Giants vs. Packers: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2017 NFL Playoffs

Tyler ConwayJan 8, 2017

The New York Giants did their best to keep Aaron Rodgers in check. For a while, it worked. Then one flick of the MVP candidate's wrist resulted in a game-shifting touchdown and spurred a trip to Dallas.

Rodgers threw for 362 yards, highlighted by a 42-yard Hail Mary to Randall Cobb before halftime, as the Green Bay Packers earned a 38-13 win over the Giants in Sunday's NFC Wild Card matchup.

Cobb hauled in a perfectly placed bomb from Rodgers as time expired in the second quarter, which shifted the Packers' lead from 7-6 to 14-6. The NFL provided a clip of Rodgers' most notable Hail Mary completions, including Sunday's:

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The Giants, who led most of the first half after a pair of Robbie Gould field goals, never recovered. They got back within a point on a 41-yard Eli Manning pass to Tavarres King in the third quarter, but Rodgers answered back with another touchdown throw to Cobb on Green Bay's next drive. Cobb added a third touchdown reception in the fourth quarter that helped extend Green Bay's lead beyond reach.

Cobb finished the game with 116 yards on five receptions. ESPN Stats & Info provided historical context for Cobb's evening:

After struggling for most of the season's first half, Rodgers is playing the best football of his career. He has thrown for 22 touchdowns without an interception over the Packers' last eight games, the longest such streak of his career. He has also thrown four touchdowns in three straight contests.

Bleacher Report's Doug Farrar is ready to shut down the MVP debate:

ESPN Stats & Info provided historical context for Rodgers' playoff excellence:

Davante Adams also added a team-high eight receptions for 125 yards. He scored on a five-yard touchdown with 2:20 remaining in the first half for Green Bay's first score. The Giants held the Packers scoreless for game's first 27-plus minutes and allowed just seven first-quarter yards. They were able to generate consistent pressure on Rodgers early and force him into a series of underneath dump-offs.

Five different Giants defenders brought Rodgers down for a sack, and they stuffed the Green Bay rushing game. Christine Michael led the Packers with 47 yards on the ground, and they had no rushing play longer than 10 yards.

However, the final two Green Bay drives of the first half flipped the script on the game, which to that point looked like it would be a defensive struggle. The Giants had their own issues running the football, averaging just 4.1 yards across their 17 carries. Paul Perkins led the way with 30 yards but showed precious little of the explosion that led to him overtaking Rashad Jennings as the Giants' primary back.

Eli Manning threw for 299 yards and a touchdown but will likely spend his postgame presser answering questions about the failures of his wide receivers.

Odell Beckham Jr. finished with just 28 yards on four receptions despite being targeted 11 times. Beckham also had a couple of balls slip through his fingers, which inevitably led to criticism from the Twittersphere:

"
Aaron Rodgers is the GOAT.

Odell Beckham is the BOAT.

*drops mic, never tweets again*
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) January 9, 2017"

The Pro Bowl wideout was, of course, pictured alongside teammates Sterling Shepard, Victor Cruz and Roger Lewis on a party boat and out with celebrities in Miami last week. The picture made the rounds on social media leading into the game, with some questioning the Giants' focus and others concerned about the lack of proper boating attire.

Criticism will likely crest after the game for Beckham, who had by far his worst game of the season and dropped an early touchdown pass.

Trey Songz, who was pictured with the Giants players on the yacht, responded to barbs from fans throughout the game and sent a not-so-subtle shot to the Giants defensive backs:

Cruz finished the game with three receptions for 30 yards. Shepard had four for 63, and Lewis recorded one tackle on special teams.

The Packers now move on to play the top-seeded Cowboys, who beat Green Bay 30-16 at Lambeau Field earlier this season. Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns, and Ezekiel Elliott scampered for 157 yards in that game. This is a far different Packers team from the one from October, but it could be without Jordy Nelson, who left in the first half with a rib injury.

But with the way Rodgers is playing, the Cowboys and every NFC team should be put on notice.