The entire city of Green Bay was brought to a standstill in the second quarter of Sunday's NFC North title game against the Detroit Lions, as starting QB Aaron Rodgers was carted off with a reported calf injury.
Rodgers would return, however, in the 3rd quarter, leading the Green Bay Packers to a gutsy 30-20 victory and a bye in the first round of the NFC playoffs.
Turning Point: Without question, it was Rodgers' return. After Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson connected for a second time to tie the game at 14, a clearly-hobbled Rodgers came back and sent the crowd at Lambeau into a frenzy.
The NFL MVP candidate would cause a near earthquake in the stands on his first drive back, hitting WR Randall Cobb for a 13-yard touchdown to give Green Bay a 21-14 lead in the third.
After a Detroit fumble a couple drives later, Rodgers would seal this one with a one-yard burst for a TD and firmly cement this performance as one for the NFL Films archives.
Key Stat:
Detroit's offense continued to play hide-and-seek to close out the 2014 season, as they were outgained 152-to-111 on the ground and 377-to-313 overall.
Green Bay MVP:
If you don't pick Aaron Rodgers for this honor, you likely weren't watching the same game.
The Lions had all of the momentum with Rodgers out and Matt Flynn seemingly swallowed by the moment. When Rodgers hobbled back in, he brought Green Bay's division title hopes back with him in a performance that will be referenced to for a long time in Packers lore.
Detroit MVP:
When you have a physical specimen like Calvin "Megatron" Johnson at your disposal, you're never really out of a ball game. Johnson caught four balls for 39 yards and two TDs, giving the Lions hope in front of a hostile Lambeau Field crowd.
What’s Next
Aaron Rodgers will have one extra week to rest his calf, as the second-seeded Packers will sit at home for an extra week before hosting an NFC Divisional Round playoff game the week after.
In contrast, Detroit will have to absorb the sting from this one quickly as they'll be on the road again next week in an NFC Wild Card game against the Dallas Cowboys.
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