Rodgers passes, runs ... tackles

The naked bootleg left, where he outraced speedy safety Danieal Manning to the pylon, showed off athleticism.

So did the 25-yard scramble, where he sped away from lots of angry Bears, including Lance Briggs, who finally ran him out of bounds on the Green Bay sideline.

Aaron Rodgers’ tackle on Brian Urlacher, the Bears’ franchise leader for career tackles? That, too, showed the quarterback’s special ability to make plays with his legs, besides his right arm.

“That’s a potentially game-saving tackle,” Green Bay right guard Josh Sitton said.

“Aaron’s tackle, you would hope that wouldn’t have to be in the big-play category,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “But it definitely was a big play.”

Aaron Rodgers giveth.

Aaron Rodgers taketh.

Momentum.

For the Bears.

With the Packers threating to take a 3-touchdown lead in the third quarter of Sunday’s NFC championship game, Rodgers dropped back on third-and-goal from the Bears’ 6-yard line.

The QB who rarely misfires did just that. Urlacher intercepted the pass intended for wide receiver Donald Driver and took off toward Soldier Field’s south end zone.

Urlacher reached the giant Chicago “C” crest at midfield and had only Rodgers to beat for a score that would have trimmed the Bears’ deficit in half.

But Rodgers got an angle on Urlacher. Their eyes locked on each other. Big, bad, fast, seven-time Pro Bowl selection, 6-foot-4, 258-pound Brian Urlacher was coming right at the 6-2, 225-pound QB.

Rodgers won the battle, diving to make a shoestring tackle after Urlacher’s 39-yard rumble.

“It was a terrible throw,” Rodgers said. “Once I threw it, I started sprinting. I was hopeful that I was at least going to be able to catch up to him. When he turned and faced me, I knew that I had to make a stand.

“Good play call, bad throw,” Rodgers added. “Decent effort.

Rodgers, a modest man, was actually proud of himself.

“Probably one of my better tackles,” he said, grinning slightly.

Not one of his better throws.

“I was looking for the open guy and there wasn’t anybody open,” Rodgers said. “In that situation, you got to throw it away. You kick a field goal and you’re up by 3 scores in a game where Jay (Cutler, knee injury) is out of the game and they’re playing a backup quarterback.”

Passing-wise, Rodgers had his worst game in the playoffs. He finished 17 of 30 for 244 yards, 2 interceptions, no TD tosses and a 55.4 passer efficiency rating.

That, after completing his first 5 passes and capping the game’s opening drive with his 1-yard TD run.

In the end, though, Rodgers accomplished what he and the Packers had planned. They advanced to the Super Bowl with a 21-14 win.

“Since I’ve been here, he’s been a man of character,” Sitton said. “You don’t see him hanging his head. You never see him not confident. He’s always got his head up and trying to move this offense forward.”

Call Rodgers’ tackle redemption.

Remember Charles Tilllman’s diving interception of a Rodgers pass in the Packers’ 10-3 win over the Bears in Week 17 at Lambeau Field?

The Packers QB remembers trying to tackle Tillman.

“It was pretty embarrassing,” Rodgers said. “We laughed about it in the quarterback room, only because we won the game. I just wanted to make sure I wrapped (Urlacher) up as good as I could. I don’t get paid to tackle, but that was probably one of my better plays of the day.”

At game’s end, Rodgers made one more play with his legs. He took a knee and took the ball with him.

He navigated through bodies and made it to the locker room, having never given the ball back.

“I’ve actually got the ball from all three of our playoff wins this season,” Rodgers said.

“It’s nice to be on the field at the end. It’s a special feeling. It’s something you dream about as a kid.”