GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams eight times for 160 yards and two touchdowns, Green Bay’s spruced-up defense fended off a spirited Seattle rally, and the Packers held on for a 28-23 victory Sunday night to reach the NFC championship game for the third time in six years.
Aaron Jones rushed for 62 yards and two first-half scores for the Packers (14-3), who will travel next weekend to take on top-seeded San Francisco.
Russell Wilson carried the Seahawks (12-6) on yet another comeback, this time from a 21-3 halftime deficit, but the Packers forced a punt just before the two-minute warning on the second sack of the game by Preston Smith, Green Bay’s fifth of the game. Za’Darius Smith, the other big-money free agent added to the defense last spring, had two sacks himself.
“He had an unbelievable night, carried us on offense,” Rodgers said of Adams. ”His route-running ability is just unbelievable.
“We started off the game the right way, we finished the right way.”
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 277 yards and rushed for 64, while Marshawn Lynch scored two touchdowns.
Johnson named to the HOF
Jimmy Johnson, who coached the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships in the 1990s, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The hall announced his selection Sunday night as part of a centennial class that was chosen on Wednesday by a special committee. Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher was revealed Saturday night as the other coach being inducted.
“The only thing I can think of is all the assistant coaches who worked for me, all the great players who played for me are the reason,” said a teary-eyed Johnson, 76. “I can’t talk.
“This is so special to me because when you put in the work that we put in, it is nice for those people to appreciate it.”
One of his best players, Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, could be seen tearing up as he heard the announcement from Green Bay, where he was announcing the Seahawks-Packers playoff game.
Hall of Fame President David Baker made the presentation during halftime of Fox’s telecast.
