The Packer Pundit

SMACK DOWN
Packers Fail to Reach .500
Fall to Patriots
Packer Pundit / Patrick Stuckey
Well... after watching this game... a game in which the Packers pretty much stunk up the place on both sides of the ball and left an equally malodorous stench on special teams... after watching such a game... you're probably expecting me to give the green and gold my very own 'Smack Down'... but ya know what? I'm not going to do it.

Why you ask?
Well... For a team who's Hall of Fame quarterback was having a 'Rookie Bust' game... who's 'Feature Back' speedster couldn't get off the line... and who's 'much improved' defense got 'schooled' by a 'seasoned and savvy' veteran Patriots team... I saw some things to be happy with.

First off... had Brett been 'Brett' and actually have gotten one of his first half passes within 30 yards of one of his wide open receivers... we may have gotten some first downs and possibly have scored... maybe?

Secondly... had the refs called pass interference on the 'blatant' arm bar inflicted on Greg Jennings deep in Patriot's teritory... we may have scored and tied the game up at 7... maybe?

Thirdly... After a crucial... momentum changing fumble recovery... the 'usually reliable' Dave Rayner pushed a very makable field goal... wide right... denying the Packers a score and the chance at a possible upset... sorta?

And Fourthly (is Fourthly a word)... Had coach McCarthy called some early running plays instead of like 10 passes to 2 runs... we may have caught the Pats in some bad reads... drove the ball down on their defense... cured Cancer and ended World Hunger... saved the Hump Back Whales... and patched up that 'Al Gorian' sized hole in the Ozone... perhaps???

So you see... it wasn't really that bad.
That's my story... and I'm sticking to it.

Quick Hits
-- Well we've been wondering what our team would look like when Captain Favrelous finally retires... and now we know... not very good. Aaron Rodgers had to replace Brett in the 2nd half and was just slightly more effective than Brett... and that's not saying much. Aaron did show the ability to move in the pocket and his passes were crisp and mostly on target. However... there was no Cinderella type ending like Brett had when he replace Don Majkowski 15 years ago.

-- I was disappointed in that... through all of last year and the 4-12 record... the Packers Never Quit! Not once! Yesterday I saw some guys Not hustling... and basically 'quitting'. Especially on special teams. Hey gunners... this means you. Lambeau Field is a beautiful place... been there myself actually... but if you don't mind... do your site seeing after practices or on your off day... not during the game!

-- And on that note... could somebody please explain to Jon Ryan that the object of the game is to punt the ball (now listen closely) 'Inside' the 20... Not through the end zone... but before the end zone. I know... it's a radical concept but I hear all the cool teams are doing it this year.







Patriots 35, Packers 0
Associated Press
Posted: Nov. 19, 2006
The New England Patriots forced Brett Favre out of the game, then snapped their first losing streak in nearly four years with a 35-0 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
New England had run up a 21-0 lead with under two minutes left in the first half when linebacker Tully Banta-Cain wrapped Favre up in the backfield and Tedy Bruschi jumped in to finish the sack. Bruschi's hit slammed Favre to the ground on his throwing arm, and the three-time MVP got up wincing. Favre, who made his 251st consecutive start on Sunday including playoff games, was replaced by second-year player Aaron Rodgers. Favre walked back out of the locker room shortly after halftime, but Rodgers played the remainder of the game. Favre struggled with his accuracy before the injury, going 5-for-15 for 73 yards and leading the Packers to only two first downs in the first half. -- More



Packers' Favre injured near end of half
Associated Press
Packers quarterback Brett Favre left the field holding his right elbow late in the second quarter Sunday of Green Bay's game against the New England Patriots. Favre, making his 251st consecutive start including playoffs, had been wrapped up low by Tully Banta-Cain and was on his way down when Tedy Bruschi hit Favre, forcing him down hard on his right arm and throwing shoulder with 1:41 left in the half. Favre, 5-for-15 for 73 yards at that point, doubled over in immediate pain, grasping at his wrist and elbow. The team said he injured his right elbow and his return was questionable. Favre held the arm gingerly on the sideline as the training staff looked at him before he was carted off the field at halftime with the Patriots leading 21-0. Aaron Rodgers replaced him. Favre did not immediately return when the Packers took the field in the second half, and the team said he was working on his throwing motion in the locker room. When Favre did emerge about a minute into the third quarter, he received a standing ovation, even though he was still holding his right arm as he walked to the sideline. -- More



