Packers vs Steelers: December 22

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Flynn leads Packers to 37-36 victory over Cowboys in improbable tale of two halves
By CHRIS HAVEL
Texans like to brag about how everything’s bigger down there. Today, I couldn’t agree more, because the Green Bay Packers’ 37-36 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday could not have been bigger. The Packers (7-6-1) are within a half-game of the first-place Lions for the NFC North title, with Detroit (7-6) hosting Baltimore (7-6) tonight on Monday Night Football.
Matt Flynn threw four second-half touchdown passes and Eddie Lacy slammed into the end zone from 1 yard out with 1:31 to play to cap an improbable second-half rally. Green Bay trailed 26-3 at halftime before Flynn and a salty defense helped the Packers tie for the biggest comeback in franchise history.
I will say this for Flynn: When he has a big game he doesn’t mess around. Much like the backup quarterback’s six-touchdown pass game of his life against Detroit, Flynn’s monster second half Sunday breathed life into the Packers’ season.
If Green Bay wins out, and Detroit loses one of its final three games (the Lions play the Ravens tonight, the Giants at home next week and the Vikings on the road to finish), the Packers will capture the NFC North and host an NFC wild-card playoff game.
The Packers’ victory Sunday was almost surreal. After a dismal first half in which almost everything went wrong, head coach Mike McCarthy’s team got it together after intermission. Dallas never knew what hit it.
Tony Romo threw two interceptions in the final three minutes, the first a phenomenal steal by Sam Shields to set up the game winning TD drive and the second Tramon Williams’ game-clincher, to seal the Cowboys’ fate. When Dallas owner Jerry Jones mandated that the Cowboys and Romo play better in December this isn’t what he had in mind.
“This is one of the hardest losses that I’ve experienced,” Jones said. “That’s a shame that we’ve lost that ballgame.”
A crying shame, in fact, except it was the Packers’ tears of joy.
“It took me everything not to cry,” McCarthy told reporters after the game. “I’m just drained … just the sheer emotion. It was incredible.”
For Flynn, who finished 26 of 39 for 299 yards, four touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 113.1, it seemed like a dream.
“What a feeling!” Flynn said. “As we were taking a knee, we were thinking, ‘Is this real? Is this happening?’ ”
Tramon Williams was pleased but not surprised. He kept the faith because he believes in his teammates.
“Most guys would pack it in – ‘Guys, it’s not our season. Let’s go home and get ready for next year,’ ” Williams said. “It’s not that vibe here.”
Williams’ clutch interception iced the game for the Packers. He had an earlier pick wiped out by replay.
It was a measure of redemption for a Packers’ defense that has been much-maligned during Green Bay’s five-game winless streak without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But after blanking Atlanta in the second half of last week’s 22-21 victory, the defense held Romo and the Cowboys to just 10 second-half points.
Packers’ placekicker Mason Crosby drilled a 57-yard field goal, which ties for the longest in team history, and it provided the winning margin.
Lacy, the brutish rookie running back, rushed for 141 yards on 21 carries, including a 60-yard burst that set up one of Green Bay’s five second-half scores. Jarrett Boykin (six catches for 83 yards) and Andrew Quarless (six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown) combined for 12 receptions in as many targets. Jordy Nelson had five catches for 61 yards and a touchdown, and James Jones added three for 49 and a score.
The Packers now await word on Rodgers’ health and potential medical clearance to play this week against the Steelers. After the game, Flynn sounded as if he anticipates Rodgers’ return this week.
The Packers’ epic rally sent the Cowboys (7-7) into scramble mode, although the Vikings did them a favor by upsetting Philadelphia.
Meantime, the Packers will host Pittsburgh Sunday in a game that surely will feature a playoff-type atmosphere. That will be especially true if the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens play like it tonight at Detroit.

