Mega Sport

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- There was a playoff vibe in Sunday night’s thoroughly entertaining and highly competitive game between the  Green Bay Packers  and  New England Patriots . And the Patriots sure looked primed and ready for another push to the playoffs in recording  a 31-17 victory , in which they scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and that featured some familiar staples. There was razzle-dazzle on offense in the fourth quarter --  Julian Edelman throwing a cross-the-field pass to running back  James White , who ran 37 yards to set up the go-ahead touchdown. Yes, the old Kent State quarterback still can sling it. "It's always nice to throw a pass. I'm just mad that James didn’t get in [the end zone]. I would have had a better stat line," Edelman cracked. "I definitely felt the crowd get fired up after that. It was a real swing right there." The play  sparked memories of the double pass  in which Edelman connected with...

  5 takeaways from the Patriots’ sixth-straight win The lone turnover turned the game. Julian Edelman Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman runs after the catch during third quarter action against the Packers. –Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff By Dave D'Onofrio 1:38 AM Five takeaways after the Patriots pull away from the Packers to score a 31-17 victory and a sixth-straight win. Brady over Rodgers oversimplifies it The allure of Sunday night’s game for the national audience was the battle between Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, with two of their generation’s elite quarterbacks trading possession of the football, and with the Patriots’ victory will come the headlines that Brady outdueled his Packer counterpart. But that assessment would be dramatically oversimplifying things. Brady and Rodgers were both fine. Brady finished 22 of 35 for 294 yards and a touchdown; Rodgers went 24-for-43, totaling 259 yards and two scores. Their passer ratings were 99 and 89.2, respectively. Per that me...