(on it having been a satisfying victory) "It feels real good. It's been well-documented that this has been a tough place for us to play -- and it was a difficult game tonight, really a hard-fought game. Both teams are to be commended, I think.

"It feels real good, yeah, because this is another step on what we want to try and accomplish this season...And the Vikings a real fine football team."

(on 'exorcising' the Vikings whammy in Minneapolis) "'Exorcising has to feel real good...I have so many of 'em....There are just things as a coach that I felt I hadn't been able to do and I just wanted to see if I could do 'em before, you know, I retired...So it feels real good."

(on Doug Evans' key interception) "A huge play. And I don't remember if we scored after that, but I think we did (correct)...Doug's having a fine season and he's going against really fine, fine players every week, and he's holding up pretty well."

(on Robert Brooks' touchdown reception) "Robert's a tough guy. And, fortunately, we got him a new helmet this week, so he could withstand some of those things a little bit better than he could in the past. He has just tremendous concentration. He's a very gifted athlete, as you know, and a very tough guy...and a very unselfish player...So it was a big play."

(on going for it on 4th-and-one) "I liked where we were on the field. That really determined going for it at that time. It was in that long field goal-short punt thing and I said, to heck with it, let's try it again."

(on the quality of the defensive performance, considering Reggie White and Gilbert Brown had to be rested periodically) "Fritz (Shurmur), Jim Lind and Bob Valesente and Larry Brooks and the defensive coaches are to be commended because they're not going in with all their bullets. And they put together two real nice plans against two good football teams. And the players have responded...the players have responded.

"I wish we had the luxury of resting Gilbert, but we don't. And Reggie the same way. I thought it was a good effort. If we can get a little bit out of both of them, we're a better football team."

(on whether Gilbert Brown had aggravated his ankle injury) "Yes, he did. But we'll treat it the same way this week. And rest it, rehab it, treat it and then, hopefully, get a few snaps from him next Sunday."

(on whether he had gone into the game intending to run the football as much as he did) "I wasn't necessarily intent on doing that. The games we have lost up here in the last five years, turnovers played such a big role in those games and we were really careless offensively, I thought, in those games. So I just wanted to play the game a little bit differently. But I had no number in my mind when I thought about running the football."

(on coping with the crowd noise in the Metrodome) "I think they did a pretty good job. I was a little disappointed early that we didn't do a better job, quite frankly. We talked a lot about it. And we had a couple of movements, and I didn't like that too much. But this is a tough place to play. And what makes it tough isn't just the building...the people...the fans...Minnesota's good. And so, you put that combination together and anybody that comes in here has their hands full."

(on what he thought of the Packer Fans) "That's always exciting, to me and to the team. Denny (Vikings coach Denny Green) and I talked about that a little bit before the game. And, you know, the fact that before the Vikes were around, people rooted for the Packers and I'm sure that's why we have our following up here...It really helps, obviously."

(on his 'discussion' with Bill Schroeder in the fourth quarter) "It was a very, very bad penalty at that time -- at that point in the game. And I just wanted to impress upon Billy -- he's too good a football player to get a penalty in that situation. And we talked about not getting goaded into things. And I was reminding him what he needed to do in that situation."

(on the implications of the night's victory) "We only have three games left. So you know what -- whenever I try to figure out all that kind of stuff, it doesn't work out for me....We have a tough schedule -- this is going to be a tough stretch -- we knew it was going to be tough stretch -- three away games in a row in December. And we go into Tampa next week and we just have to take care of our business, and see what happens at the end."

(on the game in Tampa) "As most games in our division, it takes on a special importance again because of that. Both teams are fighting for the division, and it's a very, very important game...And they're having a fine season -- and they're a good football team. So we have to go down there and play our best football."

THE PLAYER PERSPECTIVE:

Brett Favre (on the secret of the Packers' success) "The offensive line did a heck of a job. That was a big concern coming in -- how we would protect. And it seemed like they did the best job we've had all year -- against a great football team in a great place...So we did what we wanted to do. We controlled the ball enough to keep it out of their hands and when we had to score, we scored."

