Maybe New York Giants fans should not feel so bad about their team being beaten out for the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs by the Green Bay Packers. The Packers routed the top-seeded Atlanta Falconsm 48-21, Saturday night to advance to the NFC Championship Game. Green Bay will face the winner of Sunday’s Seattle-Chicago divisional round game.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 31-of-36 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown to lead Green Bay past the Falcons.
The Packers took advantage of four Atlanta turnovers. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was intercepted twice by Green Bay’s Tramon Williams. One of those was in the end zone, the other turned into a 70-yard touchdown for the Packers on the final play of the first half.
Green Bay is now in the conference title game for the second time in four years. The last time, of course, was against the Giants.
Atlanta came into Saturday’s game as the top seed in the conference after surging to a 13-3 regular season mark. The Falcons were ahead 14-7 after Eric Weems ran a kickoff back a team-record 102 yards for a score in the second quarter, but the Packers responded with five straight TDs to take control.
Williams is quickly becoming a hero of sorts for the Packers. Last week, he picked off Michael Vick in the end zone in the final minute in Green Bay’s 21-16 victory in Philadelphia in the opening round of the playoffs. This time around, his 70-yard return gave the Packers a 28-14 cushion.
(Sports Network contributed to this report)