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          NFL Nation

          Packers' pass rush returns, ends sackless streak vs. Vikings

          • Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff WriterNov 22, 2015, 11:08 PM
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              Rob Demovsky is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Green Bay Packers. He has covered the Packers since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2013. Demovsky is a two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the NSSA. You can follow him on Twitter at @RobDemovsky.
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          MINNEAPOLIS -- The Green Bay Packers' sack drought is over.

          After going three games plus the first quarter on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings without a single quarterback sack, the Packers defense broke out with three of them in the second quarter, including one that injured quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s shoulder. They finished with six sacks, including two by Datone Jones.

          Their drought came after 42 straight games with at least one sack, which was the longest active streak in the league. It was the first time since the AFL-NFL merger that the Packers went three straight games without a sack, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Less than a month ago, the Packers ranked second in the NFL in sacks with 23. Stuck on that number coming into Sunday’s game, they had slipped into a tie for 11th.

          The second-quarter sacks killed three straight Vikings drives.

          Jones, who broke the streak on the second play of the second quarter, dumped Bridgewater for an 18-yard loss on first down. Three plays later, the Vikings punted.

          Linebacker Nate Palmer got the second sack and even though it was a bit of a cheap one because Bridgewater slid on a scramble and didn’t get back to the line of scrimmage. It led to another punt.

          Julius Peppers ran his team-leading sack total to 6.5 with the third and final sack of the first half. It was on Peppers’ sack that Bridgewater got hurt, when linebacker Mike Neal fell on him. Bridgewater missed only one play but returned.

          The combination of a steady pass rush plus stout run defense, which held Adrian Peterson to just 45 yards on 13 carries, made for one of the Packers' best defensive performances of the year.

          "I think the most important thing is stopping Adrian," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "He’s a great player, great back. The fact that you can have a chance to play a little downhill in the passing game. I thought Teddy Bridgewater made some great plays today, and the fact we were able to keep the pressure on him and get some sacks and win those fourth downs was important for us."