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Aaron Rodgers' return lifts Green Bay Packers into playoffs

Winning on the road with winner-take-all stakes is a tough assignment. It becomes even more difficult to do so when you're returning to the field after missing seven games due to an injury.

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Greatest on the road ...

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Rodgers and crew converted on three fourth-down plays on their game-winning drive, including a 48-yard touchdown play to Randall Cobb, to earn a 33-28 win over the rival Chicago Bears, claim a third consecutive NFC North crown and make the playoffs for the fifth time in a row. Did we mention it came against the Bears? In Chicago, where "fourth-and-8" could go down among the team's most disappointing losses to their neighbors from the north. Here's a quick top-of-my-head power rankings of bitter Bears losses to the Packers ...

Rodgers broke his collarbone the last time the Bears and Packers played, a 27-20 Bears win on "Monday Night Football" in Week 9. Three weeks before that, Cobb injured his knee in a win over the Baltimore Ravens. On Sunday, the two combined for a play that will be one of the signature moments of the NFL's most storied rivalry.

Also considered:

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Manning used the O'co Coliseum stage to put an exclamation point on a record-setting season for him as well as the Broncos. Manning extended his single-season touchdown passes record to 55 (five more than Tom Brady posted in 2007), and the Broncos set a record for most points scored in a single season (606, beating the New England Patriots' total of 589 set in 2007). Adopting a "sharing is caring" approach to ball distribution, Manning helped the Broncos become the first team in NFL history to have five players with 10 or more touchdowns (Demaryius Thomas, 14; Knowshon Moreno, 13; Julius Thomas, 12; Eric Decker, 11; Wes Welker, 10).

Geno Smith, New York Jets

Smith helped the Jets play spoiler, eliminating the Miami Dolphins from playoff contention in the season's final week with a 20-7 win, and setting the stage for the San Diego Chargers to earn the AFC's sixth and final playoff spot in dramatic fashion. Smith led three long scoring drives, and ran for a touchdown, to bring a once-promising season to a disappointing end for a bitter division rival.

Previous Greatness on the Road winners:

Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.