Patriots vs. Packers: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2014 Regular Season

In the highlight game of Week 13, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers took down the New England Patriots, 26-21, at Lambeau Field. Both teams came in riding high, but it's the Packers who came away with the pivotal win.    

Green Bay's official Twitter account noted the final score:

Rodgers led the Packers, going 24-of-38 for 368 passing yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Tom Brady finished 22-of-35 for 245 passing yards and two scores of his own. That neither signal-caller threw an interception should come as no surprise, as ESPN Stats & Info notes:

Both remained atop that list after Sunday with flawless games. However, it would be Rodgers who did enough to come away with the win and keep the Packers at the top of the NFC North.

Sunday marked the first time the two illustrious quarterbacks had faced one another, with Rodgers getting the upper hand at home. Brady praised Rodgers prior to the game, via Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today:

"

He's just phenomenal. I always love watching him play because he does things that a lot of guys in the league can't do, well, that nobody can really do except him. For a quarterback, I really know how hard it is to do that, especially on a consistent basis, and he's been as consistent as anybody who has ever played the position, so I've got a lot of respect for him.

"

One analyst who seemed to share that sentiment was Elliot Harrison of NFL.com following the game:

When the two quarterbacks took the field, however, it was Rodgers who gained the early edge.

The Packers got off to a hot start in the first quarter with three different scoring drives culminating in 13 points. Rodgers did a little bit of everything with 140 passing yards and a touchdown, along with 17 rushing yards to set the tone.

He looked relaxed in the pocket and carved up the Pats defense with a plethora of weapons. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports shared his thoughts on the early play of Rodgers:

Meanwhile, Green Bay's defense stymied the potent New England offensive attack in the first quarter. Brandon Bolden rushed in a touchdown early in the second quarter, but the Packers kept the Patriots in check for much of the first half until a late drive.

Brady drove the team down the field and found Brandon LaFell in the end zone to seemingly close out the first half.

The only problem was Rodgers still had enough time to hit Jordy Nelson with a huge pass for a 45-yard touchdown to put the halftime score at 23-14. The score, per the NFL's Twitter account:

Darrelle Revis covered Nelson throughout the game, but the wide receiver exploited the matchup on the crucial score. ESPN Stats & Info also points out where the score puts the Packers receiver in team history:

The second half saw the Packers never quite close out the Patriots, yet they were able to keep a lead with Rodgers continuing to lead long drives.

Unfortunately for Green Bay, only one drive led to a score, with Mason Crosby missing a field goal and hitting a chip shot from 28 yards out.

But when it counted late, Brady was unable to lead his team to a touchdown and watched the Packers eat the clock. On a critical third down, Rodgers found Randall Cobb for the conversion with New England out of timeouts.

Cobb's catch was as clutch as they come, as the NFL's Twitter account notes:

New England still looks like the class of the AFC and retains its spot atop the AFC East division. Facing the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins in the next two weeks, the Patriots have a chance to rebound in the playoff chase.

Green Bay takes on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14. Heading down the final stretch of the season, the Packers are still competing with the Detroit Lions for the NFC North.

If both New England and the Packers keep playing the way they did in Week 14, the final game of the year will be significant for both franchises.

Coming out of the huge matchup, both teams still look the part of Super Bowl contenders for their respective conferences. With Rodgers and Brady at the helm, this might not be the last time these two sides lock horns this season.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.