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Packers pound Washington in NFL playoffs

A 35-18 victory over Washington by Green Bay means all four NFL postseason opening round road teams are winners for the first time.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay have thumped Washington 35-18 to close out the NFL's Wild Card weekend. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Green Bay and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have overcome a sluggish start to roll Washington 35-18 and close out the NFL's Wild Card weekend.

The Sunday victory sets up a date for the Packers on the road next weekend against the Arizona Cardinals.

That will complete the match-ups for the divisional round of the playoff series, with all four road teams having graduated as opening-round winners for the first time.

Seattle, 10-9 victors earlier on Sunday against Minnesota, play NFC top-seeded Carolina, while AFC top seeds Denver host Pittsburgh and New England entertain Kansas City.

Green Bay fell behind 11-0 early in the second quarter before Rodgers, who completed only one-of-eight passes for 11 yards in the opening quarter, got his sides' attack into gear on an unseasonably warm, windy day in the US capital.

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From that point on, the Packers outscored the hosts 35-7.

"We just needed a game like this to get our mojo back, to get our confidence going," Rodgers said.

"The playoffs brings it out in all of us. It's a one-and-done mentality. The focus goes up, the intensity goes up."

Rodgers, who had struggled down the stretch of the regular season as Green Bay dropped their last two, found his touch and confidence and the Packers ran off 17 points to head into intermission leading 17-11.

Washington, winners of four in a row to end the season, responded at the start of the second half, with quarterback Kirk Cousins scoring on a three-yard quarterback draw that put the Redskins back on top 18-17.

But Rodgers, mixing in an effective running game with James Starks and Eddie Lacey carrying the ball, directed Green Bay on a pair of touchdown drives, capping the second with a two-point pass conversion to put the Packers on top 32-18.

Green Bay added a field goal and the spirited defence, which registered six sacks, stopped Washington on fourth-down conversion attempts three times to clinch victory.

Washington coach Jay Gruden said once Rodgers got it going, the Redskins were overmatched.

"We couldn't get them off the field and Aaron did what he did," he said.

"We just failed to make plays after they took the lead in the third quarter. After that it was a snowball effect."

Rodgers, the league's reigning MVP, finished with a pair of touchdown passes, completed 21 of 36 passes for 210 yards and led the Packers to points on five successive drives for the first time this season.


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