ARLINGTON, Texas -- One of the key elements to the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers' dominant 48-32 win against the second-seeded Dallas Cowboys was jumping ahead early and forcing the home team to play from behind.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur instructed his team captains to ask to receive the opening kickoff and put quarterback Jordan Love and the offense out there first to begin the game. The Packers offense rewarded LaFleur's faith with a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped by running back Aaron Jones' first of three rushing touchdowns -- this one from 3 yards out. Jones went on to tie for the most road rushing touchdowns in a single playoff game in NFL history and the most rushing touchdowns in a game in wild-card round history.
"That's the mindset," said Love, who threw for 272 passing yards and three touchdowns on 16-for-21 passing, which earned him a 157.2 passer rating, 1.1 points away from a perfect 158.3 rating. "We're trying to get the offense out there, start fast, go put up points and like I said, just get to that fast start. That's what we've been doing all season. That's what's been working for us so we try to keep that rolling. I think it all starts with how we begin the game ... start fast, put up points and put that pressure back on them."
Following a Packers' punt after their second possession of the game, the Cowboys' second drive began at their own eight. Three plays later, Green Bay had the ball back in the red zone. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, who was a game-time decision with an ankle injury, made a diving interception off Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on a throw intended for wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
"It was lit honestly. There was no better feeling," Alexander said of his postseason interception of Prescott. There's a few quarterbacks who've thrown me multiple picks in my career, and Dak is now one of them. So he's among my top QBs."
Three plays later, Jones was in the end zone again for his second of three rushing touchdowns, and the Packers were ahead 14-0, sending Dallas into panic mode.
"Ah man, we needed that, we needed that spark," Alexander said. "We needed to quiet the crowd down. And, you know when we get interceptions that's always good, especially the [64-yard] pick-six [by safety Darnell Savage], so yup, we needed that."
There are four quarterbacks on Alexander's "top QBs" list comprised of players he has intercepted multiple times. Joining Prescott are retired future Hall of Famer Tom Brady, Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen and Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. After Dak joined Alexander's list, Green Bay proceeded to rip off three more unanswered touchdowns to go up 27-0 right before halftime, essentially putting the game on ice. That type of win announced to the rest of the NFL world that, in the words of Alexander, "Pack is back!"
"How do I feel about it?" Alexander said when asked about the convincing postseason win. "Anybody who doubted us ... I feel like they see that we are legit."
