QB Rodgers pulls it together in 2nd half to earn week off
DETROIT — Aaron Rodgers was on the money when Green Bay needed him most, overcoming one of his worst games this season.
Rodgers threw a short and accurate pass to Aaron Jones, whose 31yard reception set up Mason Crosby’s 33yard field goal as time expired to lift the Packers to a 2320 win over Detroit that earned them a No. 2 seed and a firstround bye.
“We’re going to be a tough team to deal with in the playoffs,” Rodgers said.
The Packers (133) fell behind the lastplace Lions by two touchdowns in the second quarter and didn’t lead until Crosby made his second gamewinning kick against Detroit this season.
Green Bay won a fifth straight game despite Rodgers struggling for much of the afternoon. Rodgers was 27for55 for 323 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He connected on fewer than half of his attempts for the second time this season and finished with his secondlowest rating of the year.
“Too many missed throws,” Rodgers acknowledged after throwing the most passes he has in 2019, tying the thirdhighest total of his career. “I felt good about the throws. That’s the crazy thing. We were just a little bit off at times.
“When we had to make a play, we made the play.”
Detroit did not, following a seasonlong trend.
The Lions (3121) closed with nine straight losses for their longest losing streak in a season since going 016 in 2008.
“This game was in some ways a microcosm of our season,” guard Graham Glasgow said. “We started out well and we were running the ball, but when it came to the second half and finishing the game, we didn’t pull it out.”
David Blough was 12for29 for 122 yards with an interception — and a 19yard touchdown reception — subbing for Matthew Stafford, who had a seasonending back injury. Playing only for pride, Detroit scored on a trick play midway through the first quarter. Blough handed off to receiver Danny Amendola, who threw back across the field to the rookie quarterback for a TD.
Kerryon Johnson converted a fourth down with a 1yard TD run late in the first half, giving Detroit a 140 lead that stunned everyone not on its sideline.
Rodgers started to make more accurate passes in the second half, such as 20yard TD pass to Davante Adams and a 28yard pass to Allen Lazard with 5:19 left for another score.