Well it was truly a "Big Game" as it had playoff implications. Playing in a do-or-die game Sunday, the Packers put together perhaps their best performance of the season, dominating the New York Giants 45-17 in front of 70,649 at Lambeau Field. With the win, the Packers improved to 9-6 and stayed in the NFC Wild Card playoff hunt. Green Bay now hosts NFC North champ Chicago next Sunday at 3:15 p.m. CT needing a win to lock up a playoff berth. The Packers could still get in the playoffs even with a loss to the Bears, but they would need the Giants (9-6) to lose to Washington and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6) to lose to the New Orleans Saints. Rest assured, the Packers don’t want to have to ask for help. They control their own destiny, and they’d like to keep it that way.And the game started off with the Packers receiving and the defense standing strong.
On the first play of the Packers second possesion Aaron Rodgers connected with Jordy Nelson on an 80 yard TD strike! It was a career long for Jordy and Pack were up 7-0. The Packers defense stepped up, as Matthews had a huge tackle on Jacobs in the backfield for a loss and then the next play Tramon Williams intercepted Manning and the Pack got the ball back again! RB Nance and Kuhn did a good job of running the ball on this drive and it was also good to see Aaron scramble for a first down and "slide" without being hit. Rodgers said "I got a lot of texts in the last two weeks from friends and family, and 'Slide' was the main subject." It's nice that he listens and learns, haha. And on a 3rd and goal Rodgers found James Jones for a 4 yard TD! Pack lead 14-0.
The defense again stepped up and forced a three and out by the Giants. Pack took over at their own 13 yard line, but the Giants held the Packers and forced them to punt. Eli had a couple of good throws and threw a TD to WR Hicks as Woodson slipped and fell down, it was an easy TD, and the score was 14-7. The Pack had a good drive going but a costly fumble by Jordy Nelson gave the ball back to the Giants at their own 15, and one play later Manningham goes 85 yards for a TD. CB Tramon Williams got fried on that play and the score was 14-14 all.
Aaron then went to work again and drove the Packers down for the go ahead score before half with a 8 yard TD run by John Kuhn to lead 21-14 at the midway point of the game. It was an impressive drive and one that was needed to regain the lead.
The Packers kicked off to start the 2nd half. And their was a pass interferance call on CB Tramon, that thankfully, turned out to be nothing, as on the next 3rd down play Charles Woodson stripped the ball from Ahmad Bradshaw and he fumbled the ball and S Bigby recovered the ball at the 50 yard line. Aaron had another great drive to set up K Mason Crosby for a 31 yard field goal that put the Pack up 24-14. The Giants got the ball back and drove down the field but had to settle for a field goal by K Tynes that made the score 24-17 in the 3rd. Woodson and Matthews stepped up on defense for the Pack on that series.
Aaron seemed he had something to prove when he got the ball back as he had completeions to Driver for 33 yards, Jennings for 36 yards and then a 1 yard TD toss to Donald Lee to put the Pack up 31-17. Don and Greg's grabs were amazing and it showed that we were playing at a playoff level. Rodgers was sacked twice in this game, but wasn't under much pressure otherwise, as his offensive line delivered one of its best pass protection efforts of the year.
We kicked off and seemed to force WR Hicks to fumble, but Coughlin challenged the play that he was down by contact. There was also a holding penalty on the play by the Giants. The Giants did win the challenge and the penalty forced them to start at the 12 yard line. And on the first play B.J. Raji had a sack on Manning which was the first of the game. Brandon Jacobs had a nice run going but LB Clay Matthews followed the play and punched the ball out from behind and forced a fumble and Nick Collins recovered the ball. Coughlin again challenged the play, but it was ruled a fumble and the Pack took over at the Packers 27 yard line. The Pack could do nothing on the series and had to punt the ball away, it was another wasted opportunity to put points on the board.
Matthews and the defense had another great stop and the Packers again got the ball back in good field position. But Jones again dropped a sure long TD and the Packers had to punt with 11 minutes left in the 4th quarter. WR Jones is so iffy sometimes. A great catch here and an easy drop there, it is very frustrating to watch.
The Giants got the ball back but Eli threw a INT that rookie CB Shields picked off. If the Giants would of had any challenges left it would of been over turned, as he stepped out of bounds, but they did not so the Pack took over and Aaron then drove the Packers down and threw his 4th TD pass to Kuhn. It was Kuhn's first of the season! And the Pack now lead 38-17.
Eli took over and threw another INT to Shields. Rodgers then drove down and John Kuhn ran one in for a TD to take a 45-17 lead. Kuhn who ran for two touchdowns and caught a pass for a score for the Packers is the unheralded fullback and he is embracing his growing folk-hero status with Packers fans, who chant "Kuuuuuuuuuhn!" when he touches the ball. "It's pretty funny," Kuhn said. "It's nice. I don't want to let them down. They call for you ahead of time, so I've got to try and come through." The crowd was chatting for John to get the ball, even before he was on the field, now that is confidence by the Packer fans.
It was just a bad day for Eli who threw another pick his 5th to A.J. Hawk and the game was officially over at this point. Backup QB Matt Flynn came in for some mop up duty for the last 2 plus minutes and just handed the ball off. The Giants lost two fumbles and the fans watched Eli Manning throw four interceptions. As if that wasn't enough misery for one team to handle, the Giants were stuck in Wisconsin on Sunday night because of a major snowstorm on the East Coast. It was the most yards against the Giants since 1980. Aaron had a career day, he was 25-of-37, 404 yards and 4 TD's and didn’t throw an interception, and earned a QB rating of 139.9, more than twice that of counterpart Manning.
Heros: Aaron Rodgers who had 404 yards passing and four touchdowns. Greg Jennings caught seven passes for 142 yards for Green Bay, while Jordy Nelson had four catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. .
Green Bay put up season highs in various categories, including total yards (515), points (45, tied with Week 9 vs. Dallas), and defensive takeaways (six). The Packers scored 24 points off of those turnovers.
Boos: I really don't have any this week, other than Jones and his slippery hands.
Rodgers joked that he had something to prove Sunday. "I had to get my job back." Teasing Flynn who did a nice job in the lose to New England last week. “Having that No. 12 guy back, it helped us a little bit today,” wide receiver Greg Jennings said. “Man, he is special.
Linebacker Desmond Bishop said.“We finally put together four quarters, I don’t want to sound cocky or anything, but if we can put together four quarters, we can do that to pretty much everybody. That’s just the kind of talent and the kind of will we have on this team. Put four together like that, we’re dangerous.” The mystic powers of Lambeau might be back, as the Packers have won 10 of their last 11 home games.
Packers won an incredible game, and this was a MUST WIN and WE MUST WIN AGAIN, next week against the Bears to get into the playoffs! GO! PACK GO!