Packers overwhelm Redskins in second half for 35-18 win

The Green Bay Packers shook off a slow start as they went on to a 35-18 win over the Washington Redskins at Fedex Field in the final Wild Card playoff game of the weekend.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers discusses a play with head coach Mike McCarthy in this 2012 file photo.

Rodgers also threw a TD pass to Devante Adams, and the Packers led the Redskins 17-11 at halftime.

Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins got out to a red-hot start, scoring the first 11 points of their NFC Wild Card game.

The Redskins led 5-0 in the first quarter, but the advantage could have been larger. The Redskins were up 2-0 after linebacker Preston Smith sacked Rodgers for a safety.

A couple dozen fans gathered outside a stadium tunnel to greet Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins and other Redskins players as they got off a bus more than a couple of hours before kickoff for Sunday’s playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. Hard running by Eddie Lacy and James Starks provided balance in the second half. Reed had five catches for 60 yards and a touchdown to lead Washington at the break.

NFC East champion Washington (9-8) had won four games in a row, but its season ends without a victory over a winning team.

NOTES: The visiting team captured all four wild-card playoff games for the first time since the current format was adopted in 1990….

Jackson’s error proved to be the turning point in the game, as the Packers held Cousins and the offense to just a field goal on that drive. On one play, a third-and-three late in the third quarter, he waved at James to move closer to the sideline and proceeded to complete the pass to him for the first down. Following a Mason Crosby Field goal, Rodgers would connect with Davante Adams to give the Packers a 17-11 halftime lead. Cousins was sacked six times and fumbled twice, losing one.

A block-in-the-back penalty on Green Bay on the 57-yard Tress Way punt backed the Packers up at their own eight-yard line for their second possession. After gaining 17 yards on nine carries in the first half, Green Bay finished with more than 140 yards rushing. The Packers made a goal-line stand after a DeSean Jackson touchdown was overturned when replays showed Jackson, who beat HaHa Clinton-Dix to the pylon, did not get the ball over the goal line.

As a team the Packers accumulated 346 yards in total offense while running for 141 yards.

Overall, Cousins finished the game with 29 completions on 46 attempts for 329 yards and two touchdowns, not enough to topple the Packers, but enough to make Washington optimistic for the future.

Cousins was even more impressive at home.