Pats pound Packers, 35-0
By Todd korth / PackerReport.com
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots not only knocked ironman Brett Favre out of the game, they KO’d the rest of the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots took an early 21-0 lead and went on to a 28-0 victory at Lambeau Field before 70,753 fans. New England (7-3) won its seventh straight game on the road and snapped a two-game losing streak by completely out-executing the Packers from the get-go. The Packers fell to 4-6, losing their veteran quarterback just before halftime, and perhaps their grip in the chase for a NFC wild card berth. "We did not perform well and that starts with me," said a disappointed Packers coach Mike McCarthy, whose team was shut out at home for the second time this season, a first in team history. The Packers also fell 26-0 to the Chicago Bears 26-0 in the season opener. It was Green Bay's worst shutout at home since they fell 40-0 to the Detroit Lions on Sept. 20, 1970. Favre injured his right elbow on a sack by linebacker Tully Banta-Cain with 1:41 left in the second quarter. The 37-year-old quarterback left the game and was carted to the locker room at halftime. He returned to the Packers’ bench early in the third quarter and warmed up, but did not return to the game. McCarthy said afterward that he thought Favre was hit on the "funny bone" and had weakness in his hand strength. "I think he took a shot on the nerve," McCarthy said. Aaron Rodgers, playing his first meaningful minutes of the season, was as stifled by the Patriots as Favre, and sustained what appears to be an ankle injury. Rodgers left the Packers’ locker room with a noticeable limp after getting sacked three times. He did not address the media and McCarthy, in his post-game press conference, did not mention Favre among the players who were injured.
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Crushing defeat
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
Brett Favre left the field just before halftime Sunday, riding shotgun in a cart as it sped along the perimeter of the Lambeau Field turf. As trainer Kurt Fielding hastily swerved his way through human traffic and up the south tunnel, you got the sense that along with them went any chance of a comeback. The reality, though, was this: Even before their legendary quarterback's right (throwing) elbow injury - and even if he had returned - the Green Bay Packers simply didn't belong on the same field as the New England Patriots. "The scoreboard," defensive tackle Corey Williams said, "tells it all." New England 35, Green Bay 0. "Obviously, they're at a different level than we are. Right now, at this point in time, they're just a better team," Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga said. "The caliber of team they are, it obviously shows that we're not that caliber. We want to get to that level. At this point, we've got a ways to go yet." Yes, in a matchup that was supposed to be a measuring-stick game for an ascending team that had won three of its last four and was harboring playoff hopes, the Packers (4-6) clearly didn't measure up to the Patriots (7-3), who've won three of the last five Super Bowls. The Packers were already behind 21-0 when Favre was hurt. "Our performance was poor. To lose by 35 points, frankly, is unacceptable. I take full responsibility," said coach Mike McCarthy, whose team fell to 1-4 at home this season. "We did not perform very well, and that starts with me." -- More



