EditorsNote: tweaks Davante and changes NFL to AFC in lede; minor edits throughout
Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes — three to Davante Adams — and Green Bay kept the AFC’s highest-scoring offense in check Sunday night during a 40-14 beating of the Tennessee Titans at snowy Lambeau Field.
Rodgers completed 21 of 25 passes for 231 yards and a meaningless fourth-quarter interception, just his fifth of the year against 44 TD passes. Adams finished with 11 catches for 142 yards. The Packers also gained 234 yards rushing, with AJ Dillon netting 124 yards and two scores on 21 attempts.
Green Bay (12-3) broke out a five-man defensive front to neutralize NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry. He ran for 98 yards on 23 carries, but quarterback Ryan Tannehill hit only 11 of 24 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions.
Tannehill did rush for a 45-yard score less than three minutes into the third quarter to draw Tennessee (10-5) to 19-14. But the Packers blew it open with Rodgers’ 8-yard strike to Adams, followed by 30- and 7-yard touchdown runs from the powerful Dillon.
Green Bay can clinch the top seed in the NFC playoffs with a win in Chicago next week, while the Titans can wrap up the AFC South by winning at Houston.
Green Bay spent most of the first half beating Tennessee at its own game — running to set up the pass. After the opening kickoff went out of bounds, the Packers moved 60 yards in eight plays. Rodgers flipped a 5-yard touchdown pass to Adams.
On their next drive, they went 80 yards in 10 plays, with Rodgers finding Equanimeous St. Brown for a 21-yard scoring strike on the second quarter’s first play.
Rodgers and Adams teamed again to complete the next drive, connecting on a 7-yard touchdown play six plays after a Tannehill interception. That raised the lead to 19-0 with 10:46 left in the half.
The Titans’ only sack stopped Green Bay’s next drive and led to their first score. Tannehill ended a 71-yard drive by scrambling and finding Jonnu Smith for a 12-yard score 37 seconds before halftime, making it 19-7.
–Field Level Media
