Rodgers directs Packers’ run-and-gun gem
Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes to Davante Adams and the Green Bay Packers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-13 on Monday night to snap a four-game losing streak.
Rodgers had 313 yards passing and Adams had 113 yards receiving to help send the Eagles (5-6) to their first home loss of the season.
The Packers (5-6) kept their sinking playoff hopes alive, but they’re still two games behind the Detroit Lions (7-4) in the NFC North.
“Winning is very difficult in this league, and we haven’t had the feeling in five weeks,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. “We missed it. It felt good. It’s a product of December football. We’re getting ready to go into the toughest days of the season, and you need these wins.”
Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz had 254 yards passing, ran for a score and threw an interception.
The last-place Eagles are 2-6 since a 3-0 start.
Rodgers came out firing and led the Packers on consecutive touchdown drives to start the game. He extended the opening drive by running twice for 25 yards and tossed a 12-yard TD pass to Adams for a 7-0 lead.
After the Eagles answered on Wentz’s one-yard TD plunge, Rodgers led another 75-yard scoring drive.
He threw a 20-yard TD pass to Adams to give the Packers a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. Nolan Carroll had excellent coverage on the play, but Rodgers put the ball in a tight spot and hit Adams in stride at the back of the end zone.
Aaron Ripkowski’s one-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter extended Green Bay’s lead to 24-13.
The Eagles had allowed only three touchdowns at home while outscoring opponents 108-38 in their first four games at Lincoln Financial Field.
Green Bay gave up at least 30 points in each of its previous four games, including 89 in the past two. But the defense harassed Wentz and shut down the Eagles’ offense.
Philadelphia’s Caleb Sturgis kicked field goals of 48 and 50 yards while Green Bay’s Mason Crosby connected from 33 and 32 yards.
McCarthy on Rodgers: “His positive attitude has been consistent through all this time. He’s grown as a quarterback since the start of 2008, and grown as a person all the way through. He’s an excellent leader, always has been.”
Wentz: “We struggled to get in a rhythm and we couldn’t stay on the field.”
The Packers were 10 for 14 on third down and 1 for 1 on fourth. The Eagles had no sacks and no takeaways.
Eagles DT Fletcher Cox, an All-Pro last year, committed his third roughing-the-passer penalty to extend an opponent’s drive this season.
The first two led to TDs in losses at Detroit (24-23) and Washington (27-20). His late hit on Rodgers in the third quarter allowed Green Bay to keep the ball and Ripkowski scored several plays later.
Rodgers and Adams hooked up on an eye-popping play in the third quarter when Rodgers threw a perfect spiral for his receiver to snare with an over-theshoulder catch for a 50-yard gain.