NFL playoffs: Packers hold off Seahawks, advance to NFC title game

Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers fended off a late Seattle Seahawks rally and punched their ticket to the NFC Championship Game with a 28-23 victory Sunday night at Lambeau Field.

With the win, the Packers reached the NFC title game for the third time in six years. Green Bay last appeared in the conference championship game during the 2016 campaign.

The Packers will travel to Santa Clara, Calif., next Sunday to take on the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the conference title game.

Rodgers completed 16-of-27 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns, both to star wide receiver Davante Adams. Adams finished with eight receptions for 160 receiving yards, a Packers postseason record.

Packers running back Aaron Jones rushed for 62 yards and two first-half touchdowns. Jimmy Graham hauled in three passes for 49 yards, including a key third-down catch late in the fourth quarter that clinched Green Bay's divisional round victory.

The Packers grabbed a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter after a 20-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Adams. Late in the opening frame, Seahawks kicker Jason Myers booted a 45-yard field goal to give Seattle its only points in the first half.

Jones powered across the goal line twice from one yard out in the second quarter to give the Packers a 21-3 halftime advantage.

The Seahawks' offense came to life in the third quarter, when Marshawn Lynch cut Seattle's deficit to 21-10 with his 1-yard plunge. The Packers responded with Rodgers' 40-yard strike to Adams midway through the third frame, putting Green Bay ahead 28-10.

With 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson rolled to the right sideline and found Tyler Lockett in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown. Lynch added a 1-yard score on the ground early in the fourth quarter to trim the Packers' lead to 28-23, but the Seahawks were unable to put together another scoring drive.

Wilson completed 21-of-31 throws for 277 yards and one touchdown. He led the Seahawks with 64 rushing yards on seven carries.

Lynch had 12 carries for 26 yards and two scores. Lockett recorded nine catches for 136 yards and one touchdown on 10 targets.