If this was a Super Bowl preview, it will suit the Packers just fine.
The Packers only added three points to their total in the second half, but their defense came up big at several points to allow the team to hold off the Patriots at improve to 9-3 with a 26-21 victory at Lambeau Field. With the Cardinals losing to Atlanta with the Seahawks looming in Week 14, it could also leave the Packers with the inside track on home field advantage in the playoffs if they can get a better result at home against those same Falcons next Monday night.
Based on the way they’ve played at Lambeau so far this season, there probably won’t be too many people betting against them. The Packers are now 6-0 at Lambeau Field and Aaron Rodgers now has a 20-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio on their home field. Rodgers, whose last home interception came in 2012, threw two scores on Sunday, both in the first half, and hit Randall Cobb on third-and-four just before the two minute warning to put the final nail in New England’s coffin. He wound up 24-of-38 for 368 yards overall on Sunday with Cobb, Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams all making big plays on the receiving end of his throws.
Adams also had a costly drop of what would have been a touchdown late in the fourth, leaving the Packers to kick their fourth field goal in the red zone during the game. The Patriots then drove the ball to the Packers’ 20-yard-line, but Mike Neal and Datone Jones sacked Tom Brady to force a field goal attempt that Stephen Gostkowski missed badly. Brady was 22-of-35 for 245 yards on the day as the Patriots offense never found the same kind of rhythm that we saw often during their seven-game winning streak.
Credit a Packers defense for much of that, although there may also be some questions about the choice not to run the ball more than eight times in the first half. The Packers were churning up yards and points in the opening 30 minutes and the Pats wound up finding some good success running the ball in the second half even if it wound up being for naught. By virtue of their win, the Pats will retain the top spot in the AFC regardless of the Broncos result in Kansas City and they’ll try to get back on track in San Diego next Sunday.
For now, though, the story is the Packers and Rodgers continuing their torrid streak at home. If the NFC path to the Super Bowl does wind up going through Lambeau, it’s going to make the home team a very tough out.