Rodgers works his Hail Mary magic
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers, master of the Hail Mary pass, struck again in another big moment.
Rodgers overcame a sluggish start and finished with four touchdown passes, including a momentum-swinging 42-yard heave to Randall Cobb at the end of the second quarter, to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 38-13 win Sunday over the New York Giants in an NFC wild-card game.
The Packers advance to face the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round next Sunday.
Rodgers was 25 of 40 for 362 yards, continuing a remarkable run of quarterback play that helped the Packers win their final six games of the regular season to take the NFC North. Cobb finished with five receptions for 116 yards and three scores.
For much of the first half, the Giants’ defense flustered the two-time NFL MVP. They got pressure on Rodgers and the secondary blanketed the Packers’ receiving corps, and a few boos even rained down from the stands after New York built a 6-0 lead on two field goals by Robbie Gould.
As it turned out, Rodgers was just getting started.
“We hit a Hail Mary. That got us going,” Rodgers said.
Green Bay scored two touchdowns in the final 2:20 of the second quarter, punctuated by another remarkable desperation pass by Rodgers.
With the ball on the Giants’ 42, Rodgers took the snap with six seconds left. He rolled to his right before heaving a throw from about the Packers’ 47. Cobb somehow got behind three defensive backs near the back of the end zone to haul in the pass, getting both feet down before falling out of the end zone.
“They boxed us out better than we played it,” New York head coach Ben McAdoo said. “It was a heck of a throw, heck of a catch.”
The Giants looked stunned, just like how the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals looked last season after Rodgers pulled off similar feats.
“Davante (Adams) made a bunch of plays,” Rodgers said. “And Randall Cobb, who this offense has been missing for a long time. We’re better with 18 on the field and he showed it tonight.”
Rodgers and Cobb weren’t done.
They connected again on a 30-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter for a 21-13 lead. That score answered a New York scoring drive that briefly cut the deficit to one.
“Second half we got back to some rhythm throws, and I was getting better on my timing, getting the ball out of my hand quickly,” Rodgers said. “No negative-yard plays, the offensive line blocked really well, regardless of the stats.”
A Green Bay defense ranked 21st in points allowed (24.3) coming into the game limited the production of Odell Beckham Jr. and the Giants’ receiving corps in spite of a bangedup secondary.
Beckham finished with four catches for 28 yards. Eli Manning was 23-for-44 for 299 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown pass to Tavarres King in the third quarter.
Rodgers began dissecting the secondary after head coach Mike McCarthy had his quarterback roll more outside the pocket, and the Packers started working the middle of the field.
Cobb had a big night after missing the last two games of the regular season with an ankle injury. Adams had eight receptions for 125 yards and a score.
Top receiver Jordy Nelson was knocked out of the game with 11 minutes left in the second quarter with a rib injury.
Briefly: New York cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie limped off after the first defensive series with a thigh injury. He returned in the second half, but appeared to play mostly on special teams ... Nelson looked stunned as he rode back to the locker room on the front seat of a cart after getting hurt, hunched forward with his hands on his face ... Green Bay will play at Dallas on Sunday in a rematch of a Week 6 game at Lambeau Field.