This one was for Fergie.

The Green Bay Packers dedicated their division-clinching victory over Minnesota on Christmas Eve to wide receiver Robert Ferguson, who still is experiencing numbness on his left side a week after a clothesline hit by Donovin Darius that drew a $75,000 fine from the NFL.

As the Packers celebrated their third straight NFC North crown, they carried coaches’ greaseboards inscribed with “Ferg 89” and “4 U Fergie.”

“This one’s for you!” wide receiver Donald Driver yelled into his cell phone after the Packers’ 34-31 win.

Ferguson didn’t make the trip after taking a vicious hit that left him temporarily paralyzed below the waist and in the hospital for two days. His return this season was uncertain.

Ferguson gave his teammates a pep talk Thursday at Lambeau Field before they flew to Minneapolis. Even though he stayed back, the Packers set up his locker at the Metrodome with his No. 89 jersey as though he were going to play.

And coach Mike Sherman awarded Ferguson a game ball after the Packers triumphed on Ryan Longwell’s fourth game-winning field goal in the last seven weeks.

“This game is for Fergie because Fergie is the heart and soul of this football team in many ways,” Sherman said, referring to the fourth-year receiver who is noted for playing through pain.

“He typifies what you want as a Green Bay Packer because he lays it out every day in practice and every game.”

Green Bay's Brett Favre celebrates his three-yard pass to wide receiver Donald Driver to tie their game against Minnesota in the fourth quarter. The Packers won, 34-31, Friday in Minneapolis to clinch the NFC North title.

With Ferguson sidelined, the Packers promoted Andrae Thurman from their practice squad. He caught two passes Friday, including Brett Favre’s first one.

Javon Walker caught five passes for 90 yards, including a blitz-beater from the Vikings’ 38 with 25 seconds left that covered 31 yards to set up Longwell’s winner.

Favre, who won for the third time in his last five trips to the Metrodome, released the ball just as he was getting pummeled by the unblocked blitzer.

“I knew where Javon was going to go,” Favre said. “I just threw it to a spot and never saw him catch the ball. I felt like I could get it off in time to complete it and just give us enough room to kick a field goal. When I actually looked up, I saw Javon running and it was a little bit better than I hoped.”

Driver had 11 catches for 162 yards and a game-tying touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 3:34 left. His biggest reception, however, was a 20-yarder on third-and-10 from the Vikings 20 at the start of the winning drive.

“They didn’t just do it today,” Sherman said. “They’ve done it all year long. A few years ago people were concerned that we didn’t have quality receivers, but I think there’s an exclamation point after our receivers this year for what they’ve done.”

Walker has 86 catches for 1,300 yards and 11 TDs, and Driver has 83 receptions for 1,160 yards and a career-high nine scores.