MINNEAPOLIS — Nothing was going right for Minnesota until coach Mike Tice tried a little negative reinforcement in the locker room.

Prodded by Tice's stern halftime speech, the Vikings came back from a 17-0 deficit in the third quarter to beat Green Bay, 23-20, yesterday.

Paul Edinger kicked a franchise-record 56-yard field goal as time ran out, lifting momentum-starved Minnesota (2-4) past Green Bay (1-5).

"I took off running after it, like I was going to catch it or something," Edinger said. "I can't even describe it. It's a great feeling. I wish you could experience it."

After losing their past two games by a combined 58-13 score and allegations of sexual misconduct by several players on a boat party emerging earlier this month, the Vikings appeared headed for another ugly defeat after a flawless first half by Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

But Daunte Culpepper, who went 23 of 31 for 280 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, came to life — and Edinger came through with his third field goal of the game, the longest of his career.

By his estimation, Tice used a negative tone at the half for the first time in two years. He was pleased by what he saw.

"I thought they practiced with better emotion all week," Tice said. "I thought they studied better, harder, and I thought they heeded my warning and stayed home and off the streets."

The Packers' Ryan Longwell tied it at 20 with 24 seconds remaining on a 39-yard kick.

After the kickoff, Culpepper threw a 14-yard pass to Mewelde Moore and a 12-yard pass to Robinson — who stepped out and stopped the clock with 2 seconds left on the Green Bay 38.

REDSKINS 52, 49ERS 17

LANDOVER, Md. — Mark Brunell completed 13 of 20 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns and Washington (4-2) piled up 448 yards and scored on seven of its first nine possessions.

"We are a Rocky Balboa-type team, but it's good to get a young Mike Tyson-type win and knock someone out," linebacker Marcus Washington said.

Clinton Portis ran 19 times for 101 yards and three touchdowns, and Mike Sellers caught scoring passes of 2 and 19 yards.

San Francisco (1-5) has lost five straight.

RAMS 28, SAINTS 17

ST. LOUIS — Steven Jackson had a pair of short scoring runs and Kevin Curtis scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 5-yard reverse with 5:58 to go for St. Louis (3-4).

Jamie Martin, subbing for the injured Marc Bulger, hit Curtis for a 42-yard gain to the 6 to set up the winning score, and then led the blocking on Curtis' clinching score after the wide receiver took a handoff from Jackson.

"Just somehow to be able to get a win, that's huge with all those guys out," Martin said.

New Orleans (2-5) led by 14 points in the first quarter.