LANDOVER, Md. — Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers started slowly, but picked up the pace in the second quarter en route to a 35-18 win over the Washington Redskins in an NFC wild-card game Sunday.
Check All Box Scores and Final Results
Rodgers started the game going 1 of 8 on completed passes, while the Packers (11-6) were very unproductive in their opening four drives, which included a safety.
However, the quarterback rallied to finished 21 of 36 on passes for 210 yards and connected with Randall Cobb and Davante Adams for two touchdowns for the Packers, who recovered from trailing 11-0 in the second quarter to take a 17-11 lead into halftime.
Eddie Lacy and James Starks each ran for a score as well, while James Jones had seven catches for 81 yards for Green Bay, which had lost its last two regular-season games entering Sunday’s game.
Kirk Cousins completed 29 of 46 passes for 329 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Jordan Reed, who had nine catches for 120 yards in the defeat for the Washington Redskins (9-8), who had won four games in a row prior to Sunday.
Chris Thompson took all eight of his targets for 89 yards and Pierre Garcon had five catches for 70 yards for Washington, which tallied 270 yards on the ground.
The victory this weekend means Green Bay Packers have moved on to play at the Arizona Cardinals in a divisional round matchup on Saturday.
ELSEWHERE……
In the other NFC wild-card game on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks managed to squeeze out a 10-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings in below-zero weather that entered the top three for the coldest NFL games dated.
Trailing 9-0 entering the fourth quarter, found Doug Baldwin from three yards for a touchdown and Steven Hauschka made a 46-yard field goal to hand the visitors the advantage.
Blair Walsh then failed to connect on his 27-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds remaining, and Minnesota fell short of completing what would have been an upset win in their NFC wild-card round playoff game.
Russell Wilson was 13 of 26 on completed passes for 142 yards and threw a scoring pass to Doug Baldwin for the Seahawks’ (11-6) first points of the game which came early in the fourth quarter.
“I think we were fortunate that we got the win,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said afterward. “A lot of those times, guys make those kicks.
“There’s a high percentage that they make them, but you’ve still got to do it.”
Teddy Bridgewater was 17 of 24 for 146 yards for the Redskins (11-6).
Seattle Seahawks moved on to play at the Carolina Panthers this weekend.
NFC Wild-Card Game Scores
SEAHAWKS 10, VIKINGS 9
PACKERS 35, REDSKINS 18
