Packers put Giants on edge

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers returned from a concussion to turn in his sharpest performance of the season, keeping the Green Bay Packers on a path toward the playoffs with 404 yards and four touchdowns.

It all came at the expense of the New York Giants, whose season is spinning out of control after the Packers blew them out 45-17 at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Rodgers was back, and so was his sense of humor. Backup Matt Flynn played well when Rodgers sat out last week with his second concussion of the season, so Rodgers joked that he had something to prove Sunday.

"I had to get my job back," Rodgers said.

There wasn't much to smile about for the Giants (9-6), who are clinging to fading playoff hopes and certainly appeared to still be in a daze after the previous week's collapse against Philadelphia.

"There's no denying what took place," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Facts are facts. We're responsible for it. I'm responsible for it. So we have to live with it. And as we say in this game, the only chance you have is to turn around and line up the next week."

The Giants couldn't stop Rodgers and couldn't hold onto the ball, as one of the league's most turnover-prone teams lost two fumbles and watched Eli Manning throw four interceptions.

As if that wasn't enough misery for one team to handle, the Giants were stuck in Wisconsin on Sunday night because of a major snowstorm on the East Coast.

At this point, they might not want to go home.

"I don't care where we're at, it's going to be a long night regardless," safety Deon Grant said. "If we'd go back to New York, it'd probably be a worse night. I know they're not going to be happy. I looked up, the Jets lost, we lost, it's not a good look."

Green Bay (9-6) entered Sunday's game needing to win its final two games to make the playoffs. The Packers host division rival Chicago in their final regular-season game this Sunday.

Safety Nick Collins said it felt like a playoff game.

"That's how it's going to be next week, too," Collins said.

John Kuhn ran for two touchdowns and caught a pass for a score for the Packers. The unheralded fullback is embracing his growing folk-hero status with Packers fans, who chant "Kuuuuuuuuuhn!" when he touches the ball.

"It's pretty funny," Kuhn said. "It's nice. I don't want to let them down. They call for you ahead of time, so I've got to try and come through."

Greg Jennings caught seven passes for 142 yards for Green Bay, while Jordy Nelson had four catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Rodgers was sacked twice, but wasn't under much pressure otherwise as his offensive line delivered one of its best pass protection efforts of the year.

"Those guys were ready to play," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "They were sick and tired of hearing about how tough the Giants were all week."

Rodgers was anything but tentative after sustaining two concussions this season, but he definitely had safety on his mind when he took off running. Rodgers made a baseball umpire's "safe" sign with his arms after sliding instead of taking a big hit after an early scramble -- a salute, he said, to a team doctor who is reminding him to be more careful when he runs.

"I got a lot of texts in the last two weeks from friends and family," Rodgers said. "'Slide' was the main subject."