That's why Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback on the planet

Frank Schwab
·NFL writer

The Dallas Cowboys tried. They milked the clock late in the fourth quarter and everyone knew why: They wanted to score and not give Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers any time to win the game.

They didn’t give Rodgers much time. It was enough.

Rodgers is the best player in the NFL, and it’s probably not close. His 12-yard touchdown to Davante Adams with 11 seconds left beat the Cowboys 35-31. What a game. What a final drive.

Dak Prescott scored at the end of a methodical drive with 1:13 left to give the Cowboys the lead. Dallas took its time on that drive, and everyone knew why. Fox announcers Troy Aikman and Joe Buck said repeatedly on the broadcast that it was clear the Cowboys didn’t want to give Rodgers any time to answer.

In the final 1:13, Rodgers was fantastic. That came with his No. 1 receiver Jordy Nelson on the sideline with an apparent injury, which made it even more impressive. Rodgers got the Packers into Cowboys territory with some great throws. He got the Packers in scoring range with a remarkable 18-yard run on the left side. Then he finished off Dallas.

Rodgers tried Adams once down the left sideline, and it was incomplete. You need incredible confidence to go right back to the same play again, but this is Rodgers we’re talking about. Same play, picture perfect pass, touchdown Adams. Green Bay victory.

Of course, it allowed everyone to flash back to last season’s classic Cowboys-Packers playoff game, when Rodgers cut the Cowboys’ heart out with an unbelievable throw to Jared Cook to set up a game-winning field goal at the end. This time Rodgers needed a touchdown to win. He got it, and there aren’t many quarterbacks you’d have the confidence in to pull that off. When the Packers got the ball back with more than a minute left, it seemed inevitable Rodgers would get at least a field goal to tie. He got the Packers the win instead.

They’ll be having nightmares about Rodgers in Dallas. Again.

Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers (12) led his team to a game-winning drive in the final seconds against Dallas. (AP)
Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers (12) led his team to a game-winning drive in the final seconds against Dallas. (AP)

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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