Grant carries Packers to NFC Title Game

Ryan Grant overcame some early postseason jitters to run for 201 yards and three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 42-20 in their Divisional Round playoff matchup to advance to the NFC Championship Game.

On the first play from scrimmage for Green Bay, Grant caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and, after being hit by Seattle linebacker LeRoy Hill, lost the football. Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu recovered for the Seahawks, setting his team up at the Packers' one-yard line for a touchdown run by Shaun Alexander.

Then, on Green Bay's very next possession, Grant fumbled on the second play, this time after he gained six yards on a run up the middle. Safety Brian Russell applied the hit, and cornerback Jordan Babineaux picked up the loose ball and was stopped at the Packers' 49. It took Seattle six plays to score, as Matt Hasselbeck hit Bobby Engram with an 11-yard touchdown pass to give the Seahawks a 14-0 lead 2:09 into the first quarter.

It didn't take long for Grant and Green Bay to respond, however. On the ensuing drive, Brett Favre completed four passes in four attempts, highlighted by a 31-yard catch-and-run with James Jones and a 15-yard touchdown to Greg Jennings. After that, it was all Packers for the rest of the game.

Green Bay forced Seattle to punt on its next possession, which was when Grant's redemption began. The 25-year old undrafted halfback compiled 49 yards on the ground on the nine-play drive for the Packers, finishing things off with a one-yard touchdown carry to knot the score up at 14. Grant's best run of the drive was a 26-yard burst up the middle that got Green Bay to the Seahawks' 16-yard line.

The turnover bug then attacked Seattle the next time it had the football. After catching a five-yard pass from Hasselbeck, tight end Marcus Pollard was hit by safety Atari Bigby and put the ball on the ground. Aaron Kampman recovered at the Seahawks' 18-yard line. Favre then connected with Jennings for the second time of the game, converting on a short two-yard toss to give the Packers a 21-14 advantage.

Josh Brown tacked on a field goal for Seattle on its next possession to make the score 21-17, but Green Bay wouldn't stop scoring. The Packers mixed in a variety of pass plays from Favre with several carries from Grant to go on a 14-play, 70-yard drive that ate up 6:52 of clock. Grant capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown, extending Green Bay's lead to 28-17 heading into halftime.

After forcing the Seahawks to go three-and-out once again to start out the second half, the Packers marched 66 yards down the field to go up 35-17 on Favre's third touchdown toss of the game, this time a 13-yarder to backup rookie halfback Brandon Jackson. Brown would add on one more field goal for Seattle to cut Green Bay's lead to 15 at 35-20, but the Seahawks were done scoring after that. The Packers were not.

For the sixth consecutive possession, Green Bay scored a touchdown, this time on a another one-yard scamper by Grant, putting the Packers up 42-20. For Grant, it was his third rushing touchdown of the game, setting a franchise postseason record for Green Bay. His 201 yards also set a postseason franchise record. Favre finished 18-for-23 with 178 yards and three touchdowns.

Seattle could not find any kind of ground game, as Alexander rushed for only 20 yards on nine attempts. Maurice Morris carried three times for negative one yards. The Seahawks did not enjoy much success through the air, either, as Hasselbeck completed 19 of 33 passes for 194 yards and a score. Engram caught six passes for 67 yards and the lone receiving touchdown of the day.

The Packers will face the winner of the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys game in the NFC Championship Game. Green Bay defeated New York and lost to Dallas this season. Favre is 0-9 lifetime at Texas Stadium, including an 0-3 record in the playoffs. He lost there this year in a contest where he left early after dislocating both his elbow and shoulder on the same play.