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Aaron Rodgers buys another free play, gives Packers the lead

Mike McCarthy, Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy, left, talks with quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) before an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

AP

We already know that Aaron Rodgers is good at buying free plays and turning them into big plays.

And he just stuck it to the Cowboys, with the second one of the day already turning into a touchdown and a 7-3 lead.

When Cowboys defensive end David Irving jumped offside, Rodgers did what he normally does and went long, and hit tight end Richard Rodgers for a 34-yard score.

It was the second time he caught the Cowboys for a penalty, quick-snapping when Benson Mayowa was the 12th man on the field.

His ability to read things in a hurry has been well-documented, and if team’s aren’t going to be disciplined against him, he’s going to make them pay.

If there was a surprise early in the game it was the Cowboys throwing the ball on third-and-2 when they had the ball, and when Packers cornerback Ladarius Gunter broke up Dak Prescott’s pass, it set up a 50-yard Dan Bailey field goal to open the scoring.

But the Cowboys can’t trade field goals for touchdowns for long, not the way Rodgers has been playing.