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Packers crush Titans by 48

Dec 24, 2012 - 4:56 AM Green Bay, WI (Sports Network) - Aaron Rodgers threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for another score, as the Green Bay Packers pummeled the Tennessee Titans, 55-7, on Saturday at Lambeau Field.

Rodgers finished an efficient 27-of-38 passing to go with four carries for 11 yards, while Ryan Grant rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.

James Jones finished with seven catches for 100 yards and a score, while Randall Cobb and Greg Jennings each hauled in a touchdown pass for the Packers (11-4), who have won four straight.

"This was an important momentum game for our football team," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's important for us to finish out the season the right way."

The Packers, fresh off clinching their second straight NFC North Division title, are still vying for a first-round bye. They moved into the second seed when San Francisco lost to Seattle Sunday night.

Tennessee quarterback Jake Locker struggled all day, going just 13-of-30 through the air for 140 yards with a touchdown and a pair of interceptions in the setback, Tennessee's fourth in its last five games.

Locker led the ground attack with 32 yards on four carries, while Chris Johnson managed just 28 yards on 11 carries for the Titans (5-10), who will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

"Obviously we didn't play very well at all," Titans coach Mike Munchak admitted. "If you go three-and-out the first three times and turn the ball over twice in the first quarter to a good football team at home, you're not going to win many games doing that."

After forcing the Titans to go three-and-out on their first two touches, the Packers started their second drive near midfield.

Rodgers moved his squad across midfield with an 8-yard pass to D.J. Williams before an 18-yard surge from Grant gave the Packers a first down at the Tennessee 15.

Two plays later, Rodgers dropped back to pass, but saw a hole up the middle and scrambled six yards into the end zone to give Green Bay a 7-0 lead with just under seven minutes left in the opening frame.

Following another Tennessee three-and-out, Green Bay took over at the Titans' 43-yard line. The Packers quickly capitalized on the good field position, as Rodgers completed all three passes on the short scoring drive, including a 20- yard touchdown toss to Cobb to make it 14-0 with 4:28 left in the first.

Green Bay's defense set up the team's next score late in the first, as Eric Walden picked off Locker inside Tennessee territory and returned it 20 yards to the Titans' 14.

The Packers, though, couldn't fully capitalize, as Rodgers' third-down pass fell incomplete and the Packers settled for a 26-yard field goal from Mason Crosby to press the margin to 17-0 early in the second.

After the Titans turned the ball over on downs on their next touch, the Packers converted a 4th-and-1 on Grant's 2-yard surge to set up Crosby's 48- yard field goal that hit the right upright and deflected through to extend the lead to 20-0 with 4:40 left in the second quarter.

The Packers carried their 20-0 lead into the break before scoring touchdowns on their first five touches of the second half to blow the game open.

On their first possession, Rodgers hit Cobb for 31 yards down to the Tennessee 27 before finding Jermichael Finley for 13 more to the Titans' 9-yard line.

Two plays later, DuJuan Harris took a carry over the right side and sped into the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown and a 27-0 Green Bay lead.

After another Tennessee punt, the Packers put together a 7-play, 71-yard scoring march on their next touch.

Rodgers completed a pair of passes to Jones before Grant caught a short pass and scampered 34 yards to the Tennessee 1. Rodgers then flipped a pass out to Jennings, who stepped into the end zone to press the margin to 34-0 with 5:40 left in the third.

The Packers again forced Tennessee to punt and Rodgers quickly moved his squad across midfield with an 18-yard completion to Finley.

Back-to-back completions to Jennings moved the ball to the Tennessee 12 before Jones caught a short pass and made a defender miss en route to a 12-yard touchdown to make it 41-0 early in the fourth.

After yet another three-and-out from the Titans, Jeremy Ross returned the ensuing punt 58 yards to the Tennessee 7, setting up Grant's 7-yard TD run on the next play to make it 48-0 with 12:31 left in the game.

Tennessee again failed to pick up a first down on their ensuing touch, and Grant quickly moved the Packers deep into Tennessee territory before capping the 7-play, 32-yard march with a 9-yard touchdown run to press the margin to 55-0 with 6:25 left in the fourth.

The Titans finally cracked the scoreboard late in the fourth when Locker hit Kenny Britt for a 2-yard touchdown with under two minutes left in the game.

Game Notes

Rodgers has won 25 of his last 27 starts at Lambeau Field ... Randall Cobb (2, 342) is now the franchise leader for most combined net yards in a season ... Tennessee had won three straight games against Green Bay ... The Packers had 28 first downs compared to just 10 from the Titans ... Green Bay outgained Tennessee, 460-180.