Once again the Green Bay Packer’s, ek hornbeck’s favorite team, are in the NFC Championship game. This time they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their home turf, Lambeau Field where the weather won’t be a balmy 75. The current forecast calls for a temperature of 29 degrees at kickoff (3:05 p.m. ET), with 2-4 inches of snow overnight that’s expected to clear up prior to the start of the game. Just a little chilly.
The Packers are 13 – 3 for the season and handily beat the LA Rams 32 – 18 for the spot in the division championship. Packers’s QB Aaron Rogers will face off with the Buccaneers’ Tom Brady. The Buc’s are 11 – 5 for the season and beat the New Orleans Saints 30 – 20 for their spot. It will be just the fourth time they’ve squared off as starting quarterbacks, and first in the playoffs.
The Bucs trounced the Packers 38-10 in Tampa on Oct. 18. They met two other times during Brady’s tenure in New England, with the Packers winning 26-21 at Green Bay in 2014 and the Patriots winning 31-17 in Foxborough four years later. [..]
Brady is trying to join Warner, Peyton Manning and Craig Morton as the only quarterbacks to lead two separate franchises to a Super Bowl. He already won six Super Bowls and played in nine total with the Patriots.
Green Bay is making its fourth NFC championship game appearance in the past seven seasons, but Rodgers hasn’t reached a Super Bowl since leading the Packers to a title in the 2010 season. Warner said the postseason weighs heavily on where players stack up in history. [..]
Simply put, Rodgers needs this victory more than Brady.
The Super Bowl is being played in Tampa Bay and the Buc’s are seeking to become the first team in league history to advance to a Super Bowl that will be played in its home stadium.
I’m ek. Go, Packers.
Ed note: we are having issues with comments so the play by play will be below the fold.
In the First quarter, Greenbay kicked off the the Bucs. After 9 plays the Bucs scored.
Bucs -7 Packers 0
Start of 2nd quarter.
Packers’ ball. After 5 plays. Rogers is sacked. 4th down
Bucs’ ball. After 10 plays Brady is sacked. 4th down.
Packers’ ball. After 6 plays, Packers’ Touch Down
Packers 7 – Bucs 7
Bucs ball on their own 28. After 3 plays, Bucs’ Touchdown
Packers 7 – Bucs 14
Packers ball on their own 13 after kick off. Challenged by Packers. It should have been a touchback at the 25. Challenge is won. Packers ball at their own 25.
Packers’ first down on own 41
Packers first down in Bucs territory Bucs 47
Packers 1 & 10 on TB 21.
Packers 1 & Goal on TB6
Packers 4th & Goal. FG by Packers is Good.
Packers 10 – Bucs 14.
Bucs’ ball on own 25 after kick off.
4th down for Bucs. Punt to Packers 13
2 minute warning for 2nd quarter
Packers 1st & 10 on own 40.
Brady sacked. 2nd down
Brady sacked. 2nd down on own 33.
Ball intercepted by Bucs
Bucs ball on own 49
Bucs 4th down at own 45. Goes for conversion. 1st & 10. May go for FG.
Touchdown Bucs.
Packers 10 – Bucs 21
Halftime
Packers Ball at start of 3rd quarter. 1 & 10 on own 25
On 3rd & 5 Bucs intercept. 1st & Goal for Bucs. The Packers defense can’ get past the Bucs’ offense
Touchdown Bucs. Packer 10 – Bucs 28
Packers ball on own 25 after kickoff
Packers 1 & 10 on own 38
Anther 1st down on TB 24
1st down inside the TB 10. 1st & goal
Touch down Packers
Packers 17 – Bucs 28
Now the Packers offense has to stop the Bucs from scoring
Bucs ball on own 18 after kick off
Bucs 1st & 10 on own 38
Bucs 2nd & 10 on incomplete. Man down on the field
Packers intercept the ball for the first time. Packers’ ball on own 37 1st & 10
5yd penalty on Bucs. Packers 1 & 5
packers 1 & 10 on Bucs 44
Packers 1st down on Bucs 32.
Packers 1 down on Bucs 13
Flag on play Personal foul on Bucs. 1st down inside Bucs 3
Packers TOUCHDOWN!!!
2 pt conversion incomplete
Packers 23 – Bucs 28
After kick off, Bucs ball on own 45
End of 3rd quarter. 15 more minutes
Bucs 1st & 10 on Packers 37
Flag in too many men on the field Bucs – 5 yd penalty
Packers INTERCEPT!!
Packers 1st & 10 on own 19
Damn. Rogers sacked for 4th down.
Bucs ball on own 36.
Another Packers INTERCEPT. Packers ball on own 24
Packers 4th & 10 after 4 plays.
Bucs ball on own 27
Bucs 1st down on own 38; 2nd & 2 on own 36 for a loss of 1
Bucs 1 st & 10 n Packer 30
Bucs 4th down. 46 yd FG. is Good,
Packers 23 – Bucs 31
Packers ball on own 34
Packers 1st & 10 on Bucs 28
Packers 1st & goal @ Bucs 8
Packers 4th down. FG is Good.
Packers 26 – Bucs 31. Five point game with 2 minutes left in game
Bucs ball on own 19.
Flag penalty on Packers. Under review..
12 men on field Packers. 5 yd penalty Bucs 1st & 5
Final Bucs 31 – Packers 26
The Buccaneers will go to Super Bowl LV at Tampa Bay on February 7. This will be first SB played by a team on their own field. It is Brady’s 10th SB.