AP Game Summary: Packers Escape Philadelphia With 21-16 Victory
PHILADELPHIA -- You are able to put Aaron Rodgers for the reason that elite quarterback class. He's got his first playoff victory.
Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, seldom-used rookie James Starks ran for 123 yards along with the Green Bay Packers beat Michael Vick along with the Philadelphia Eagles 21-16 in an NFC wild-card game Sunday.
Rodgers needed to watch from the sideline while Vick nearly led the Eagles back. But Tramon Williams intercepted Vick's pass for Riley Cooper ultimately zone with 33 seconds left to seal the win.
The sixth-seeded Packers (11-6) are heading to Atlanta (13-3) for any divisional playoff game next Saturday night.
Rodgers patiently waited 36 months being Green Bay's starter and took over after Brett Favre's messy departure prior to the 2008 season. He sometime ago made Packers fans just forget about Favre, now has punctuated his impressive resume with his first playoff win by 50 percent tries.
It wasn't Rodgers' fault Green Bay lost 51-45 in overtime to Arizona last January. These bankruptcies are not the same Packers. This patchwork squad has 10 different starters, and also a stronger defense.
"I never felt like there is a monkey on my back," Rodgers said. "I'm so satisfied with them. We fought hard today. Big interception by Tramon who's were built with a great season for all of us."
Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson and Co. contained Vick typically. Vick threw for 292 yards and ran for 33 as part of his first playoff start since losing the 2005 NFC championship game on the same field like a person in the Atlanta Falcons.
Vick has come a long way since then. He missed two seasons while serving 1 . 5 years in prison for his role in the dogfighting operation, played sparingly in the backup role a year ago simply got his chance after Matthews knocked Kevin Kolb in Green Bay's 27-20 win in Philadelphia in Week 1.
Vick made probably the most from the opportunity. He previously the best season of his career and was selected to begin the Pro Bowl for that NFC.
Vick can visit Hawaii now as the Eagles (10-7) are getting home.
This is Green Bay's third straight win in an elimination game. The Packers routed the Giants on Dec. 26 to remain alive within the playoff race, and beat Chicago yesterday to secure a playoff berth.
The Eagles were the talk with the NFL after having a sensational comeback win at the Gambling on Dec. 19. But a wonderful loss to lowly Minnesota on Dec. 28 cost the NFC East champions a possibility at a first-round bye, plus it seemed their Super Bowl hopes took place your defeat.
On the other hand, the Eagles could have advanced if Pro Bowl kicker David Akers hadn't missed field goals of 41 and 34 yards.
The supposedly one-dimensional Packers found a running game by giving the ball to Starks. The sixth-round pick who played in just three games had 101 yards rushing all climates and seasons. The Packers had trouble running all seasons after Ryan Grant took place for that season in Week 1. Nevertheless they exposed weaknesses in Philadelphia's defense.
The Eagles got within 21-16 when Vick sneaked in from the 1 with 4:02 left. The 2-point conversion failed, nevertheless the defense held and Philadelphia got the ball back on the Packers 34 with 1:45 left.
Vick completed passes of 28 yards to DeSean Jackson and 11 yards to Cooper before he threw the choose from the 27.
Vick had 175 yards passing and 103 rushing inside season opener against Green Bay, nearly rallying the Eagles back coming from a 17-point deficit. He explained afterward which he wished he played the whole game because he thought the outcome would've been different.
He'd his chance, and fell short.
Down 14-3, the Eagles returned within it when their struggling defense forced a turnover about the first possession of the 2nd half. Darryl Tapp knocked the ball away from Rodgers' hands and Juqua Parker recovered on the Packers 24.
Vick then made a perfect 24-yard TD pass within the middle to Jason Avant, who was simply encompassed by four defenders, to chop it to 14-10.
But Green Bay responded having a methodical, in-your-face drive. Rodgers threw a 16-yard TD pass to Brandon Jackson to accomplish the 80-yard drive and extend charge to 21-10. Jackson waited nicely for his blockers on a perfectly executed screen pass.
The Eagles failed to convert on third-and-1 from the Packers 16 early in your fourth and Akers was wide from the comfort of 34 yards out.
The Packers went ahead 7-0 late in first quarter on Rodgers' 7-yard TD pass to Tom Crabtree. Rodgers kept the drive going through scrambling from trouble and tossing a 9-yard pass to John Kuhn on third-and-7. He found a wide-open Crabtree around the next play. It absolutely was the 1st career TD for Crabtree, who had just four catches the entire season.
Rodgers used his legs again on Green Bay's next drive. His 9-yard TD pass to James Jones made it 14-0.
Rodgers niftily sidestepped Parker to stop a sack on the third-and-2 and tossed a 4-yard pass to Quinn Johnson. He eluded the blitz and ran for 8 yards on third-and-5. He then escaped pressure and linked to Jones away from home to the score.
The Eagles finally got occurring the ensuing possession. Vick ran 14 yards on third-and-10 to provide Philadelphia economic crisis down with the Packers 16. However the drive stalled and Akers kicked a 29-yard field goal with 1:11 left in the half.
The Packers should've led 21-3 at halftime except Jones dropped an absolutely thrown deep pass in the final minute that would've been a 63-yard TD. Jones beat Asante Samuel over a fly pattern, nevertheless the ball bounced out of his hands.
Jones had difficulties with drops through the season. A disappointed Rodgers fell to his knees and put his on the job his helmet when he saw the ball hit the ground.
The Eagles had trouble obtaining the blitz in recent weeks along with the Packers took advantage immediately. Desmond Bishop blew at night line untouched from Vick's blind side and sacked him for a 9-yard loss for the first play from scrimmage. Philadelphia needed to punt then got the very first break.
Brandon Underwood accidentally kicked the ball and the Eagles recovered in the Packers 41. However they didn't capitalize about the opportunity as Akers missed from 41.
The Packers were preseason favorites to succeed in the Super Bowl, but a slew of injuries took a toll. Fifteen players took injured reserve, with Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley one of the six starters.
The Eagles lost two key starters -- center Jamaal Jackson and fullback Leonard Weaver -- for that year in Week 1. Starting safety Nate Allen also was among 10 Philadelphia players on IR.
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