Packers next for Steelers
CHICAGO — Aaron Rodgers didn’t want to let go of the ball.
He took that final knee and savored the moment, basking in his biggest victory after the Green Bay Packers knocked off Chicago in the NFC championship game on Sunday.
“I actually have the ball from all three of our playoff wins this postseason,” Rodgers said. “It’s nice to be on the field there at the end. It’s a special feeling. It’s something you dream about as a kid.”
For Cheeseheads, this is as good as it gets.
Not only did the Packers advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in 13 years, they did it at their rivals’ expense. At Soldier Field, no less.
They knocked Jay Cutler out of the game with a knee injury, held Devin Hester in check and sent the Monsters of the Midway home.
Now, the Packers will head to Dallas to face Pittsburgh in another matchup between marquee franchises. Never before have these teams played in the Super Bowl.
And not since Brett Favre was leading the way have the Packers advanced this far, with the 1996 team winning it all and the 1997 team falling to Denver. Now, they’re in the Super Bowl for the fifth time, aiming for their fourth victory and 13th championship in all, and they didn’t necessarily need Rodgers to be at his best to get there on Sunday.
Even so, he took a Lambeau leap out of Favre’s shadow and landed on the biggest stage of all.
He threw for 244 yards with a 55.4 rating and got picked off twice but delivered one of the biggest plays of the game after one of those interceptions — a touchdown-saving tackle on Brian Urlacher in the third with Green Bay up 14-0.
“He’s as good as they come,” Packers cornerback Charles Woodson said. “Regardless of the running game, when he has to bear most of the responsibilities without a running game and do a lot with his arm or legs, he’s done that. He’s done it all season. The guy has a steady hand, and he’s a big-play guy. And he’s done a great job for the team.”
Greg Jennings had a big game for Green Bay, catching eight passes for 130 yards, and Sam Shields had two interceptions.
For Cutler, it was simply a rough day.
He was injured late in the first half and left after the opening drive of the third, completing just 6 of 14 passes for 80 yards.
Todd Collins replaced him and lasted just two series before getting lifted for third-stringer Caleb Hanie, and that’s when things got interesting.
He led the Bears to two fourth-quarter touchdowns but also threw two interceptions, with B.J. Raji returning one for a touchdown and Shields picking off a pass with less than a minute left to seal the win.
Green Bay had 15 players land on injured reserve this season.
