Packers knock Cowboys out of the playoffs

Ailing quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdowns and a late call reversal secured a fourth-down stop as the Green Bay Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-21 in the NFC Divisional playoffs Sunday at Lambeau field.

Rodgers, playing with a torn calf, passed for 316 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie Davante Adams had seven catches for 116 yards and one touchdown. Randall Cobb had six for 116.

With 4 minutes, 42 seconds left in the game and facing a fourth and 2 at the Green Bay 32, Dallas went for it. Tony Romo threw a deep pass to Dez Bryant, who outjumped Sam Shields for the ball at the 5 yard line. He took three steps on the way to the ground then juggled the ball after hitting the ground while stretching for the end zone. It was ruled a catch at the 1.

Green Bay challenged and the play was reversed as incomplete because Bryant didn’t maintain possession of the ball through the catch.

“I felt like we had to go for it. We had man to man on the outside. Tony made a great throw and Dez made a great catch,” Garrett said. “Dez maintained possession in my opinion.

“That was a big play in the ballgame, but there were plenty of other big plays in the ballgame.”

Dallas never got the ball again and Green Bay ran out the clock.

“I don’t want to make this about the officiating,” Garrett said. “We didn‘t do what we needed to do to win this ballgame. We have to live with that.

“This group of players and coaches is really special. I’m proud to be a part of this group.”

Romo said he has some other options on the play, but decided to go to Dez.

“I threw the ball where I thought he could make a play on the ball. When they go to a replay, you hope for the best. It didn’t turn out that way,” Romo said. “The season is over. That’s the biggest disappointment. The calls, they don’t go your way sometimes. We had a chance to win the game.”

The Packers head to the NFC Championship game next week in Seattle, who beat Carolina 31-17 Saturday night.

Romo passed for 191 yards and two touchdowns. Murray threw touchdowns of 1 yard to Tyler Clutts and 38 yards to Terrance Wiliams. Murray finished with 123 yards rushing and one touchdown.

“It’s hard to get here,” Romo said. “You just don’t know how many times you can (get here).”

Rodgers passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns to finish with a passer rating of 125.4. Rookie Davante Adams had seven catches for 117 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown. Randall Cobb had eight catches for 116 yards.

Dallas punted away its opening possession, keyed by Julius Peppers’ third-down, strip-sack on Romo. Romo fumbled on the play, but recovered for a 5-yard loss. The Cowboys punted on the next down.

The Packers followed with a 60-yard scoring drive.

Leaning mainly on the running of Eddie Lacy, the Packers used 10 plays to score a touchdown.

Rodgers threw a 4-yard touchdown to tight end Andrew Quarless for a 7-0 lead. Lacy carried seven times for 45 yards on the drive.

Dallas marched 62 yards in 12 plays to tie the game.

The Cowboys converted three third downs and got a pass interference call against Tramon Williams, who was trying to cover Terrance Williams, to reach the 1.

On first and goal, Romo threw a 1-yard touchdown to fullback Tyler Clutts for a 7-7 tie at the 1:05 mark.

Early in the second quarter, the Packers drove to the Cowboys’ 27.

On a third and 7 play, Jeremy Mincey recovered a fumble by Rodgers at the Dallas 36.

Four plays later, Romo threw a 38-yard touchdown to Terrance Williams.

Terrance Williams caught the ball at the 33, slipped a tackle attempt by Tramon Williams, and outran the secondary to the end zone for a 14-7 Cowboys lead with 8:19 left in the second quarter.

After another defensive stop, Dallas marched to the Packers’ 27. After a 5-yard false start penalty, Dan Bailey’s 50-yard field goal was blocked by Dantone Jones.

Two plays before Bailey’s field goal try, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten appeared to have made a first down at the Green Bay 25. The Cowboys called a timeout. However, during the timeout the replay official challenged the first down ruling, and the play was reversed and marked at the 26.

On third down, Romo bobbled the snap and threw incomplete.

After a false start penalty, Bailey had his field goal blocked by Jones.

Taking over at their own 40 with 29 seconds to go, the Packers moved to the Cowboys’ 22. The big play was a 31-yard catch by Randall Cobb.

On second down, Crosby made a 40-yard field goal to trim Dallas’ lead to 14-10 at halftime.

Dallas’ defense forced a punt, but turned the ball over three plays later when Murray fumbled and Datone Jones recovered at the Cowboys’ 44.

Green Bay reached the Cowboys’ 7, but an unsportmanslike penalty on T.J. Lang, which led to a brief skirmish, pushed the Packers back to the 22.

Two plays later, Crosby made a 30-yard field goal to pull the Packers within 14-13.

Dallas answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive. The Cowboys got yards in big chunks. Dez Bryant had a 20-yard catch, Joseph Randle had a 13-yard run, Jason Witten had a 15-yard catch and Murray had a 26-yard run.

The touchdown came on a 1-yard run by Murray for a 21-13 Cowboys lead at the 4:12 mark.

Then it was Green Bay’s turn.

Starting at the 10, the Packers completed the 90-yard drive with a 46-yard, third-down touchdown pass from Rodgers to Davante Adams to make it 21-20 at the end of the third quarter.

Early in the fourth, Green Bay scored on an 80-yard touchdown when Rodgers threw 13 yards to Richard Rodgers for a touchdown. The two-point try failed, but Green Bay got its first lead at 26-21 with 9:10 left.

Dallas reached Green Bay’s 32, on fourth and 11, Romo threw complete to Bryant, who outjumped Sam Shields for the ball at the 1.

Green Bay challenged the completion, saying that Bryant didn’t maintain possession of the ball through the catch and the play was reversed.

“I thought it was a catch at the time and after the replay,” Garrett said. “Clearly, they didn’t see it the way I saw it.”

The Packers took over with 4:06 to go.

“I didn’t even understand why it was even a challenge. I took three steps. You seen that right?’ Bryant said. ““I caught it. I came down with it and tried to reach for the goal line.”

Six plays later and facing a third-and-11 with 2 minutes to go, Rodgers threw 12 yards to Randall Cobb for a first down. The wobbly pass was tipped by Tyrone Crawford, but had enough force to reach the diving Cobb for a first down.

The Packers ran out the clock for the win.