Associated Press
The Green Bay Packers are finishing this season with a flourish because they’ve figured out how to start games better.
Green Bay has surged into the divisional round of the playoffs by outscoring opponents 80-26 in the first half during its four-game winning streak. That’s a remarkable step forward for a team that failed to score a single first-half touchdown for five straight games earlier this season.
The trend continued Sunday as the Packers (10-8) scored the game’s first 27 points in a 48-32 victory over the Dallas Cowboys that advanced them to a Saturday divisional playoff matchup with the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers (12-5).