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The Green Bay Packers stunned the football world by beating the Dallas Cowboys 48-32 in the NFC Wild Card game. Running back Aaron Jones had a big day, rushing for 118 yards and 3 touchdowns. One of the elder statesmen on the young Packers roster, Jones is seen as a role model by some of the younger players.
On the sideline during the game, rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed told Jones exactly how he felt.
“You the reason I go hard bro,” Reed told Jones after Jones’s third touchdown. “You somebody to look up to, you somebody to play for.”
The Packers raced out to a 27-0 lead by the second quarter, leaving the Cowboys shellshocked. The game finished 48-32, suggesting a tighter matchup. However, the Packers were leading 48-16 with 6 minutes left, and in turn, pulled their starters. The Cowboys then scored two quick touchdowns, along with two, two-point conversions. This made the final score closer than the rest of the game suggested.
Young Packers Stepped Up
Aaron Jones’s stat line was a welcome sight to many Packers fans. Jones, like many of his teammates, was hampered by injuries throughout the season. Jones only played in 11 of 17 games this season, carrying the ball a total of 142 times and scoring 2 rushing touchdowns. His backfield partner, AJ Dillon, who missed two games through injury, received more carries this season with 178, also scoring 2 rushing touchdowns. Star receiver Christian Watson also missed much of the season with a reoccurring hamstring injury.
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GettyBo Melton came on strong in the final two games of the season
There have been several players who have stepped up when called upon this season. Bo Melton, a second-year player out of Rutgers, was originally drafted and then cut by the Seattle Seahawks. A career practice squad player, Melton was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster on January 1. In the final two games of the season, he caught a total of 11 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown. Rookie receiver Dontayvion Wicks improved as the season went on, culminating in a Rookie of the Week nomination in the final week of the regular season. The aforementioned Jayden Reed also had a stellar campaign, catching 64 passes for 793 yards and 8 touchdowns. His 8 touchdown catches were tied for eight-best in the NFL this season.
Hard Work Has Paid Off
With the Packers going into the season fielding the youngest team in the league, they knew that hard work was needed to succeed.
“It’s a lot of hard work that’s been put in, not just by yourself but by your teammates,” Aaron Jones said in an interview with Kay Adams.
Jones also commented on head coach Matt LaFleur’s influence on the team.
“We could’ve done so many things when we were 2-5, but he (LaFleur) made sure we stayed together. He made sure our process was right every day.”
GettyMatt LaFleur guided the Packers to a 9-8 record this season.
The Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card game and made history in doing so. With an average age of 25.59 years old, the Packers became the youngest team in history to win a postseason game.
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