Cal in NFL: Aaron Rodgers Helps Packers Pull Out OT Win
Former Cal standout Aaron Rodgers came up with the pivotal completion in overtime to help the Packers get away with a 25-22 victory over the Bengals on Sunday.
However, folks in the San Francisco Bay Area did not see the dramatic finish live.
Failings by both teams’ place-kickers were the main story of this game.
The Packers did not give Rodgers a chance to win the game after a De'Vondre Campbell interception gave them the ball at the Bengals’ 17-yard line in overtime. After two unsuccessful running plays, Mason Crosby missed a 40-yard field goal on third down.
“Yeah, it’s tough sometimes for sure,” Rodgers said regarding dealing with things that are out of his control, “especially when Davante [Adams] and I are going like that, like we were today, to not have a chance there, after Dre picked that ball off, to maybe take a shot there on third down to get us a little closer. That’s just something we’ll look at and talk about.”
But several plays after a Bengals missed a field-goal attempt, the Packers had another chance and faced third-and-16 from the Cincinnati 47-yard line. That’s when Rodgers, despite being knocked down when he released the ball, threaded the needle on a 15-yard pass to Randall Cobb, putting the ball at the Bengals’ 32-yard line.
The Packers’ faced fourth-and-1 and Crosby came out to attempt a game-winning 49-yard field goal after missing three field-goal attempts and an extra point earlier in the game.
That is when FOX television switched from that game to the start of the 49ers-Cardinals game.
So folks in Northern California, including Rodgers’ hometown of Chico, did not see Crosby make his field goal to improve Green Bay’s record to 4-1.
Rodgers finished the game 27-for-39 for 344 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and 102.9 passer rating. During the game, Rodgers threw his 422nd touchdown pass, putting him in sole possession of the No. 5 spot in that category.
His best throw of the day was this completion to Davante Adams:
Here’s how the other former Cal players did in their NFL games this weekend:
Jared Goff, Lions quarterback: Goff had just a so-so game statistically (21-for-35, 203 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception), but what he did in the closing minutes was impressive and almost produced Detroit’s first win.
With his team trailing Minnesota 16-6 with 3:17 left, Goff directed a 39-yard drive that ended with a field goal and reduced the margin to 16-9. Then, after Detroit recovered a fumble, Goff had a 10-yard completion that was part of a touchdown drive that got Detroit within 16-15 with 37 seconds remaining. The Lions opted to go for two, and Goff hit KhaDarel Hodge for a successful two-point conversion that put Detroit ahead by a point.
Alas, Minnesota had enough to time to put Greg Joseph in position to kick a game-winning 54-yard field goal on the final play for a 19-17 Vikings win.
Camryn Bynum, Vikings safety: Bynum played against the Lions, but he did not start and did not record any statistics.
Keenan Allen, Chargers wide receiver: Allen had six catches for 75 yards in the 47-42 victory over the Browns. He had a critical 20-yard reception on a fourth-and-8 play during a touchdown drive that tied the score at 35-35. Allen then had a 33-yard catch on a third-down play on the next Los Angeles possession that produced a touchdown that should have tied the score, but the extra point was missed. But the Chargers scored on their next possession to win it.
Cameron Jordan, Saints defensive end: Jordan made his 150th consecutive start, the second longest active streak in the NFL, in New Orleans’ 33-22 win over Washington. He recorded four tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and one pass knocked down. However, he is still looking for his first quarterback sack of the season.
Jordan Kunaszyk, Washington linebacker: Elevated to the active roster this week, Kunaszyk got his first regular-season playing time since last season. He did not register any statistics, though.
Marvin Jones Jr., Jaguars wide receiver: Fantasy league experts were expecting Jones to have a big game this week, but he had only one reception for 25 yards in the 37-19 loss to the Titans.
Jaylinn Hawkins, Falcons safety: Hawkins made his first start of the season and recorded the first interception of his career in Atlanta’s 27-20 victory over the Jets in London. Hawkins had just one tackle, but his big play came in the second quarter when he intercepted a Zach Wilson pass and returned 11 yards to the Jets’ 34-yard line.
Ashtyn Davis, Jets safety: Davis, who played alongside Hawkins in the Cal secondary two years ago, did not start against the Falcons, but he entered the game on Atlanta’s second offensive possession and recorded five tackles.
Alex Mack, 49ers center: Mack was the starting center for San Francisco in its 17-10 loss to the Cardinals.
Bryan Anger, Cowboys punter: Anger punted just once for 61 yards in the win over the Giants.
DeSean Jackson, Rams wide receiver: Jackson was on the field for 20 offensive plays in Thursday’s win over Seattle and had just one reception, but you could argue his lone catch was the biggest play of the game. His reception was for 68 yards, the only play of the game that covered more than 33 yards. It put the ball at the Seattle 12-yard line and led to a touchdown that put the Rams ahead 9-7 in the third quarter.
Jake Curhan, Seahawks offensive lineman: Curhan was on the inactive list prior to the Thursday game against Rams as a coach’s decision (he was not injured). Curhan had received significant playing time on the offensive line last week.
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