Packers vs Steelers: December 22

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Flynn rallies Green Bay to second-half comeback while defense blanks Atlanta
By CHRIS HAVEL
Jordy Nelson reminded everyone why he is one of the NFL’s top receivers, Mason Crosby continued to earn every penny of his incentive-laden contract and Green Bay’s defense finally stepped up. Nelson’s circus catches, Crosby’s clutch field goals and the defense’s second-half shutout filled the void created by Aaron Rodgers’ absence to lead the Packers to a 22-21 save-the-season victory Sunday at Lambeau Field, where halftime boos gave way to postgame cheers.
Life is good when Green Bay wins, and it’s been a while – six weeks, to be exact – since the Packers walked off the field victorious.
Now, amazingly, the Packers (6-6-1) are within a half-game of the Detroit Lions (7-6) and first place in the NFC North Division. The Lions lost at Philadelphia in a snowstorm, while the Chicago Bears (6-6) host the Dallas Cowboys (7-5) at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football.
If Rodgers returns this week, and the Packers manage to win out, the Packers just might supplant the self-destructive Lions and capture a highly improbable but incredibly welcome playoff berth.
This victory said a lot about the Packers. Down by 11 at half, a lesser team might’ve come out flat in the second half and effectively put an end to a miserable and disappointing season. Instead, the defense came out like it had a sore tooth, and Flynn did enough to let Nelson (four for 85 yards) and Eddie Lacy (65 yards rushing, one touchdown) make a handful of key plays. The Packers kept the season, and hope, alive for at least another week.
Sunday’s victory reminded everyone that football is a team game, and that defense wins gives teams a chance to win championships. The Packers’ second-half shutout was welcomed after fourth-quarter collapses at San Francisco and at Cincinnati earlier this season. This time, defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ crew stood up and made a game-turning play with Mike Neal’s sack and forced fumble in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, the Packers’ special teams units were up to the task in less-than-ideal 9 degree temperatures on a slick surface. Kudos for the Packers’ big win begins with head coach Mike McCarthy.
Following a 10-day post-Thanksgiving Day layoff, McCarthy had the Packers ready in a must-win scenario. Quarterback Matt Flynn opened a solid day by leading Green Bay on a lengthy touchdown drive. Atlanta (3-10) answered and eventually took a 21-10 lead into the locker room at halftime. It came on a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Sean Weatherspoon with 23 seconds to play in the second quarter. Flynn’s errant pass caromed off linebacker Paul Worrilow’s shoe and chest and into Weatherspoon’s hands. The Lambeau Field fans booed the Packers into the locker room.
“We played our best football in the second half, and as a coach that’s what you look for in your football team,” McCarthy said.
The Packers rallied around each other, especially the defense, and got strong performances from several players. Tight end Andrew Quarless caught the go-ahead touchdown pass. He finished with six catches for 66 yards and a long of 21 yards.
Jarrett Bush also stepped up with several big defensive plays, including tight coverage on Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez to end the game.
“Good to win, it’s been a while. Forgot what it felt like,” McCarthy said.
The Packers’ defense forced a turnover when Mike Neal’s sack jarred the football loose from Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, and Johnny Jolly recovered for Green Bay. Flynn capped the short drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Quarless, and Green Bay led 22-21 with 12 minutes.
“But I’ll say this – I really like the football team, particularly at halftime, coming in, getting booed at home, and just the energy in the locker room. They never even blinked, they stayed the course.”
The Packers will await word on Rodgers, perhaps as early as Tuesday, regarding his availability for Sunday’s game at Dallas. With Rodgers’ return, and the Cowboys coming off a Monday Night Game at Chicago, Green Bay has every reason to think it can still win the division title.
Imagine that. The Packers capturing the 2013 NFC North title sounded like a fantasy going into halftime Sunday. By game’s end, with a scoreboard that touted Green Bay’s win and Detroit’s loss, anything was still possible.

Detroit defense puts the stop on Flynn & Company, but positives are on the horizon
By CHRIS HAVEL
Hello, Rock … meet Bottom. That is the reality for the Green Bay Packers after a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions Thursday in Detroit. The Packers have nowhere to go but up, and that’s where they hope to head once Aaron Rodgers returns, hopefully for the next game.
What might be the worst loss of Packers head coach Mike McCarthy’s career might be the wake-up call the team needs to define its season, while there is still time. The Packers’ playoff margin for error is getting slimmer as it preps for a four-game December run. When asked if his Packers need to win out in order to at least have a chance at post-season play, McCarthy said, “I would think so, yes.”
The Packers (5-6-1) are perilously close to missing the post-season for the first time since 2008. Is Aaron Rodgers important? Well, with him at the helm, they were 5-2 this season. With him on the sidelines as a spectator with a broken collarbone, they went 0-4-1. For four games, backup quarterbacks Seneca Wallace, Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn couldn’t do enough on offense to cover for the Packers’ beat up, injury-plagued defensive unit. On Thursday, that continued.
With the Lions’ Matthew Stafford, Reggie Bush and Calvin Johnson taking turns making big plays, the Packers’ offensive weapons were ineffective. The Lions (7-5) rode an amped up defense and stellar special teams play – including big plays by ex-Packer Jeremy Ross – to thwart the Packers.
“We’re a wounded team that got drilled by a good football team,” McCarthy said.
Now what matters is where the Packers go from here. For obvious reasons the answer is up. Where else can Green Bay go? The Packers host Atlanta Dec. 8 in their next game, after a ten day lay-off, and Rodgers hopefully will be ready to play by then. Rodgers’ return certainly would be the best news for a team desperately in need of some.
Even if the Packers don’t run the table and eke into the post-season there are several positives to take hold of.

• This is a temporary setback. Rodgers is going to return and continue as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. Critical players like Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga and all the others also will be back next season to give the offense a boost.
• It is safe to say the Packers hit a home run when they drafted Eddie Lacy last April. The running back is one of the rising rookie stars in the NFC and already ranks among the conference’s best. And with a healthy OL in place, plus a year of experience, he could be nothing short of amazing.
• McCarthy has shown the ability to critically analyze his coaching staff and make what he believes are the best decisions. If he feels defensive coordinator Dom Capers, special teams’ coach Shawn Slocum or anyone else should be replaced, he won’t hesitate.
• This five-game stretch might spare the Packers years of frustration. I have always believed that ex-Packers coach Mike Sherman and a fair amount of his players looked too much for Brett Favre to win games. Favre played well in his post-Super Bowl career here to keep Green Bay in the playoffs – or in contention – in each of his seasons. However, the Packers never won another Super Bowl after 1996, and part of it I believe is because it got too convenient to rely on Favre.

After this five-game stretch, any temptation to make the same mistake with Rodgers is erased. The best thing for the Packers would have been to win a game or two without Rodgers. Conversely, the best thing for Rodgers would have been to see his teammates win a game or two without him.
That didn’t happen. What did happen is a restating of the obvious: Football is a team game. Great quarterbacks give their team a chance for greatness, but getting there ultimately requires all 53 players and the coaches pulling together.
Everyone has to be at their best and on top of their game.
It is a difficult lesson, but one that should pay off greatly moving forward. Meantime, the Packers need to regroup with Rodgers, win the rest of their games and hope the Lions self-destruct, which as we all know is easily possible, perhaps even probable.