Packers beat ’Boys in thriller
Pack kick Cowboys out of playoffs in instant classic
Mason Crosby (bottom right) is mobbed after hitting a 51-yard field goal at the gun — his second 50-plus yarder of the final 93 seconds, sandwiched around a 52-yarder by Dallas’ Dan Bailey — to lift Green Bay to an epic 34-31 win over the Cowboys on Sunday.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Good luck trying to keep Aaron Rodgers out of the Super Bowl.
The Giants couldn’t do it. They didn’t come close. The Cowboys couldn’t do it, but man alive, they pushed the Packers to the brink with a comeback that probably should have sent a pulsating game into overtime — if not for a throw for the ages by a player who is surging to new and astonishing heights.
Rodgers on third-and-20 did what might have been impossible for any other quarterback alive, as his dart to tight end Jared Cook gained 36 of the most improbable yards anyone has ever seen. The feat of brilliance from Rodgers set up Mason Crosby’s 51-yard field goal as time expired to give the Packers a wild 34-31 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday in an NFC divisional playoff classic at AT&T Stadium.
“That’s just a huge play, one that probably 31 other quarterbacks can’t make in this league,’’ Packers linebacker Clay Matthews said.
Next up to try to tame Rodgers and the torrid Packers — winners of eight consecutive games — are the Falcons in the NFC Championship game in what will be the finale inside the soon-to-be-replaced Georgia Dome. The way Rodgers and Matt Ryan are operating, there might be close to 800 passing yards in an Atlanta shootout.
What for long stretches appeared to be a Green Bay rout instead became a frantic fight to the finish. In the closing minutes, the Packers’ 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter and their 28-13 cushion after three quarters were nothing but memories. In the final 93 seconds, there were three longdistance field goals: A 56-yard linedrive howitzer by Crosby to put the Packers ahead 31-28, a 52-yarder by Dan Bailey with 35 seconds left to tie the score at 31 and then the grand finale by Crosby, attempted with three seconds remaining and sailing through the uprights as time finally ran out on the gallant Cowboys — the No. 1 seed that showed they are a team of the future with rookie stars Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott frolicking on their largest NFL stage to date.
“I mean, it’s just kind of a blur right now,’’ Crosby said in a fairly subdued Packers’ locker room. “It’s unreal. When we have 35 seconds on the clock and the offense can move the ball into field-goal range for a manageable kick, that’s just special.’’
Prescott, proving he is far more than a hand-the-ball off quarterback, completed three passes to finally get the Cowboys even with Bailey’s kick. On the sideline, Rodgers looked up and thought “There’s too much time on the clock.’’ What confidence.
The Packers had two timeouts at their disposal and only needed one of them.
Starting out at his own 25-yard line, Rodgers hit Ty Montgomery on a screen for 17 yards, but this last-gasp drive appeared dead when safety Jerry Heath stormed in for a blindside sack of Rodgers for a 10-yard loss — Rodgers did well to hold onto the ball. After a misfire, the Packers faced third-and-20 on their 32-yard line with 12 seconds remaining.
Rodgers knew he had to avoid the heat the Cowboys would bring and spun to his left. His arm strength is such that he can make any throw even when moving in the opposite direction and this one was one of his all-time best.
Cook barely beat safety Byron Jones to the left sideline and dove to haul in a pass that was inches from sailing out of bounds. Cook kept both feet in bounds and the 36-yard reception to the Dallas 32-yard line put Crosby in range.
Asked if it was the best throw he’s ever seen Rodgers make, Pack- ers coach Mike McCarthy said “It’s the best one today, that’s for sure.’’
Rodgers almost sounded insulted when the “best-ever throw’’ notion was mentioned to him.
“No, I’ve made better throws,’’ Rodgers said. “And I think I’ve made more athletic plays.’’
Thus ended a rebirth season for the Cowboys (13-4) as the NFC’s top seed went down in its first postseason game. Shaky early and strangely ignoring Elliott (22 rushes, 125 yards), the Cowboys were helpless as the Packers reeled off scoring drives of 75, 90 and 80 yards in the first half and came out of the chute in the second half with a rat-a-tat-tat 75-yard touchdown drive.
Prescott, though, would not succumb. He hit Dez Bryant on a 7-yard touchdown to pull the Cowboys within 28-26 with 4:08 left. On the two-point conversion, Prescott coolly plowed into the end zone on a quarter back draw.
“He was fantastic,’’ Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said.
The Packers (12-6) return to the NFC Championship game for the second time in three years, seeking to advance to a Super Bowl for the first time since the 2010 season.
“We didn’t look at ourselves as the underdog,’’ Matthews said. “They were the No. 1 seed for a reason, littered with All-Pros. We got on them early, put some points up. We weathered the storm. Fortunately, Aaron was Aaron.’’