Monday 9 January 2017 09:39, UK
A four-touchdown performance by Aaron Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers to a 38-13 Wild Card win over the New York Giants at Lambeau Field.
Three of Rodgers' touchdowns were delivered to Randall Cobb - 116 yards on five receptions - including a sensational Hail Mary pass to end the first half.
The Giants - who led for much of that first half - never really recovered and the Packers ran up the score in the second.
In 140 characters...
Aaron Rodgers throws for four touchdowns, three to Randall Cobb, and one a Hail Mary, as the Packers down the Giants at Lambeau.
MVP
Rodgers. Overcame a hugely testing start in which he was sacked early and often by a relentless Giants defence to ultimately throw for 362 yards and four touchdowns, including that incredible Hail Mary score.
Game-changer
Talking of… Rodgers' Hail Mary TD to end the half was a killer for the Giants, sending them into the break behind by eight points, rather than one. In the second half their defence was not as dominant, and their offence could not keep up with the pace set by Rodgers and the Packers.
Stat of the night
4 - touchdown passes thrown by Rodgers, tying a Packers post-season record.
The game
Defence dominated the early exchanges in Green Bay, particularly for the Giants, who regularly got at Rodgers and the Packers offence.
Green Bay, in fact, had -8 yards from their opening 13 plays, and lost Jordy Nelson for the game to an injury due to the hard-hitting Giants D.
The Giants failed to capitalise though on their early dominance, putting only six points on the scoreboard off two field goals.
That proved costly as the Packers scored two touchdowns in the second quarter - Rodgers first finding Davante Adams from five yards out, and then hitting on a sensational Hail Mary TD to Randall Cobb to end the half.
The game then suddenly turned into a bit of a shootout early in the second half, with both offences trading big pass play touchdowns in the third quarter.
The Giants - with good field position after a failed fourth-and-one attempt by the Packers - first cut into Green Bay's lead with a 41-yard score by Tavarres King.
But as swiftly as the Giants had reduced the deficit, the Packers pulled away again, with Rodgers finding Cobb for a 30-yard TD early on in their next possession.
Mason Crosby extended Green Bay's lead to 11 with a 32-yard field goal just before the close of the third quarter and then the Giants swiftly fell to pieces.
Rodgers hit Cobb for a third touchdown, and then Aaron Ripkowski ran in from a yard out after an Eli Manning fumble.
