The Packers had stopped the Eagles on their first possession of the second period, but on Green Bay’s opening play, Favre through the ill-advised pass that was returned to the Packers 34 yard line.
Philadelphia ran five plays after the turnover, the longest being an 11-yard run by Duce Staley that put the Eagles well within field-goal range. Two plays later, David Akers kicked a 31-yard field goal that wrapped up the victory.
Green Bay jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter behind two scoring strikes from Favre to wide receiver Robert Ferguson. The first, a 40-yard bullet, came midway through the first period and immediately followed a Donovan McNabb fumble that was recovered by Packers rookie middle linebacker Nick Barnett.
The second was a 17-yard strike on a third-and-four play late in the quarter.
After both teams were forced to punt on their first possessions of the second quarter, Philadelphia finally got on the board, and back in the game. On a second-and-two from the Eagles 48, McNabb hit Todd Pinkston for 45 yards, setting up a seven-yard touchdown pass to Duce Staley on the following play.
Green Bay had an opportunity to open the game up again before the half came to an end, but a goal line stand by the Eagles defense kept the Packers out of the end zone. After a Favre pass fell incomplete on first down from the four-yard line, running back Najeh Davenport picked up three yards on the next two plays.
On fourth-and-one, in a momentum-shifting play, Ahman Green was stuffed, turning the ball over to the Eagles on downs. The game went to halftime with the packers holding a precarious 14-7 lead.
Neither team could sustain a drive for most of the third quarter, but Philadelphia ended the period on the move. On the final play before the intermission, McNabb scrambled for 24 yards before being brought down at the Green Bay 12.
The fourth quarter started with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Pinkston to knot the game at 14.
Both teams went three-and out on their next possessions, but on the first play of the Packers following drive, Favre connected with wide receiver Javon Walker for a 44-yard gain, helping set up a 21-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Long.
Philadelphia was stuffed on the ensuing possession by an attacking Packers defense, and it appeared Green Bay was going to put the game away when they ran more than six minutes off the clock with a 10-play drive. But head coach Mike Sherman elected not to go for it on fourth-and-one from the Eagles 41, a play that likely would have sealed the victory for the Packers had they converted.
Instead, the Packers kicked the ball away, and with the ball traveling into the end zone for a touchback, Philadelphia took possession at their own 20 with 2:21 remaining.
Staley began the Eagles’ possession with a 22-yard scamper to move the ball out to the 42. A 16-yard loss on a sack of McNabb, sandwiched between two incompletions, left Philadelphia looking like they were doomed, facing a very difficult fourth-and-26 situation.
But on the next play, McNabb hit Freddie Michell for a 28-yard grab over the middle for the first down. A 10-yard pass the Pinkston put the Eagles in field goal range, and Akers connected on the 37-yard attempt to send the game to overtime.
No team has ever won two straight overtime games in the playoffs. The Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks in overtime last weekend.
The win gives the Eagles the opportunity of facing the Carolina Panthers in Philadelphia next Sunday in the NFC Championship.
