Coming up empty: Green Bay Packers fail to capitalize on miscues as Tampa Bay Buccaneers reach Super Bowl

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 33 of 48 passes for 346 yards with three touchdowns and an interception as Green Bay fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 in the NFC Championship Game Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. 

MIKE ROEMER, ASSOCIATED PRESS

STEVE MEGARGEE Associated Press

GREEN BAY — Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ road magic have them heading home to the Super Bowl, the first team to play in one on their home field.

Brady owns six Super Bowl rings with New England and now heads to his 10th NFL championship game with his new team. With help from a stifling pass rush led by Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul combining for five sacks, and a curious late call by the Packers, Brady and the Bucs beat top-seeded Green Bay 31-26 for the NFC title Sunday.

The Bucs (14-5) earned their franchise-record eighth consecutive road victory to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since their 2002 championship season.

They were helped by a strange decision by Packers coach Matt LaFleur with just over two minutes remaining and down by five points. On fourth-and-goal, he elected to kick a field goal. Tampa Bay then ran out the clock on the Packers (14-4).

The Bucs (14-5) will face either the Kansas City Chiefs or Buffalo Bills at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 7.

Green Bay trailed 31-23 and had first-and-goal from the 8 in the last few minutes. But after Aaron Rodgers threw three straight incompletions, the Packers settled for Mason Crosby’s 26-yard field goal with 2:05 left.

The Packers had all three timeouts left and were hoping their defense could force a punt. The Bucs foiled that plan, draining the rest of the clock, helped by a pass interference penalty on Kevin King.