Aaron Rodgers' Courageous Final Drive Leads Packers Past Cowboys
Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (right) hauls in a back-shoulder pass to complete the game-winning drive against Jourdan Lewis (left)
Milwaukee, WI --- With 1:13 remaining on the clock, the Packers were down by three to a team thirsty for revenge. The Cowboys had not forgotten their playoff loss from last season, and after draining 8:43 off the clock on a 17-play drive in the 4th quarter, it looked almost inevitable they were going to march to 4-2 on the year. The only problem was they scored too quickly, and a man named Aaron Rodgers was on the opposing team as the Green Bay Packers won in historic fashion 35-31 at AT&T Stadium.
The hearts of every Cowboys fan in Jerry World were ripped out and stomped on as it took Rodgers and the best red-zone offense in football only nine plays to score the game winning touchdown.
On the eighth play of the drive, Rodgers threw an ill-fitted back shoulder pass to receiver Davante Adams, who was cleared to play after suffering a concussion last Thursday against the Bears. The pass was incomplete, but instead of running a different play, Rodgers went right back to him on the exact same route. This time it stuck and the Packers, who were down 21-6 in the second quarter, improved to 4-1.
"With his eyes he said, 'throw a better ball,' said Rodgers, who completed 19 of 29 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns. The Packers with Rodgers under center is now 6-2 against Dallas, the most wins against any team not in the NFC North. Someone should honestly check to see who truly own AT&T Stadium.
When asked on playing so soon after being diagnosed with a concussion Adams humorously responded, "You're not going to DayQuil if the cough is gone. I felt great." He caught a team best seven ball for 66 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the game winning one being man to man against rookie corner Jourdan Lewis.
"The key to any good two-minute drive is the first play," said Rodgers when talking about the art of the two-minute drill. "You got to get some positive yards. We had a good concept front side and kinda an alert backside, which actually set up the entire final sequence; hit Davante on a back-shoulder to start the whole drive. That ultimately sets up the game winning pass because he's playing high shoulder on the first play, and we go back shoulder, he's playing lower shoulder on the last play we go over the top with a high throw."
The key to longevity of the final drive was a clutch 3rd and eight play at Dallas' 31 yard-line Rodgers converted. With no timeouts, the Packers could not afford to spike the ball if they failed to convert. The Cowboys emerged in a 3-2-6 dime defense in Cover-2. David Irving, the Cowboys' defensive end who made his season debut last night after being suspended the first four games due to PED's, provided pressure on a speed rush on the outside. Defensive tackle Benson Mayowa pressured the front side on a bullrush on center Corey Linsley. Rodgers was able to step up in the pocket and flush to his left, managing to narrowly leaving both rushers in the dust as he scampered 18-yards for the first down.
The Green and Gold came into the game with not only the best red-zone offense in the league, but with the best red-zone offense they have had through week four this century. They went 4/5 (80%) on the night, and Rodgers has now thrown 11 touchdowns to no interceptions in the red-zone this season.
But what made the game gut-wrenchingly dramatic was the two missed extra points by kicker Mason Crosby and a failed two-point conversion in the 4th quarter. This allowed the Cowboys to take a 31-28 lead on a Dak Prescott quarterback keeper with 1:13 left in the game.
Prescott, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, surgically dissected the secondary, particularly in the first half, completing 25/36 passes for 251 yards with three touchdown passes. But the one play most will remember was the pick-six he threw that bounced off the hands of receiver Terrance Williams and into the welcoming arms of cornerback Demarius Randall, who took it 21-yards for a touchdown. The third-year player was benched last week against the Bears due to poor performance and was sent to the locker room by McCarthy. The play was the source of confidence this young player needed, but his immaturely celebration resulted in a 15-yard penalty. The young pro still has some growing up to do.
Ezekial Elliot was maintained for the duration of the first half, carrying the ball 14 times for only 30-yards. But you can only keep the man down for so long as he exceeded the 100-yard barrier on his 27th carry, and finished with 116. He has rushed for over 100-yards in all three games against the Packers.
Dom Capers main goal was to preserve Elliot by playing his base 3-4 defense for the majority of the game, hardly ever using his "Nitro" package. The only problem was the secondary was scorched thanks to Prescott's ability to extend plays with his legs. He completed 15/19 passes for 168 yards and all three of his touchdowns in the first half as the pass rush couldn't bring home a sack until Nick Perry finally did with 0:18 left in the first half.
The Cowboys dominated the first half, marching out to a 21-6 lead thanks to controlling the clock. They started the game 5/7 on third down and 2/2 on fourth down in the first half, but finished just 2/5 on third down in the second. The Packers finished a paltry 3/7 on third down.
Their consistency of moving the chains led to Dallas not only winning the time of possession, but by a wide margin, 35:06 to 24:54.
Rodgers' 18 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter dating back to last season is the most in the league. All-Pro receiver Jordy Nelson added another touchdown to his resume, despite not being targeted in the first half and was not present on the game winning drive. He ran a perfect slant, uncontested at the line of scrimmage, for his sixth of the year. He now has 16 red-zone touchdown over the last 20 games; no one else has more than 11. And that's 33 touchdowns over his last 37 games. The man simply camps out in the endzone.
When Coach McCarthy was asked why Nelson did not participate on the final drive, he simply responded, "Jordy was being evaluated. Don't have much else."
Even tight end Martellus Bennett got things going, catching three passes for a season best 53 yards, including a 33-yard catch on a wheel route on safety Byron Jones.
But the real emerging star of the game was rookie running back Aaron Jones out of UTEP. After coming into the game with the 28th ranked rush offense averaging 75-yards per game, Jones, UTEP's all-time leading rusher, capped the night with 125 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. His quickness, patience and ability to cut corners makes him a perfect weapon in the Packers' pass-first offense, and provides more than a healthy balance. It was also the first 100-yard rushing game for the Packers this season.
When asked about the first career start for the young back, his quarterback offered nothing but high praise. "I told him before the game I have absolutely zero worries about him back there. He's a great kid, but his vision is fantastic. Gives you a lot of confidence."
What stood out particularly to Aaron was the rookie's intelligence on the game-winning drive. "We gave him the ball on the last drive, not only does he get through the line, and make a nice run, but the kid runs out of bounds. That's stuff you can't coach."
With the Detroit Lions losing to the Carolina Panthers, the Packers are solely in first place in the NFC North.