Actions louder than words
By Nick Zizzo / madison.com
The party line given the past two weeks for surrendering long touchdowns was explained as miscommunication in the secondary. After the Green Bay Packers gave up another unimpeded score Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, as well as an explosive pass play that set up another, the stock answer changed. "Nah, we had no communication problems," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, whose statement was echoed by defensive coordinator Bob Sanders. "Our pass coverage was not very good on those particular plays." In the 35-0 loss to the New England Patriots, Packers' defensive backs allowed a receiver to roam free to the end zone for the third time in as many games. This week's edition came late in the first half. Patriots wide receiver Reche Caldwell was wide open at the Packers' 13-yard line and easily finished off a 54-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady that put New England up 21-0. Once again, the play came against the Cover-2 zone, and it appeared safety Marquand Manuel came up too close in coverage. McCarthy and Sanders said they would have to review game film to see where the breakdown occurred, but McCarthy said, "I'm sure it has to do with the safety play."
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Rough Day For Green Bay
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Posted 11/19/2006
The Green Bay Packers headed into Sunday's game against New England with momentum from winning three of their last four games and optimism for the rest of the season should they be able to even their record at .500. But all momentum and optimism, at least temporarily, were squelched by the Patriots in a 35-0 blowout in front of 70,753 fans at Lambeau Field that dropped the Packers to 4-6 with another difficult game awaiting next Monday night at defending NFC champion Seattle. To make matters worse, the Packers lost quarterback Brett Favre in the second quarter to an elbow injury and his status for next week remains unknown, while backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers finished the game but was seen limping afterwards and needed treatment in the trainer's room. It all added up to a very rough day in Green Bay, with things turning the opposite direction most thought after a resounding win at Minnesota just one week ago. "Last week we took a step forward, and now we took two steps back," said Tony Moll, who made his first start at right tackle in place of an injured Mark Tauscher. "That's how we're feeling right now. We're back in a hole and we have to get out of it." Adding to the challenge is a quarterback situation very much uncertain as of Sunday night. Favre was off to a poor start, completing just 5 of 15 passes for 73 yards and missing some of the few openings the Patriots gave him, when he was sacked with 1 minute, 41 seconds left in the second quarter. Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain grabbed Favre around the legs while inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi hit him in the upper body. Favre fell on his elbow and Head Coach Mike McCarthy said he hit a nerve or funny bone. He left the game, spent extra time in the locker room at halftime being evaluated, and then returned to the sideline in the third quarter but did not come back into the game. McCarthy said he couldn't find enough strength in his hand to hold the ball. "I asked him if he was all right and he said, 'Not yet,' which I knew with him, when he says something like that, it's usually pretty significant," center Scott Wells said. "He's a guy that even though it hurts, he comes right back in. For him to sit out, he obviously was in significant pain." -- More



A painful lesson
Favre's injury adds to the insult
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 19, 2006
It was slaughter at high noon, a 35-0 rout of seismic proportion almost never seen anymore in the National Football League. When the New England Patriots got done with the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Lambeau Field was half empty and the Packers knew their place. If the Packers didn't, they would have been in denial. For seven days the drumbeat emanating from coach Mike McCarthy and his players was one of optimism born of an upset victory in Minnesota and a couple of those good old moral victories against New Orleans in September, St. Louis in October and Buffalo two weeks ago. Even though their record was just 4-5, the Packers appeared to have convinced themselves that their personnel, their coaching, even their state of mind was every bit as good if not better than New England's. It's always best to be wary what you wish for when Bill Belichick is lurking on the other sideline. Hiding his own team's weaknesses and exposing those of the Packers, Belichick badly outcoached McCarthy just as his players badly outperformed the Packers. "I'm still kind of shocked by what happened today," defensive end Aaron Kampman said. "Watching film this week, we thought this was going to be a great game for us, but obviously it didn't turn out that way." Making matters worse, quarterback Brett Favre was knocked out of a game for only the sixth time in his 251 starts, counting playoffs. Just before halftime, he landed on his right elbow after being sacked. McCarthy described it as a nerve injury but didn't appear overly concerned about the long-term prognosis. By then, however, the Patriots were cruising by three touchdowns and, as horribly as Favre played, his absence probably didn't make any difference. -- More



Running into problems
Rushing attack can't get off the ground
By LORI NICKEL / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 19, 2006
They wanted the run. They needed the run. Remember the run? From the first day of training camp until last week, the Green Bay Packers have linked a serious and respected rushing attack with success in the NFL, and it was their plan to establish it and rely on it this season. But the Packers reversed that philosophy Sunday when they lined up against New England. Instead, in practice all week, the Packers planned to pass on the first few series against the Patriots. But when quarterback Brett Favre couldn't hit his targets early, the plan crumbled and the results overall were disastrous in a 35-0 humiliation in Lambeau Field. "I take full responsibility," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. "Particularly the way we started the football game. That's something we'll look closely at, we'll look at our preparation and how we handled this week." The Packers only got 105 total yards in passing. The running game - from Ahman Green almost exclusively - was reduced to 17 carries for 43 yards. The Green Bay offense overall was stifled. "We were trying to attack their secondary. Unfortunately, it didn't work out," said offensive lineman Tony Moll. Green Bay's altered plan wasn't psychotic, given the circumstances. The Patriots had the third-best rushing defense in the NFL. They were allowing an average of just 79.8 yards on the ground. Green Bay, meanwhile, didn't have right tackle Mark Tauscher, who is hurt. Three rookies were starting in five spots on the offensive line. -- More



