Eagles vs. Packers: 5 Observations From Green Bay's Opening Playoff Win
The Green Bay Packers never trailed the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon, but the two teams certainly made for some nail-biting entertainment.
Green Bay held leads of 14 and 11 points during the contest, but Philadelphia never quit, and it all came down to the last Eagles' drive.
The comeback wasn't to be, however, and Tramon Williams intercepted Michael Vick with 33 seconds left in the game to preserve the Packers' 21-16 win over the Eagles.
The Packers move on to Atlanta to play the Falcons on Saturday night at 8 pm EST.
Here are five observations from the Packers' win.
James Starks Is Finally The Hero We All Thought He Was
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For the better part of two months, fans from across Titletown clamored and called for the Packers to feature rookie running back James Starks.
While it might not have been in the Packers' game plan for Sunday, Starks took his first playoff carry 27 yards and coach Mike McCarthy rode his hot hand for the rest of the game.
When it was all said and done, Starks had rushed for 123 yards—a Packers postseason rookie record—and just like that the Packers had a legitimate running game moving forward.
However, there's a few ways we can look at Sunday's rushing performance.
- Starks has finally figured it out, and the Packers running game has found a weapon that will balance out the offense.
- Or the Packers just took advantage of a defense they rushed well against back in Week 1, and they will have their hands full again in Atlanta.
My best guess would be a combination of the two. The Falcons will test the Packers' rushing attack like they did back in Week 12 (77 yards), but it's hard to discount the effort of Starks today.
Tramon Williams And The Defense Saves The Day
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Packers cornerback Tramon Williams might not be going to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl, but his play at the end of the game saved the Packers' season.
Williams had blanket coverage on the play—much like he has all season—and Vick's throw was underthrown just enough for Williams to make the interception.
From an Eagles' perspective, you have to question Vick's decision to throw that final pass. Did the Eagles really want to put their season in the hands of Riley Cooper against the Packers' best cover corner?
However, it was a fitting end for the Packers' defense, and once again Green Bay's season will continue because of the play of that unit.
They did an admirable job against Vick, limiting him to only 292 yards (but a 79.9 rating) and 33 rushing yards, and Lesean McCoy had just 46 yards. The Eagles finished the season as the NFL's fifth best running team.
If the Packers continue through the playoffs, it will be on the backs of the defense. It's been that way the entire season, and they didn't disappoint once again in Philadelphia.
McCarthy Serves Up Winning Football
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The Packers might have only scored 21 points on Sunday, but it was one of coach Mike McCarthy's best game plans of the season.
Green Bay successfully implemented an inverted wishbone formation that drove the Packers' surprising running attack, and were clearly the more physical team at the line scrimmage.
That success on the ground took a lot of pressure of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. While he had a solid game—180 yards and three touchdowns—the Packers didn't need to rely on him as much as they have in previous weeks.
The main concern many had about the Packers was their lack of a rushing game. On Sunday, they showed the capability of lining up and running the ball down the throat of the opponent.
If the Packers can build on their success in the running game, the Packers can beat any team remaining in the NFC.
Aaron Rodgers Finally Gets It
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We've heard the same thing for the better part of year: Aaron Rodgers can't be an elite quarterback until he wins a playoff game.
While it surely isn't his final goal, Rodgers can emphatically check that off the list with Sunday's win in Philadelphia.
After the game, Rodgers said that "he never felt like there was a monkey on my back," but it was clear that the media was making a big deal about Rodgers' only appearance in the playoffs a year ago.
Rodgers threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in the Packers' loss to Arizona, but on Sunday he had another three touchdowns in leading the Packers to their first road win since the 1997 NFC Championship game in San Francisco.
Also, Rodgers' seven touchdowns in his first two playoff games is an NFL playoff record.
Many of us have known it all along, but welcome to the "elite quarterback club" Aaron Rodgers. You've earned it.
The Packers Head to Atlanta Despite The Odds
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The Packers' 2010 season has been far from what we all expected, but the fact remains that this team is just two wins away from representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Green Bay has fought through it all: injuries, heartbreaking losses, and coaching blunders to make it this far.
The same can't be said for the two Super Bowl participants from last season—the Colts and Saints—and it'd be easy to blame injuries for their respective losses on Wild Card Saturday.
The Packers, on the other hand, have preserved through their injuries, and can now make the Super Bowl with wins in Atlanta and either Seattle or Chicago the week after.
That's an impressive statement for McCarthy's Packers, and regardless of what happens next week in Atlanta, this team has grown considerably throughout the 2010 season.
Let's hope these Packers continue on their improbable ride.
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