Once again, Aaron Rodgers proved he’s the king of the last-minute win. Rodgers led a nine-play, 75-yard drive with about a minute remaining and trailing the Cowboys 31-28. He hit Davante Adams with a touchdown pass for a 35-31 win.
The Cowboys needed a rebound game in their NFC Championship rematch against the Packers on Sunday. Dallas took a 21-12 lead into the half, but the Packers surged back in the second half, dropping the Cowboys to 2-3.
It was the type of classic Packers-Cowboys games that have become a recent tradition between these two teams. There were four fourth quarter lead changes, not to mention the thrilling last-minute win.
Dak Prescott got things moving in the fourth quarter, leading a drive that took almost nine minutes off the clock. It looked like Green Bay stuffed Elliott on a fourth-and-1 attempt, but that was overturned on review. The drive continued, and Prescott got into the end zone on an 11-yard run to take a 31-28 lead with just over a minute remaining.
That’s too much time for Rodgers, who took advantage. He kept Green Bay’s last drive alive with an 18-yard scramble.
Rodgers capped that off with a 12-yard dime to Adams. Adams was back on the field after taking a brutal hit from Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan last week that landed Adams in the hospital with a concussion.
The Packers defense was stingy with points after the half, while the offense delivered. Green Bay allowed just one Dan Bailey field goal in the third quarter. Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby added a field goal. But it was the defense that made the difference with a Damarious Randall 21-yard interception returned for a touchdown.
But coach Mike McCarthy opted to go for two after the pick-six, and the attempt was unsuccessful. Had McCarthy just gone for the extra point, Green Bay could have won the game with a field goal after the Cowboys took that 31-28 lead. It didn’t matter in the end with Rodgers on the field.
Dallas controlled the clock for 34:55 on the back of a strong performance from Ezekiel Elliott, who finished with 116 yards. And the only turnover was Prescott’s interception, but it was a costly one.
The Cowboys were hit with a questionable penalty early in the third quarter for roughing Rodgers that got the Packers out of a bind. The 15 yards gave the Packers offense some room to breathe, and it kicked off a scoring drive that started the Packers’ turnaround.
The Cowboys particularly needed the win after the 4-1 Eagles locked up yet another victory on Sunday against the Cardinals. Now Dallas sits at 2-3.