Point differential-istas finally got to see the Atlanta Falcons get their comeuppance against the ostensibly superior Green Bay Packers, while the Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a narrow victory over division rivals the Baltimore Ravens. The first round of NFL scores in the divisional playoffs gave us one blowout and one wild comeback.
↵Aaron Rodgers was nearly perfect for the Packers—he finished 31-for-36 with three touchdowns and ran in seven yards for another one. Matt Ryan was intercepted twice, but the Falcons briefly had a 14-7 lead after Eric Weems ran back a kick return 102 yards for their second touchdown of the first half. But the Packers fired off five consecutive touchdowns, including a 70-yard interception return, and capped the evening off with two more field goals.
↵Joe Flacco was 16-for-30 with just 125 passing yards, but thanks to some early turnovers the Ravens actually took a 21-7 lead into halftime, on one of Ray Rice's few effective runs of the game and a fumble return for a touchdown in the first quarter. The Steelers tied the game on two third quarter touchdowns, but it was a third-and-19 conversion from Ben Roethlisberger that led to the Steelers' final touchdown, and a lead with less than two minutes remaining.
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