Packers Come Back To Defeat Cowboys And Advance To NFC Title Game
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — No need for ice and wind and record low temperatures. Even in relatively balmy conditions for Green Bay, and with a somewhat stationary All-Pro quarterback, the Packers survived against the Dallas Cowboys.
Green Bay rallied from an 8-point deficit as Aaron Rodgers threw for two second-half touchdowns to beat Dallas 26-21 Sunday. The Packers (13-4), helped immensely by a video reversal with 4:06 remaining, went undefeated at Lambeau Field this season. They head to Seattle next weekend for the NFC title game.
The Seahawks (13-4) beat Green Bay in the season opener, 36-16.
Dez Bryant's leaping, bobbling catch at the Packers 1 on fourth-and-2 was reversed by referee Gene Steratore after Green Bay challenged. 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."
Green Bay closed it out before a Lambeau-record 79,704 on Randall Cobb's diving 12-yard reception on third-and-11. That gave Cobb eight catches for 116 yards and set off a raucous celebration at the iconic venue.
"Well, I was happy it went the right way," Rodgers said of the reversal. "That's one of those plays that could go either way."
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. But 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.
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