Ahman Green’s assault on the Minnesota Vikings began with a 18-yard burst on
the Packers’ first play from scrimmage, continued with a 27-yard run two plays
later, and didn’t stop until he rushed for 137 yards. His assault on the Packer
record books and the league’s statistical lists continued in the same aggressive
manner.
Green not only ran roughshod over the Minnesota ‘D’ in the Packers’ 30-27 win
in the Metrodome, he also plowed past several important career milestones.
The fifth-year back reached the 5,000-yard mark late in the game. He eclipsed
the mark with a nine-yard gain for a key first down on the Packers’ final
scoring drive. On that carry, Green also became the third back in Packer history
to have 5,000 yards and 1,000 carries. He joins Jim Taylor and John Brockington.
With his third carry Sunday night (which was his game-high 27-yarder), Green
passed Dorsey Levens (1,006) to move into fifth place on the Packers’ all-time
carries list. Green then tied Tony Canadeo in the No. 4 spot with 1,025 carries
on his final rush of the game, a 1-yard gain to the Minnesota 9 yard line on the
play before Tony Fisher’s touchdown.
Green, who entered the game with 734 rushing yards, is now within 129 yards
of his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season. Reaching 1,000 again would make him
just the second Packer to accomplish that feat. Jim Taylor strung together five
1,000-yard campaigns from 1960-1964,
Green wasted no time establishing the Packers’ winning tone with 95 yards in
the first half. Later, Green shared the wealth with Najeh Davenport and Tony
Fisher in GB’s 261 yard rushing attack, and still managed to hold him own among
the conference’s statistical leaders.
At the half-way point, Green’s name peppers the NFC statistical leaders
lists.
Sunday night, he quickly piled up the numbers to support his position among
the league’s top rushers. Green leap-frogged over New Orleans’ Deuce McAllister
into the NFC overall yardage lead. Green’s 189 all-purpose yards Sunday night
puts him at 1,152 yards at the half-way point, while McAllister gained 126
all-purpose yards in the Saints win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to bring his
total to 1,091.
The fifth-year running back entered the game leading the NFC (non-kickers) in
scoring with 60 points on 10 TDs, and added a touchdown Sunday.
His seven first downs kept him atop the conference list with 65.