(on Packers proving they could run the football) "I think it's gotten to a point where we don't have to prove it -- we have a very good running football team. Our offensive line feels that and they've got some momentum going. Dorsey (Levens) is running the ball well -- he feels confident doing it...That's the key to success for anybody. And it enables me not to have to do too much. As long as we're winning, heck, let's keep doing it."

(on whether he himself had 'played a little conservatively') "Not really. I didn't really have to. We ran the ball well enough, and when I was asked to make plays, I did. And guys made great catches. Robert's on the touchdown was a great catch. And that's what we've got to have. You know, I picked my spots and didn't take any chances. But once again, I didn't really have to. Our defense did an unbelievable job and held them to three points, really. And it makes it easier on us."

(on whether it is easier to make decisions when he has time to set up) "Well, if you've got good protection, it makes it much easier, there's no doubt about it...A couple of times, I was able to take a seven-step drop, which we hadn't been able to do here in the past, and step up and see our guys come open. Because, last year, our guys weren't open here and I wasn't able to get it to 'em. And that was the big difference today...I hit Antonio (Freeman) coming out of our end zone on a big crossing route. And I had a number of seven-step drops...You know, that's unbelievable for our guys to hold 'em out that long. And that happened a lot today."

(on 'exorcising the demons' of Dallas and Minnesota) "Well, the last two weeks we've had games that we hadn't been able to win in the past...You tip your hat to the team that we played. Minnesota has played well here; we've made mistakes and they've capitalized on them. Dallas has been a good football team; we couldn't beat 'em. So, you know, you figure it'll come sooner or later. We played well...Minnesota's still a great football team."

Reggie White (on the dominance of the Packers' defense) "That's one of the things our coaches talked about this week. And we knew, if we were going to win this game, we had to create more turnovers and we had to dominate. The times they beat us up here, they dominated...We had a good week of preparation...It was just an exciting game."

(on what the last two performances by the defense say about it) "It won't say anything until that last quarter of the last game of the season. It didn't say much last year, until we won the Super Bowl. So it won't say much for us until we can attain another goal -- to win the championship."

(on whether his back has been bothering him) "Yes, it has. Like I said, you know, with the coaches rotating us in and out (in the defensive line), I think it's going to help it a lot.

"It's gotten a lot better. Two weeks ago, I thought I was through for the season. But, you know, one thing I had to remember -- God had showed up for five times before, so why wouldn't he do it now? So, I stopped pretty much sobbing about my back hurting and started remembering what he did for me, and so it's feeling a lot better right now."

(on whether the Packers are playing like a Super Bowl champion again) "We hopefully will go to San Diego, if we can get there. We have to take it game by game. You know, then we can talk about stuff like that...We've still got a ways to go."

(192K)

Reggie comments on the performance of Doug Evans

Dorsey Levens: "It was definitely an old-fashioned, black-and-blue division brawl. I'm feeling it -- every last tick of it."

(on fullback William Henderson 'and that one catch he made') "William is like a freight train. He just ran that guy over and just kept on rolling. You know, William doesn't get enough carries, in my opinion. He doesn't get rewarded for the great job he does for me. And I wish he could get more catches, because once he gets rolling, it's going to be real hard for one guy to bring him down."

(165K)

Dorsey on the running game

(on whether the offense has an 'attitude' about running the football now) "I think so. They're in the huddle and they want to run the ball. That makes me feel good, because they encourage me and I encourage them. And it's just one of those things you want to keep doing it because you enjoy it."

(on whether, after another week of 30-plus carries, he is enjoying the work load) "Yeah, I'm definitely enjoying it...I'm feeling it a little bit more, you know, a little sore. But that's to be expected. Hopefully, we can keep doing it. If we can continue to win games, and keep the defense off the field, I'm all for it."

(305K)

Adam Timmerman on the support of Packers fans and the Packers-Vikings rivalry

(316K)

Eugene Robinson on the Packer Defense