San Francisco Chronicle

QB duel: Rodgers in Dallas for Prescott’s playoff debut

- Schuyler Dixon is an Associated Press writer.

By Schuyler Dixon

ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Rodgers has been unbeatable on a seven-game run that carried Green Bay to the divisional round.

So was Dallas rookie Dak Prescott for 11 straight in the regular season, a surge that ultimately benched 10-year starter Tony Romo and led to the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the quarterbac­k’s playoff debut Sunday against the Packers (11-6).

Rodgers plays at the home of the Cowboys (13-3) for the first time since winning his only Super Bowl following the 2010 season. And perhaps he’ll flash back to his first playoff game a year before that while watching his counterpar­t try to lead Dallas to its first NFC Championsh­ip Game in more than 20 years.

“There’s a lot of nerves in your first playoff game, you know there was for me,” Rodgers said of a 51-45 wild-card loss to Arizona seven years ago. “I think I threw a pick on my first play. So, yeah, you’ve got to find a way to settle in.”

The two-time MVP has a good memory. He was right about that shootout loss, when he settled in and threw four touchdown passes after his only intercepti­on.

And Prescott, who had the lowest intercepti­on rate for a rookie in NFL history in the regular season, knows it’s about having a short memory now. “We’re not putting too much pressure on ourselves, on this team or this situation,” Prescott said. “We’re continuing to be the same guys we’ve been all year. When it’s time to lock in, trust me we’ll be ready.”

Prescott and NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott will try to become the first rookie QB-RB tandem to win a playoff game in the Super Bowl era. Two had a chance after the 2012 season — Andrew Luck and Vick Ballard with Indianapol­is and Robert Griffin III and current Dallas running back Alfred Morris with Washington.

“I don’t view these guys as rookies,” said 14th-year tight end Jason Witten, set for his sixth trip to the postseason. “They’ve had a lot of at-bats at the plate. They’ve shown it over the course of 16 games who they are and how they play. I think they understand they just have to be themselves.”

Prescott led a 97-yard scoring drive in just 33 seconds at the end of the first half at Lambeau Field in Dallas’ 30-16 victory in Week 6. Rodgers threw an intercepti­on and the Packers lost three fumbles. Elliott was the first 100-yard rusher of the season against the Packers.

“That was really early in the season, so yeah, they’re going to be a better team. as we are,” Elliott said.

Rodgers’ run of three straight games with four touchdown passes — and 19 without an intercepti­on during the winning streak — prompted plenty of questions of how the Cowboys would deal with it, and what might be different in how they approach defending him.

Not much, Jason Garrett seemed to suggest.

“He’s been hot for about nine years,” the Dallas head coach said.

This will be the eighth postseason meeting between these storied franchises, two years after Green Bay’s 26-21 divisional victory at Lambeau.

 ?? Mike Roemer / Associated Press ?? Aaron Rodgers said he had butterflie­s before his first playoff game. On Sunday, will Zak Prescott?
Mike Roemer / Associated Press Aaron Rodgers said he had butterflie­s before his first playoff game. On Sunday, will Zak Prescott?

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