(Arlington, TX) The finish was almost incomprehensible.
Three field goals of more than 50 yards in the final 93 seconds? Mason Crosby has to hit a walk off 51 yard field goal not once, but twice? Jared Cook kept his toes down before his knees hit out of bounds on another miracle throw by Aaron Rodgers?
You can’t make this up.
The Green Bay Packers are a win away from Super Bowl LI after beating the NFC’s top seeded Dallas Cowboys 34-31 at AT&T Stadium before 93,396 towel waving fans. The victory, a franchise record 10th post-season win for Head Coach Mike McCarthy, propels the Packers to Atlanta to face the Falcons next Sunday for the NFC Championship.
It looked like it could be a blowout.
After giving up a field goal on the game’s opening drive, The Packers put together three consecutive touchdown drives of their own, covering 75, 90 and 80 yards.
Richard Rodgers pulled down a 34 yard TD catch behind Sean Lee to get it started and hometown hero Ty Montgomery crashed over from 1 and 3 yards to put Green Bay in command midway through the second quarter.
But the Cowboys, led all year by an electric pair of rookies, didn’t flinch.
Dak Prescott delivered a 40 yard strike to Dez Bryant over LaDarius Gunter and Dan Bailey’s 33 yard field goal pulled the Cowboys to within 21-13 at the half.
The Packers opened the second half with another big drive, covering 75 yards in only six plays with Jared Cook making a contested 26 yard catch to the three and on the next snap, breaking wide open in the right corner of the end zone for a 28-13 advantage.
Micah Hyde perfectly read a screen in the slot by jumping the route and intercepting Prescott at the Green Bay 19, returning it 18 yards.
The Packers were poised to deliver the knockout punch but Rodgers threw a bit too far inside trying to hit Davante Adams and Jeff Heath made a diving interception, getting up and running it back 27 yards. It was the first interception thrown by Rodgers in 318 attempts.
Dallas cashed in with Jason Witten catching his first post-season touchdown from the 6 to make it 28-20.
Rodgers was sacked to force a punt and Dallas went back to work, driving 80 yards in 11 plays, converting big third downs along the way and getting a pass interference call against Gunter to keep the drive alive.
Prescott lofted a slant to Bryant in front of Damarious Randall for a 7 yard touchdown pulling the Cowboys within 2 and the rookie signal caller tied the game with a QB draw for the two point conversion.
That set up the kicking heroics.
McCarthy gambled with Mason Crosby lining up for a 56 yarder with 1:38 left but he pounded it through for a 31-28 lead.
Dallas quickly moved downfield but Nick Perry batted down a third down toss setting up Bailey’s 52 yarder down the middle for the tie with :35 to play.
Too much time for the miracle worker. But Rodgers had to take a punishing hit on first and 10 from the 42 when Heath blindsided him for a 10 yard sack that somehow didn’t dislodge the football.
After an incompletion, Rodgers peeled to his left and found Cook in front of the Cowboy bench for arguably the catch of the year which left Crosby to nail a 51 yarder for the win.
His first was true but Dallas called their last time out and Mason calmly slipped the ball just inside the left upright for his 23rd consecutive made field goal, extending his NFL playoff record.
The Packers stormed the field as the Cowboys were left in shock.
There was another hit to the secondary when Morgan Burnett had to leave with a quad injury. David Bakhtiari also suffered a knee injury but was able to return.
The Packers will play in the 4th NFC Title game under McCarthy next Sunday in what wil be the final game played at the Georgia Dome.
After an exhausting and heart stopping night in Dallas, expect more fireworks in Atlanta.
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Mark Daniels reporting from AT&T Stadium in Dallas
