5 takeaways from Packers’ shutout victory over…

4. Once the offense started finishing drives, the game was over.

The Packers missed a field goal on the game’s opening possession, settled for a field goal after a goal-to-go sequence in the second quarter, failed on fourth down on the edge of scoring territory, and then squandered another red-zone chance in the third quarter when Rodgers threw an ill-advised pass up for grabs on third down, getting picked off by safety Jamal Adams in the end zone.

Moving the ball wasn’t really the problem, but scoring points was.

Two straight TD drives in the fourth quarter salted this one away, though. A ridiculous unsportsmanlike penalty on Seattle for throwing right tackle Billy Turner’s shoe down the field gave the Packers 15 free yards on the first drive, and Dillon’s long pass reception set up the second one. Dillon finished both with short TD runs, as some early short-yardage stops by the Seattle defense weren’t repeated later on.

“It felt really good, just that I had that trust from the coaches and the guys in the huddle to get my number called again in that situation,” Dillon said.

5. The Packers couldn’t be in better position right now.

Even after losing last week, Green Bay is right back atop the NFC at 8-2, tied with Arizona for the best record, but owning the head-to-head tiebreaker, after the Cardinals lost to the Panthers.

Meanwhile, Dallas stayed a half game back at 7-2 with a home win over Atlanta, but Tampa Bay took its third loss on the season, at Washington, to fall to 6-3.

The Rams at 7-2 play Monday night at San Francisco and then, following their bye, come to Lambeau in two weeks for what promises to be a key game in the conference race.

In the NFC North, the Packers stayed 3½ games up on the 4-5 Vikings, who beat the Chargers on the road. Second-place Minnesota hosts Green Bay next week, and the Packers can gain an even tighter grip on the division with a win, which would put them 4½ games up with just six left to play.

If Minnesota is going to make the North a contest, it has to beat Green Bay next Sunday.

“We will flip the script here shortly and move onto the Vikings,” LaFleur said.