NFL PLAYOFFS - Sunday's Wild Card Games Recap

 

Jordan Love and the Packers dominated the Cowboys in playoff win.

The Green Bay Packers went into Dallas on Sunday afternoon and totally dominated the Cowboys in a 48-32 victory that sends the number seven seed in the NFC onto the divisional round of the playoffs next weekend in San Francisco. Meanwhile on Sunday night in Detroit, the Lions held on for a hard fought 24-23 win against the Los Angeles Rams.  

The Packers took the opening kickoff and drove downfield for a touchdown as running back Aaron Jones (21 carries for 118 yards, three TD) scored on a three-yard run and the Packers eventually built up a 27-0 first half lead. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love passed for 272 yards and three touchdowns and the defense had two interceptions, including a 64-yard "pick six" INT for a touchdown by Darnell Savage.   

Dallas finally got on the scoreboard on the final play of the half when QB Dak Prescott (403 passing yards, three TD, two INT) threw a one-yard scoring pass to tight end Jake Ferguson. The Packers led 48-16 before the Cowboys scored two late touchdowns on passes from Prescott to Ferguson to account for the final score.

The Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years as QB Jared Goff (22-of-27 passing for 277 yards) had a touchdown pass and running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs each had rushing scores along with Mike Badgley kicking a 54-yard field goal to get the 24-23 victory. Detroit had a 14-3 lead and the Rams scored on a 50-yard TD pass from QB Matthew Stafford (367 passing yards, two TD) to WR Puka Nacua (nine receptions for 181 yards) to trim it to 14-10. After Goff's touchdown pass (for 21-10 lead) the Rams got to within 21-17 at halftime when Stafford connected with WR Tutu Atwell on a 38-yard scoring pass. The second half saw three field goals made for the scoring and the Lions did just enough on both sides of the ball to get the win.