GREEN BAY, Wis. _ Rumors of Aaron Rodgers' demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Rodgers, under fire for his statistical decline over the last year, threw four touchdown passes in the first half as the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions in a closer-than-it-appeared game at Lambeau Field, 34-27.
The Packers scored points on six of their first seven possessions, the only exception coming when they let time run out in the first half, and did not punt until there was 9:34 left in the game.
Rodgers completed just 15 of 24 passes for 205 yards, but he threw touchdowns of 14, 8, 2 and 17 yards before halftime as the Packers had their way with the Lions' short-handed defense.
The Lions, who played without Ziggy Ansah and DeAndre Levy, pulled within a touchdown on Matthew Stafford's second touchdown pass of the day to Marvin Jones. But Rodgers ran for 11 yards on third-and-8 with just over 3 minutes to play to clinch the Packers' victory.
Green Bay (2-1) opened the game with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, and led, 31-3, late in the second quarter.
The Packers scored their third touchdown of the game one play after Nevin Lawson was called for pass interference on a bomb to Trevor Davis on the first play of the second quarter. The 66-yard penalty gave the Packers first-and-goal at the 2-yard line.
The Lions drove into Green Bay territory on the ensuing possession, but Damarious Randall ripped a pass out of Eric Ebron's hands for an interception and returned it to the Lions' 25-yard line to set up a Green Bay field goal.
Jordy Nelson caught six passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns and Eddie Lacy ran for 103 yards on 17 carries for the Packers, who played without four defensive starters in Clay Matthews, Sam Shields, Morgan Burnett and Letroy Guion.
Stafford finished 28 of 41 passing for 385 yards and three touchdowns for the Lions.
Jones had a career-high 205 yards on six catches and two touchdowns. He caught a 73-yard touchdown with 32 seconds left in the first half.
The Lions (1-2) travel to face another NFC North team, the Chicago Bears, next week.
