Green Bay come from 23 points down to beat Dallas Cowboys
The Green Bay Packers came from 23 points down to beat the Dallas Cowboys 37-36 and keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Packers looked down and out as they trailed 26-3 at half-time and 36-24 in the fourth quarter, however James Jones and Eddie Lacy scored late touchdowns to cap a remarkable comeback – matching the biggest in franchise history.
The Cowboys could have moved level with the Philadelphia Eagles at the top of the NFC East with victory – but they will have been left wondering where it all went wrong.
Tony Romo will have to shoulder a large chunk of the blame after he was intercepted twice in the last three minutes – with the first one setting the Packers up for the go-ahead score.
Romo had also thrown for two touchdowns and 358 yards, however he was outshone by Packers quarterback Matt Flynn.
The 28-year-old tossed four second-half touchdowns to inspire the fightback, with Flynn completing 26-of-39 passes for 299 yards.
The early exchanges had been dominated by the kickers, though, with Dan Bailey landing field goals from 47 and 23 yards for the Cowboys, with Mason Crosby’s 57-yard monster effort sandwiched in between.
The Cowboys edged clear at the end of the first quarter courtesy of Romo’s 25-yard TD pass to Jason Witten.
The second quarter was all Dallas, with Bailey landing field goals from 43 and 50 yards and DeMarco Murray, who rushed for 134 yards in total, crossing from a yard.
Green Bay began to claw their way back into the game in the third quarter as Flynn connected with Jordy Nelson with 13 yards.
Bailey was on target with his fifth field goal – this time from 50 yards – however the momentum was with the Packers as Andrew Quarless scored from Flynn’s three-yard pass.
And Green Bay cut the deficit to just five points when James Starks crossed from Flynn’s 11-yard pass.
The Cowboys must have thought they had weathered the storm when Romo tossed a five-yard scoring pass to Dez Bryant.
The Packers, though, refused to lie down and Jones set up a thrilling finale as he went over after Flynn found him from three yards.
Dallas should have closed out the game, however Romo was intercepted by Sam Shields with 2:46 left of the match.
That provided the opening for the Packers, with Lacy, who rushed for 141 yards, diving over from a yard out to snatch memorable victory.