1:05 PM ET, January 11,2015
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Top Performers
Passing: A. Rodgers (GB) - 316 YDS, 3 TDRushing: D. Murray (DAL) - 25 CAR, 123 YDS, 1 TD
Receiving: D. Adams (GB) - 7 REC, 117 YDS, 1 TD
ESPN.com news services
Rodgers, Packers Rally Past Cowboys
No matter: The All-Pro quarterback and his Green Bay Packers are one step away from the Super Bowl.
More stationary than usual because of a left calf injury, Rodgers rallied the Packers from an 8-point deficit with two second-half touchdowns passes to beat Dallas 26-21 Sunday.
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"I think I got 120 minutes left in me," Rodgers said.
Green Bay might not have had any time left in its season if not for referee Gene Steratore's decision. Dez Bryant's leaping, bobbling 31-yard catch at the Packers 1 on a fourth-and-2 play was challenged by Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy. Instead of first-and-goal for Dallas (13-5), the ball went over to the Packers.
"Some people think throwing the red flag is fun," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "It was such an impactful play, you had to challenge. It was a confident challenge. And a hopeful one, too."
One packed with controversy, as well.
"Look, I'll tell you this, I've never seen that a day in my life," Bryant said. "I want to know why it wasn't a catch."
Because Bryant didn't maintain control all the way to the ground, as the rule states. Replays showed Bryant bobbling the ball as he rolled into the end zone, with part of it touching the field.
"By rule he must hold onto it throughout entire process of contacting the ground," tweeted Dean Blandino, the league's director of officiating. "He didn't, so it is incomplete."
An impassioned Bryant didn't buy it.
"All I know is I had possession, I had possession of the ball coming down," Bryant said. "That's possession, right? One, two, reach. Bam, that's possession."
Green Bay closed it out before a Lambeau-record 79,704 on Randall Cobb's diving 12-yard reception of a deflected pass on third-and-11. That gave Cobb eight catches for 116 yards and set off a raucous celebration at the iconic venue.
Second-Half Attack
Aaron Rodgers stepped up in the second half on Sunday, completing his last 10 pass attempts to lead the Packers by the Cowboys.| 1st Half | 2nd Half | |
|---|---|---|
| Comp-Att | 9-15 | 15-20 |
| Yards | 90 | 227 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 2 |
| -- ESPN Stats & Info | ||
One of many.
The Cowboys' first postseason trip to Green Bay since the 1967 Ice Bowl for the NFL championship resulted in their first road defeat of the season after eight victories. Dallas got 123 yards rushing from league leader DeMarco Murray and a courageous effort from Tony Romo, who hurt his left leg in the third quarter.
That meant there were two hobbling quarterbacks. All-Pro Rodgers, bothered by a left calf he injured in Game 15, lost much of his trademark elusiveness as the game wore on.
"A little bit worse, yeah," Rodgers said of how his calf felt as the game progressed. "Hard to say, see how it feels in the morning."
Regardless, he was on-target for a short pass to Davante Adams that turned into the 41-yard score to make it 21-20. Then he sharply guided the Packers 80 yards to the winning points, a 13-yard bullet to backup tight end Richard Rodgers in the back of the end zone.
Murray atoned in style for a third-quarter fumble, gaining 32 yards on the Cowboys' ensuing possession, including a 29-yard sprint one play after Romo hurt his leg. The hobbling Romo handed to Murray for the 1-yard plunge that made it 21-13, then limped to the bench for treatment on the leg.
When he came back in, Romo was sacked on consecutive plays, the first ending the third period, the second forcing a punt.
Rodgers had stood firm in firing over the middle to Adams, who cut right, shrugged off a weak tackle by J.J. Wilcox and sped into the end zone. The 90-yard drive got the Lambeau faithful back into it.
Then came the decisive fourth-quarter series on which Rodgers went 7 for 7. He finished 24 for 35 for 316 yards and extended his record string without a home interception to 442 attempts. He has 39 TD passes in that span.
On Green Bay's opening possession, Rodgers mostly handed to Eddie Lacy, who rushed for 45 yards on the 60-yard drive. But Rodgers had to step up away from the rush and did so spryly before hitting Andrew Quarless in the back of the end zone.
Back came Dallas with just as efficient a possession that took 7:25. Tyler Clutts was wide open at the goal line for his 1-yard TD catch.
Rodgers got Green Bay close on its next drive, but was clapping his hands when rookie Corey Linsley snapped the ball. Rodgers dropped it, recovered, but then was hit by Jeremy Mincey, who grabbed the loose ball.
It was a rare turnover for the Packers, who tied for the league lead with only 13 giveaways. Cornerback Tramon Williams' botched tackle attempt on a short pass to Terrance Williams turned into a 38-yard TD and the Cowboys led 14-7.
The Packers drew closer at halftime thanks to a 31-yard completion to Cobb that set up Mason Crosby's 40-yard field goal. Crosby added a 30-yarder in the third quarter, making him the franchise's career points leader. But Green Bay could have had more.
After recovering Murray's fumble at the Dallas 44 and getting to the 13, a 15-yard personal foul on guard T.J. Lang set the Packers back.
But not for long.
NOTES: Adams had seven catches for 117 yards and Lacy rushed for 101. ... Green Bay had not trailed at Lambeau since Week 2 against the Jets. ... Bryant finished with only three catches for 38 yards. ... Romo was 15 for 19, but for just 191 yards.
ESPN.com's David Purdum and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
Photo Wire
Fans tailgate before an NFL divisional playoff football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys...
(AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
(AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Team Stat Comparison
DAL
|
GB
| |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 21 | 23 |
Passing 1st downs
| 9 | 16 |
Rushing 1st downs
| 9 | 6 |
1st downs from penalties
| 3 | 1 |
3rd down efficiency
| 4-8 | 9-14 |
4th down efficiency
| 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Total Plays | 51 | 66 |
| Total Yards | 315 | 425 |
| Yards per play | 6.2 | 6.4 |
| Total Drives | 8 | 9 |
| Passing | 170 | 306 |
Comp-Att
| 15-19 | 24-35 |
Yards per pass
| 7.4 | 8.5 |
Interceptions thrown
| 0 | 0 |
Sacks-Yards Lost
| 4-21 | 1-10 |
| Rushing | 145 | 119 |
Rushing Attempts
| 28 | 30 |
Yards per rush
| 5.2 | 4.0 |
| Red Zone (Made-Att) | 2-2 | 2-3 |
| Penalties | 5-35 | 10-87 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
Fumbles lost
| 1 | 1 |
Interceptions thrown
| 0 | 0 |
| Defensive / Special Teams TDs | 0 | 0 |
| Possession | 30:39 | 29:21 |
Scoring Summary
| FIRST QUARTER | DAL | GB | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | TD | 8:30 | Andrew Quarless 4 Yd pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby Kick)
Drive info: 10 plays, 60 yds, 4:22
| 0 | 7 |
 | TD | 1:05 | Tyler Clutts 1 Yd pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey Kick)
Drive info: 12 plays, 62 yds, 7:25
| 7 | 7 |
| SECOND QUARTER | DAL | GB | |||
| TD | 8:19 | Terrance Williams 38 Yd pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey Kick)
Drive info: 5 plays, 64 yds, 2:53
| 14 | 7 |
| FG | 0:00 | Mason Crosby 40 Yd Field Goal
Drive info: 5 plays, 38 yds, 0:29
| 14 | 10 |
| THIRD QUARTER | DAL | GB | |||
| FG | 7:46 | Mason Crosby 30 Yd Field Goal
Drive info: 6 plays, 32 yds, 3:18
| 14 | 13 |
| TD | 4:12 | DeMarco Murray 1 Yd Run (Dan Bailey Kick)
Drive info: 6 plays, 80 yds, 3:34
| 21 | 13 |
| TD | 1:41 | Davante Adams 46 Yd pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby Kick)
Drive info: 7 plays, 90 yds, 2:31
| 21 | 20 |
| FOURTH QUARTER | DAL | GB | |||
| TD | 9:10 | Richard Rodgers 13 Yd pass from Aaron Rodgers (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed)
Drive info: 8 plays, 80 yds, 4:19
| 21 | 26 |
Research Notes
Dez Bryant
was targeted 7 times total in 2 postseason games, his fewest in a 2
game stretch this season. Bryant caught all but 1 of the targets though:
the incomplete pass on 4th and 2.
|
Jordy Nelson finished with 2 receptions for 22 yards Sunday, his lowest yardage total in a game with Aaron Rodgers
at quarterback since Week 13 of 2012, a 23-14 win over the Vikings that
Nelson left early with an injury. Nelson's lowest total before that
game was Week 3 of 2012 against the Seahawks (2 receptions for 19
yards).
|
Aaron Rodgers completed his last 10 pass attempts Sunday for 163 yards and 2 TD. Rodgers was 15-of-20 overall in the 2nd half.
[+] |
The
Cowboys blew an 8+ point lead in 2nd half for the 1st time this season.
The Packers have the last 2 wins against Cowboys when coming back from
8+ point deficit in 2nd half (2013, Week 15).
|
Davante Adams
had 7 receptions (tying a career high) for 117 yards and a TD Sunday,
his 2nd-career game as the Packers' leading receiver (121 yards in Week
13 win against Patriots). With 1:52 left in the 3rd quarter, Rodgers was
4-of-8 targeting Adams with 3 overthrown passes and an incompletion due
to miscommunication. Rodgers was 3-for-3 in the last 16:52 of the game
targeting Adams, including a TD pass and a critical 3rd-down conversion
with 2:36 to play.
[+] |
From Elias: - Aaron Rodgers
went 9-9 in the 4th quarter. That's the most attempts without an
incompletion in the 4th quarter of any playoff game over the last 25
years.
[+] |
The Cowboys blitz had early success against Aaron Rodgers,
holding him to 2-of-5 passing in the 1st half and generating 3
pressures. Despite the success, the Cowboys blitzed just twice in the
2nd half as Rodgers went 14-of-18 with 2 TD against the Cowboys standard
rush.
[+] |
Davante Adams is the fifth rookie in the last 10 postseasons to have 100 receiving yards in a playoff game.
[+] |
During the regular season and playoffs, teams ran 213 plays on 4th-and-2 or shorter. Romo's attempt to Dez Bryant
was only the 3rd pass at least 25 yards downfield on 4th-and-short
snaps (49ers converted in Week 12 vs Redskins, Broncos didn't in Week 9
vs Patriots).
|
Aaron Rodgers has 1 turnover on 21 snaps today.
Rodgers had 1 turnover in his last 887 snaps at home dating back to Week 14 of 2012 (including playoffs).
|
That was Davante Adams'
first Rec TD since Week 11. He also gained more yards on that play (46)
than he had in his last 4 regular season games combined (29).
|
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