The Green Bay Packers stopped a two point try in the final minute to secure a third straight NFC North Division championship, beating a wounded but game Ravens team at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore 31-30.
Trailing 31-17 late in the 4th, Baltimore rallied behind backup quarterback Tyler Huntley who scored twice on the ground to pull the Ravens to within one with :42 to play. Head Coach John Harbaugh had gambled all night with his offense and played for the lead by going for two. Huntley rolled to his right and fired toward the front pylon for tight end Mark Andrews, his top target all night, but safety Darnell Savage was able to get his hand on the ball before it reached Andrews with Eric Stokes in tight coverage.
The Packers were able to recover an onside kick attempt and Aaron Rodgers took a knee twice to secure the win in a game in which he threw three more touchdown passes giving him 442 for his career to tie Brett Favre’s franchise record.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur is now three for three in the NFC North as the Packers improved to 11-3 and more importantly, stayed in front of the NFC race for the number one seed and the only first round playoff bye with three weeks to go in the regular season.
Both teams have been ravaged by injury all season, the Ravens list 17 players on injured reserve and Lamar Jackson missed the first game because of injury in his career with a bone bruise on his ankle suffered last week. But Huntley was up to the task in his second career start, passing for 215 yards and two scores and leading both teams with 73 yard rushing and two more touchdowns.
Andrews proved hard to handle from the opening series when he beat a high tackle attempt by Savage and turned it into a 43 yard gain. Baltimore had it first and goal from the five but faced 4th and goal from the three when Harbaugh rolled the dice for the first time. De’Vondre Campbell came up with a big play by chasing Huntley to the sidelines for a 4th down sack.
Backed up, the Packers went three and out and on the second possession, Huntley and Andrews went to work again. A 22 yard gain set up an 8 yard touchdown strike when the tight end spun away from Savage on the back line and stretched out for the catch.
Green Bay answered thanks to a 31 yard catch by Marquez Valdes-Scantling and the drive was finished by A.J. Dillon who crashed in from two yards out.
Throwing quick, short passes, Huntley drove the Ravens 75 yards to recapture the lead, again it was Andrews getting loose for a 9 yard score with 7:11 left in the second period.
Rodgers found Davante Adams for his first touchdown pass, a three yard strike where Adams stepped inside and turned around cornerback Robert Jackson for an easy three yard catch to the outside.
The opening drive of the third has Green Bay march 80 yards in 13 plays for their first lead. Escaping to his left, Rodgers found Aaron Jones behind the defense and alone in the end zone for a 9 yard touchdown catch. It marked the third straight season Jones has hit 10 or more touchdowns.
The Ravens came right back, moving to the Packer 15 where they faced fourth and one. Again, Harbaugh kept the offense on the field but when guard Ben Cleveland committed a false start penalty, he brought out Justin Tucker for a 38 yard field goal that cut the lead to 21-17.
The beleaguered special teams almost made another ghastly mistake when a popped up kickoff landed in front of up back Jonathan Garvin. He couldn’t pick it up but Patrick Taylor was able to fall on the loose ball at the 12. A huge third and 9 conversion to MVS covered 25 yards and it was Valdes-Scantling who finished off the drive with a sharp slant route from the slot. With a defender draped on his back, he still pulled in the catch and stretched over the goal for the 11 yard score that tied the team’s all-time passing touchdown record. It also put the Packers comfortably up 28-17 early in the 4th quarter.
Facing 4th and 6 at his own 29, Harbaugh gambled again. This time, Rashan Gary applied pressure on Huntley who’s outlet pass to Latavius Murray was incomplete.
The offense was in great position to put the game out of reach. Marcedes Lewis caught a short pass and furiously broke a couple of tackles for a 23 yard gain to the 6. From there, the offense stalled, a swing to Adams lost 6 yards and on third and goal, Rodgers couldn’t hit an open Allen Lazard in the end zone. Mason Crosby knocked through the 29 yard field goal but it was still only a two score lead.
Escaping pressure again, Huntley used his legs and arm to drive the Ravens 75 yards, finishing it with a three yard sprint to his left for a touchdown with 4:47 to play.
The Packers disappointingly went three and out with Rodgers getting sacked on third and 5. Corey Bojorquez managed only a 40 yard punt and the Ravens got it back at midfield.
Huntley bolted up the middle for an 8 yard touchdown in the final minute which set up the last Harbaugh gamble. He would go 0-3 as the Packer defense, gassed from chasing Huntley all day, made the game saving play.
A relieved LaFleur met reporters after NFC North Championship hats and t-shirts were passed around the locker room.
Aaron Jones sports NFC North Championship gear.
Rodgers continued his remarkable late season push toward the MVP conversation with another outstanding game with a broken left pinkie toe. He finished 23 of 31 for 268 yards and three scores, good for a passer rating of 132.2 Adams, despite double and triple teams, caught 6 passes for 44 yards and a score. MVS had five receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. Jones led the ground attack with 58 yards on 13 carries. The Packers put up 96 yards rushing against the league’s top rushing defense.
The offensive line held up despite rookie Royce Newman being the only starter left up front. Dennis Kelly played for the injured Billy Turner at right tackle.
Huntley was very poised for Baltimore, accounting for 288 of the team’s 354 yards of offense. Andrews had a monster game with 10 receptions, 136 yards and two scores.
Campbell again led the defense with 10 total tackles and the only sack.
The inactive players were Equanimeous St. Brown, Shawn Davis, Vernon Scott, Dominique Dafney, David Bakhtiari, Turner and Jack Heflin.
The Packers return home to face the Cleveland Browns on Christmas Day. The Browns will play Monday night at home against the Raiders, one of three games moved by the NFL because of the spike in COVID-10 cases last week.
Green Bay is the first team to clinch a division title this season and it’s their first three year run atop the North since winning 4 straight between 2011 and 2014.
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