GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers passed his first test as the Green Bay Packers' new quarterback, throwing for 178 yards and a touchdown and scoring on a game-clinching sneak in a 24-19 victory over the Minnesota Vikings last night.

Rodgers, who was 18 of 22, got help from running back Ryan Grant to beat a division rival in his first regular-season start, which came in the wake of Brett Favre's offseason unretirement saga.

"I'm happy we won, and that he played well," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "That's what's important"

Will Blackmon's 76-yard punt return gave Green Bay a 17-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Minnesota's Tarvaris Jackson answered with a 23-yard TD pass to Sidney Rice to cut the Packers' lead to five, but a 2-point conversion attempt failed.

Grant then broke free for a 57-yard run midway through the fourth, giving the Packers (1-0) first-and-goal at the 2. After a penalty against the Vikings (0-1), Rodgers was stuffed on his first attempt at a sneak but got into the end zone on the second try.