NFL Special Report: New England Patriots pull ahead of the Green Bay Packers (Part II)
By the second half, the Green Bay Packers looked well in control of Sunday’s game between the Packers and the New England Patriots. Green Bay scored a field goal in the first quarter and two touchdowns in the second while the Patriots had scored only once
touchdown. However, before the end of the first half the Patriots would cut into Green Bay’s lead.
Packers scored their touchdown in the 13th minute of the quarter. The Patriots had just two minutes left but that proved more than enough for New England to score their second touchdown thanks to an incredible run by offensive lineman Don Connolly.
The bulky Connolly was the last person anyone would expect to run the ball 71 yards into the red zone. He pushed away safety Charlie Peprah with just one outstretched arm and ducked in and out of the way of the Packers more like a running back than an offensive
lineman. He was finally brought down on the 4 yard line.
Quarterback Tom Brady passed 3 yards to Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis to take the Patriots to Green Bay’s 1 yard line. Aaron Hernandez received the final touchdown pass for New England. The touchdown, Brady’s 255th, tied him with Sonny Jurgensen for
11th place all time.
The Packers were still leading by 3 points. Packers were on the offense when the 3rd quarter opened. They started on the 10 yard line and moved up 20 yards in four plays before the drive went south for Green Bay. Cornerback Kyle Arrington intercepted
Matt Flynn’s pass intended for James Jones on Green Bay’s 36 and ran it into the end zone for touchdown. Flynn was off target and the ball ended up straight in Arrington’s hands. The cornerback had to plough his way through a series of Packers to score the
touchdown. He slipped out of Jones’ hands and dodged the quarterback. Running back Brandon Jackson held on to Arrington’s leg but the cornerback swirled around and pulled away from him too. Wide receiver Brett Swain pounced on Arrington but he wouldn’t go
down and carried him on his back the last few yards to the end zone for touchdown.
The Packers lost their lead but took it back in the next drive. In 11 plays, Flynn led the Packers from their 31 to New England’s 6. The quarterback resorted to smaller surer plays to cover the length of the field. Flynn ended the drive with a 6 yards short
left pass to John Kuhn. The Packers scored again in the first drive of the 4th quarter. They gained possession with almost four minutes remaining in the third quarter and moved up inside the red zone in 7 plays in the third quarter. They started
on New England’s 2 yard line in the 4th quarter but were able to advance just one yard in 3 plays.
With the touchdown having slipped through their fingers, the Packers attempted the field goal and the attempt was good. They extended their lead over the Patriots to 6 points with the field goal.
The Patriots cut that in half when their offence returned. From the 27 yard line, Brady threw 35 yards to wide receiver Wes Walker on the first play. New England got stuck on the Green Bay’s 22 yard line. On first and 10 Gree-Ellis tried to rush through
the middle but was stopped for no gain. Danny Woodhead rushed two yards on the 2nd and 10 and on 3rd and 8 Brady threw a pass to Julian Edelman which did not connect. They Patriots attempted the field goal and the attempt was good.
New England’s secondary foiled Green Bay’s next offensive drive with a 4 yards sack on Flynn and forced them to punt the ball from the 26. New England’s offence came back on the field on the 37 yard line. Woodhead rushed 7, 5 and 13 yards in three plays
while Brady passed 25 yards in two plays. He finished off the drive with a 10 yards pass to Aaron Hernandez. With the extra point, the Patriots created a 4 points lead over the Packers. They held on to that lead despite a valiant effort by the Packers in the
last minutes of the quarter.
New England Patriots won 31 against 27.
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