Ryan Grant gave it right back to Baltimore on a fumble, but the play was overturned on review because Grant was down by contact. Moments later, Rodgers made an ill-advised throw deep that Zbikowski easily intercepted.

The Ravens failed to capitalize, though, and Joe Flacco, bothered by a right ankle sprain, was picked off on a diving catch by Collins.

The Packers (7-4) came into Monday’s game going for their fourth straight win to remain a front-runner for an NFC wild-card spot. Baltimore (6-5) is trying to stay in the middle of the AFC postseason race, too, after an overtime win over Pittsburgh last Sunday.

Even though Baltimore’s defense has long been considered one of the league’s best and is giving up just over 17 points per game, Green Bay has allowed an NFL-low 281.5 yards per game since switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 under Dom Capers in the offseason.