Packers 30, Rams 20
ST. LOUIS - The emergence of Randall Cobb continued Sunday at Edward Jones Dome.
Green Bay's second-year wide receiver scored two second half touchdowns to help his team pull away in a close game against scrappy St. Louis, leading to a 30-20 win that helped the Packers complete a stretch of three straight road games with a 2-1 record.
Cobb turned Rams rookie corner Janoris Jenkins around on a 5-yard touchdown reception with 8:04 remaining in the third quarter to make it 17-6, then flashed his pure speed on the game-clinching play with 3:06 left in the game.
On the Packers' third down play at the St. Louis 39 with the Rams' crowd in a frenzy, Cobb zipped by cornerback Trumaine Johnson down the right hashmark and hauled in Aaron Rodgers' third scoring strike of the day.
Rodgers absorbed three sacks and several other hard hits from St. Louis' defensive line in the first half. He got much better protection in the second half. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player finished 30-of-37 for 342 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter.
Green Bay (4-3), coming off a 42-24 rout last week at then-unbeaten Houston, led just 10-6 at halftime but controlled play during the second half. Its injury-riddled defense only had to go on the field for six plays in the third quarter, holding the Rams (3-4) to negative-seven yards and also intercepting quarterback Sam Bradford to set up one of three Mason Crosby field goals.
Bradford hit on 21-of-34 passes for 255 yards and a garbage-time score to Austin Pettis, while veteran running back Steven Jackson added 57 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts. Jackson's 6-yard run up the middle with 8:50 left in the game drew St. Louis within 20-13, giving it hope that it could up its home record to 4-0.
But Cobb, Rodgers and the Packers' boisterous traveling fan base made another dome feel like home. Notes: St. Louis started its third left tackle in the first seven weeks as Joe Barksdale replaced Wayne Hunter (back). Opening day starter Rodger Saffold sat out his fifth straight game with knee and back injuries ... Three defensive starters -- tackle B.J. Raji, linebacker Nick Perry and cornerback Sam Shields -- joined wide receiver Greg Jennings on Green Bay's inactive list. ... Chris Givens' 56-yard reception early in the fourth quarter marked the fourth straight game in which the Rams' rookie wide receiver notched a catch of 50 yards or more.
