SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 7, 2010
Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and Brandon Jackson scored twice as the Green Bay Packers extended Dallas' woes by mauling the Cowboys 45-7 on Sunday night.
Rodgers finished 27 of 34 for 289 yards and connected with Jackson, Greg Jennings and James Jones on short scoring passes as the Packers (6-3) won their third straight game to remain atop the NFC North Division.
Linebacker Clay Matthews returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown and Nick Collins brought back a fumbled kickoff 26 yards for a score as Green Bay sent the spiraling Cowboys (1-7) to their fifth consecutive defeat.
Jackson scored on a 9-yard pass and a 2-yard run as part of a 28-point second quarter for the Packers, who scored a pair of touchdowns in nine seconds late in the first half for a 28-0 cushion.
Jon Kitna, making his second start in place of an injured Tony Romo, was 19 of 30 for 183 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Rookie Dez Bryant had nine catches for 86 yards and a touchdown for the Cowboys, who have surrendered a total of 179 points during their five-game skid.
A blown officiating call and Dallas' own sidelined foibles contributed to the embarrassing loss.
After Rodgers capped a 10-play, 93-yard drive with an 8-yard scoring pass to Jennings for a 21-0 lead with 2:13 left in the half, the Cowboys' Bryan McCann was stripped of the ball on the ensuing kickoff and returned for a touchdown by Collins.
Replays showed McCann's knee was down before the ball came loose, but Dallas did not have any timeouts left and therefore could not challenge the play.