Several losers in the blame game
Defensive lapses once again doom Packers
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 19, 2006
The Green Bay Packers' defense never hears much about having allowed just one rush for 20 or more yards. Amid a flurry of 40 pass plays already allowed of that distance, there is a tendency to overlook that. Another Sunday, another barrage of big plays. That has been the story of the Packers' season since Week 1 and so it was again Sunday in Week 10 as the New England humiliated Green Bay, 35-0, at Lambeau Field. Two weeks ago, Charles Woodson blew a coverage and let Buffalo's Lee Evans walk in from 43 yards out. Last week, it was Minnesota's Billy McMullen taking advantage of blows by A.J. Hawk and Nick Collins for 40. This time, there was Reche Caldwell running through the heart of the defense without a defender within 10 yards before he latched on to a 54-yard bomb from Tom Brady. Touchdown, Bills. Touchdown, Vikings. And now, touchdown, Patriots. If you've heard it all before, Bob Sanders has said it all before. "It's our job to try to get everything fixed as best we can," the beleaguered first-year defensive coordinator said. "We'll continue to work on it and we'll evaluate the process and see if there's anything we can do different and if there is we'll certainly do it and hopefully we'll eliminate those." -- More



Patriots crush Packers 35-0;
Favre injured in pasting
By Pete Dougherty / greenbaypressgazette.com
The highly motivated New England Patriots put the Green Bay Packers' improved play into perspective on Sunday afternoon. The young Packers have grown in recent weeks, and one horrible game doesn't define a season in the NFL, but the Patriots' 35-0 pasting of the Packers at Lambeau Field says a lot about how far the rebuilding Packers still have to go. The Packers have played three top-tier teams this season — Chicago, Philadelphia and New England — and lost all three by a combined score of 92-9. So while the Packers have shown in the past month they're competitive with much of the NFL by winning three of their last four games, with the one loss a game they blew at Buffalo, the overall results show they're still not close to the top teams in the league. "I didn't see this coming," Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman said. "I thought this was going to be a turning point for our team and this organization." There also must be concern about quarterback Brett Favre, who left the game late in the first half with an injury to the ulnar nerve in his throwing elbow and didn't return. Favre lost the strength in his grip. If Favre's strength returns this week, he'll likely be able to make his 232nd straight start next Monday night at Seattle. But the Packers gave no reports on how serious the damage might be, so there's no knowing how long he might be sidelined. -- More



No guessing on Favre's status
QB bangs his funny bone
By Rob Demovsky / greenbaypressgazette.com
The healing powers of quarterback Brett Favre's durable but aging body could be tested this week. The 37-year-old couldn't finish the Green Bay Packers' 35-0 loss to the New England Patriots at Lambeau Field on Sunday because he didn't have enough strength in his right hand to grip the football. Favre was injured when a pair of Patriots sacked him on the Packers' fourth-to-last play of the second quarter. The Packers later said Favre banged his ulnar nerve — more commonly known as the "funny bone" — and had numbness, tingling and weakness down his throwing arm and into his hand. Favre's availability for next Monday night's game at Seattle will depend on how quickly he regains the feeling and strength in his hand. "As far as the future and how bad it is," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, "I'd be speculating." Favre was carted to the locker room shortly before halftime and returned to the bench area during the first series of the second half, when the Patriots had the ball. He threw a few passes near the Packers' bench but never took another snap. Backup Aaron Rodgers finished the game. Favre watched from the sideline until the end of the third quarter, when he was taken back into the locker room. He did not speak with reporters after the game. "When we came out of the locker room (after halftime), he was trying to gain strength," McCarthy said. The ulnar nerve controls the hand muscles primarily responsible for gripping. It also controls muscles used for pinching and coordinating precise movements. In rare cases, damage to the ulnar nerve can be permanent or require surgery. -- More



