GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Ryan Grant redeemed himself after two early fumbles, rushing for 201 yards and three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers rallied to take a 42-20 lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter of Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game at snow-streaked Lambeau Field.
Grant earned most of the credit for a revitalized Packers running game in the second half of the season, but his mistakes helped put the Packers in an early 14-0 hole.
But Brett Favre, Grant and the Packers rallied with touchdowns on their next five offensive possessions — a scoring avalanche that at times rivaled the heavy white flakes falling from the sky.
Favre was 18-of-22 for 173 yards and three touchdowns through three quarters.
He began the big rally by throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings, and Grant did the heavy lifting on Green Bay's second scoring drive.
The Packers scored again on another touchdown pass by Favre to Jennings early in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead.
Josh Brown's 29-yard field goal midway through the quarter cut the deficit to 21-17, but Favre answered with another touchdown drive just before halftime that included one of the three-time MVP's signature moments.
Facing third-and-8 at the Seattle 14, Favre scrambled away from pressure by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and flipped the ball underhanded to tight end Donald Lee, who leaped for a first down that set up first-and-goal at the Seattle 3.
Grant then scored his second touchdown, putting the Packers up 28-17 with 26 seconds left in the half.
After a three-and-out by the Seahawks to begin the second half, the Packers scored again on a 13-yard swing pass to running back Brandon Jackson that gave the Packers a 35-17 lead.
Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory on their next possession, but had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Brown to cut the Packers' lead to 35-20 with 2:46 left in the quarter.
Green Bay's offense went conservative from the start, but it still managed to bite them. Favre threw a swing pass to Grant on the right side, which the running back managed to haul in after bobbling the ball. Linebacker Leroy Hill then stripped the ball from Grant, and Lofa Tatupu recovered to give the Seahawks first-and-goal at the Green Bay 1.
Hasselbeck immediately handed the ball to Shaun Alexander, who plunged in for a touchdown behind a block by center Chris Spencer to put the Seahawks ahead 7-0.
The Packers didn't shy from feeding the ball to Grant on their second possession, and it cost them again. Grant was stripped of the ball by Brian Russell on the second play of the possession, and Jordan Babineaux recovered to give the ball back to the Seahawks offense at the Green Bay 49.
Grant fumbled only once in the regular season.
Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory, then threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Engram between Packers defensive backs Charles Woodson and Jarrett Bush to put Seattle ahead 14-0 with 10:59 left in the quarter.
With the snow getting heavier and Packers fans beginning to panic, Favre rallied the Packers for a 69-yard touchdown drive.
Favre's 31-yard completion to James Jones on third down midfield, set up a 15-yard touchdown to Jennings that cut Seattle's lead to 14-7 with 7:08 left in the quarter. Favre was 5-for-5 on the drive.
After a three-and-out by Seattle, the Packers relied on runs of 26 and 15 yards by Grant. He then scored on a 1-yard run, allowing Green Bay to tie it at 14.
Source: The Associated Press
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