Jaguars eliminate Packers from playoffs 20-16

[December 15, 2008]  JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Green Bay's slim playoff chances ended in fitting fashion -- with another fourth-quarter collapse.

David Garrard threw two touchdowns passes, Maurice Jones-Drew scored twice and the Jacksonville Jaguars snapped a four-game losing streak with a 20-16 victory against the Packers on Sunday.

The Packers (5-9) lost on a late drive for the third consecutive week. Carolina beat Green Bay 35-31 two weeks ago with a 55-yard drive in the final two minutes. Houston kicked a winning field goal as time expired to win 24-21 last week.

The latest one came courtesy of Garrard, Dennis Northcutt and Jones-Drew.

The Packers entered the fourth quarter with a 13-7 lead, poised to snap a three-game slide, but Garrard directed two scoring drives that gave Jacksonville (5-9) its second win in eight games.

Garrard ran for 4 yards on a fourth-down play to keep the first drive alive, then capped it with a blitz-beating, 14-yard TD pass to Jones-Drew.

The Packers went back in front, 16-14, on Mason Crosby's third field goal. But Garrard and the Jaguars answered against Green Bay's porous defense. The second drive was even more efficient that the first, with Garrard hooking up with Northcutt for a 41-yard gain -- the Jaguars had been the only NFL team without a pass play of at least 40 yards -- and later scrambling for 16 yards on third down.

Jones-Drew took it in from 2 yards out on the next play, putting Jacksonville ahead for good.

Jones-Drew, starting in place of Fred Taylor (thumb), finished with 48 yards rushing and 22 yards receiving. Northcutt caught five passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, a 31-yarder on the game's opening drive.

Green Bay had a final chance to win, but Reggie Nelson intercepted a pass from Aaron Rodgers over the middle with 40 seconds remaining.

Rodgers finished 20-of-32 passing for 278 yards and a touchdown. James Jones caught four passes for 132 yards. Ryan Grant ran for 56 yards.

The defense was the Packers' biggest problem -- again. Green Bay failed to generate much pressure on Garrard, and he found open receivers most of the day. Garrard was 21-of-33 for 238 yards.

Although the Packers lost another game late, their problems started much earlier. They scored on their first three possessions, driving 79, 59 and 75 yards and taking a 13-7 lead into the locker room. They could have had a bigger advantage, but had to settle for two short field goals.

[Associated Press]

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