For the first time, all year fans were cheering on their Packers at historic Lambeau Field. Saturday afternoon, 9,000 fans comprised of season ticket holders, Wisconsin medical staff workers, and Lil Wayne took their socially distanced seats as the Packers were set to take on the LA Rams for a trip to the NFC Championship. If the Packers would win, they would maintain their home field advantage. In the highly anticipated game, which featured the number one offense of the Packers and the number one defense of the Rams, the two teams clashed on the frozen tundra.
Through one quarter, the game was locked 3-3, and the Packers were driving. After a first possession in which the Packers moved the ball all the way down the field and had to settle for three, the Pack would not be denied a second time. Aaron Rodgers would find Davante Adams on the goal line for a one-yard touchdown grab edging the crucial matchup of Adams vs. Ramsey in favor of Adams. The rest of the first half would feature one more touchdown from each team, respectively, and in the closing seconds, Mason Crosby would tack on three more to give the Packers a 19-10 edge on the Rams.
The third quarter was slow for the Packers. It’s been their worst statistical quarter all year in terms of scoring, but it started out with a bang as Aaron Jones would take the first play from scrimmage for about 60 yards into Rams territory. The Packers would manage to punch into the endzone their initial drive after halftime but would go stagnant after that. The Rams would string together a few stops, put another touchdown on the board, and after three it was 18-25.
In the fourth quarter, the Packers defense started getting to Goff. Goff, who was coming off of surgery in his thumb a few weeks prior, was having a good game so far. He was accurate with the football and really wasn’t forcing anything. With the help of Cam Akers, the Rams were in this game. That ended abruptly as it just seemed that the Packers pass rush would not be denied in the fourth. In every passing situation the Rams had, Goff was under heavy pressure or sacked. The offense would capitalize on the play of the defense, and Arron Rodgers aired one out to Allen Lazard for a bomb over the top of the defense for a touchdown. The best defense in the league had no answer for this dynamic Packers offense. The packers would go on to win it 32-18.
Aaron Donald really didn’t have an impact on this game. Granted, he was playing hurt, but credit the Packers offensive line, who were giving great protection all day. A-Rod, who had been giving the Rodgers rate to the Rams defense all day, finished with 296 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and a rushing score. Not to be outdone, the Packers running backs combined for 191 yards on 32 carries. The Packers dominated the trenches on both sides of the ball as the Packers defense had 4 sacks, and Rashan Garry, who had 1.5 sacks tied a career-high in pressures on the quarterback with 7.
Davante Admas finished with 9 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. With that performance, he tied the franchise record for postseason catches by a Packer receiver, and it’s safe to say he won his matchup vs. Jalen Ramsey. The best cornerback in the game was Jiarie Alexander, who was targeted two times and gave up one catch for -3 yards. The Packers will face Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game this Sunday. The Packers, who were demolished by Tampa in their regular-season matchup, are four-point favorites headed into the week and are looking for some revenge as the Buccaneers travel to Lambeau this time to meet a Green Bay team who’s ready for them.
For more NFL coverage, click here.