Favre's injury not so funny
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
With 1 minute, 41 seconds left until halftime of the Packers' 35-0 loss to the Patriots on Sunday afternoon, Favre was being sacked by Patriots linebacker Tully Banta-Cain when Bruschi drilled him, and Favre fell hard onto his right (throwing) elbow. He got up grasping his wrist and trying to flex his right hand as team doctor Pat McKenzie escorted him from the field. While coach Mike McCarthy was hazy on the details - and the prognosis of whether Favre's NFL quarterback-record streak of 251 consecutive starts (including playoffs) might be in jeopardy next Monday night at Seattle - Favre likely suffered damage to his ulnar nerve. Or, as McCarthy called it, his "funny-bone nerve." The ulnar nerve is one of three major nerves that provide sensation and motor function to the hand. It runs down the inside of your forearm to the heel of your hand, then branches out across the palm and into the little and ring fingers. Excessive pressure on the nerve can cause a loss of feeling and/or muscle weakness in the hand. And that's precisely what Favre, who already was battling ankle and groin injuries, was experiencing. Although he came out after halftime and played sideline catch with backup Aaron Rodgers, throwing passes to No. 4 tight end Zac Alcorn, Favre never returned to the game.
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Day of suffering for quarterbacks
Favre, Rodgers hurt in loss
By TOM SILVERSTEIN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 19, 2006
Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy should have known it was going to be a bad day when Brett Favre started misfiring from the very first play of the game Sunday at Lambeau Field. It went downhill from there. When it was over, not only had the Packers taken a 35-0 beat down at the hands of the New England Patriots, they had lost two quarterbacks to injury and were unsure whether either of them would be able to play Monday night at Seattle. Favre landed hard on his right elbow late in the second quarter and had to leave the game because of weakness throughout his arm and hand. The awkwardness with which he was driven to the ground by linebacker Tedy Bruschi resulted in Favre's elbow bearing the brunt of the fall, causing him to suffer a nerve injury that affected his whole arm. "He hit it right on the nerve, the funny-bone (ulnar) nerve, whatever you want to classify it," McCarthy said. There are numerous degrees of damage the fall might have caused to the elbow, including a pinched nerve, but McCarthy said he did not have enough information to predict what Favre's status would be for next week. The injury came in Favre's record-setting 251st consecutive start (including playoffs) and it resulted in him failing to complete a start for only the sixth time in his career. This is not the first time Favre has had an issue with an elbow, however. -- More



Rodgers put in 'tough situation'
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
As Aaron Rodgers limped into the Green Bay Packers' equipment room, a towel around his waist and a pained expression on his face, it was clear how badly things had gone. Seeing the most extensive regular-season action of his brief NFL career, the Green Bay Packers' second-year quarterback couldn't rally his team from a 21-point deficit during Sunday afternoon's 35-0 loss to the New England Patriots at Lambeau Field. But given the untenable position he was thrust into when starter Brett Favre suffered a right elbow injury shortly before halftime, it was hard to blame Rodgers for that. "In the NFL, it seems like when that happens, it's usually this kind of game. It wasn't a great situation," No. 3 quarterback Ingle Martin said. "You'd rather it be 28-0 us. (Instead), it's against one of the best defenses of the last five years, against (Patriots coach) Bill Belichick, and obviously it wasn't a great performance by us." Or, as center Scott Wells put it: "We put him in a tough situation - a big hole to dig ourselves out of. And we weren't able to do it." Nonetheless, Rodgers did little to impress. He completed just four of 12 passes for 32 yards, was sacked three times - including one on which he lost a fumble - and finished with a 42.4 passer rating. It was only marginally better than when he finished up last year's 48-3 loss at Baltimore, when he completed eight of 15 passes for 65 yards with an interception. -- More



