NFL Playoff Picture: Green Bay Packers Defeat Dallas Cowboys, Will Play Seattle Seahawks in NFC Championship Game
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC thriller Sunday at Lambeau Field, 26-21.
With that win, the Packers have advanced to the NFC Championship game for the second time since 2010, when they went on to win the Super Bowl. The Packers are a perfect 9-0 at home this season, but they will have to play the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Seattle.
Aaron Rodgers had a memorable game at Lambeau Field, hobbling on one leg with a torn calf injury. The 31-year-old quarterback had 316 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Packers victory. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo also played very well, but DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant let him down in the second half.
Murray had a crucial fumble, and Bryant dropped a pass at the one yard line that could have led to a possible game-winning touchdown. This was the Cowboys' first road loss of the season.
The Packers and Seahawks will battle for the NFC Championship on Sunday, Jan. 20, at 3:05 p.m. EST at Century Link Field.
In Week 1 of this NFL season, the Seahawks defeated the Packers in Seattle, 36-16. With Rodgers struggling to run because of his calf injury, the Packers not being a great road team and the Seahawks being a dominant home team, many NFL fans believe this is a terrible matchup for the Packers.
The Packers and Seahawks are the top two seeds in the NFC, so it comes as no surprise that both teams is here. Both teams went 12-4 during the regular season and received a bye week in the wild card round, but the Seahawks have home-field advantage in this game because of their Week 1 victory over the Packers.
Over in the AFC, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots beat the Baltimore Ravens.
The Patriots became the first team in NFL history to overcome two 14-point deficits in the same playoff game. Joe Flacco and Tom Brady went back and forth for four quarters, but a late Flacco interception in the end zone sealed the deal. Andrew Luck and the Colts took care of business against the No. 2 seed Broncos. Despite having an extremely balanced squad offensively and defensively, the Broncos were only able to score one touchdown in a 24-13 loss.
The Broncos were the only home team to lose in the divisional round. Overall, home teams are 6-2 in the playoffs so far. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost in the wild card round at Heinz Field.
The winner of the Colts-Patriots AFC Championship game will play in the Super Bowl and face the winner of the Seahawks-Packers game. The Seahawks come in as heavy favorites to win a second consecutive Super Bowl, but the Colts did defeat the Seahawks last season. Maybe Luck knows something about his former Stanford teammate Richard Sherman. The Patriots lost their last game to the Seahawks, and they lost to Packers this season in Week 13.
The Patriots and Colts will do battle on Sunday night at 6:40 p.m. EST at Gillette Stadium.
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