Rodgers Relieves Favre
Against Stingy Patriots Defense
By Nathan Hager / Packers.com
Posted 11/19/2006
Despite what some skeptics might have you believe, being a backup quarterback in the NFL isn't easy. Look no further than the Packers' 35-0 loss on Sunday to the New England Patriots for proof. As if rarely receiving the opportunity to play isn't hard enough, making matters even more difficult for a second-string signal caller are the times when you do get thrown into the fire and it just so happens to be against a defense as stingy as the Patriots. Welcome to Aaron Rodgers' world. Rodgers, the Packers' second-year man out of California, was forced into action when Brett Favre left the game with an injured elbow late in the second quarter. Already facing a 21-0 deficit, the team had little choice other than to let Rodgers guide the offense to the best of his ability. When he misfired on his first two passes, the Packers were forced to punt and the Patriots knelt on the ball to the finish the half. With Favre not able to go in the second half, it was Rodgers' job to mount a comeback against the Patriots, which obviously is never an easy task. However, the team never lost faith in the 6-foot-2, 223-pound general. "We knew Aaron Rodgers could step in and take care of business," wide receiver Donald Driver said. "And he did. He played well. We just couldn't make things happen. They (New England) did what they had to do on the defensive side. We take our hats off to them, they played well." Despite Rodgers' inexperience, Head Coach Mike McCarthy said that it didn't prevent him from calling the plays he normally would with Favre at the helm. "We stuck right to the game plan with Aaron and tried to give him an opportunity to bring us back," McCarthy said. "We didn't change anything in particular in the third or fourth quarter." -- More



McCarthy sees positives in Rodgers' play
Coach has faith in young QB
By Dylan B. Tomlinson
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
For almost two full quarters on Sunday, the New England Patriots' defense knocked around Brett Favre. After Favre left the game with an injured right elbow, the Patriots focused their attention on backup Aaron Rodgers. The result? Neither Favre nor Rodgers will be looking back fondly on Sunday's humiliating 35-0 loss. Favre was unavailable for comment after the game and Rodgers refused comment as he limped out of the locker room on what appeared to be a sprained left ankle. The statistics from both quarterbacks were remarkably similar. Favre completed just five of 15 passes for 73 yards and Rodgers completed four of 12 passes for 32 yards. Both took beatings. Favre had to leave the game after getting leveled by defensive end Tully Banta-Cain and linebacker Tedy Bruschi, and Rodgers likely was injured on one of the three times he was sacked. Rodgers also coughed up a fumble in the fourth quarter. But overall, Rodgers' coaches and teammates seemed pretty convinced there wasn't a quarterback in the NFL who would have fared much better against New England's defense on Sunday. "We put him in a tough situation," Packers center Scott Wells said. "We asked him to dig us out of a huge hole that we had dug ourselves. I don't think anyone could have done what we were asking Aaron to do." -- More







'We didn't block'
The Packers went in knowing their three rookie linemen - left guard Daryn Colledge, right guard Jason Spitz and right tackle Tony Moll - would be challenged. But the hope was that they'd do better than they did. "We didn't block. We didn't block guys," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "We didn't get it done." Not only did the Packers manage just 43 yards rushing, they also allowed Favre and Rodgers to be sacked four times after allowing 11 sacks in the first nine games. "We gave up too many hits, too many sacks, which we hadn't been doing, and we weren't able to run the ball, which is supposed to be our identity," center Scott Wells said. "Our two biggest things that we say characterize our football team, we failed on today - running the football and protecting the quarterback." Moll, who started in place of veteran Mark Tauscher (groin), said he thought he played "all right." Jagodzinski said Moll wasn't the only problem. "You play a game so badly, you just can't imagine yourself playing like that," Colledge said. "It's like a bad dream. We were just unproductive in every phase of the game."

Air attack
The Packers went in with a pass-heavy game plan against the Patriots' No. 3-ranked rushing defense - McCarthy called passes on 12 of the first 15 plays. Their 17 rushing attempts were a season low, and halfback Ahman Green carried just 13 times for 28 yards. "I don't think we couldn't run," Green said. "With the way the scoreboard went, we had to try to get points on the board as quick as we could and passing the ball would be the best way to do that.

Getting their kicks
Told he could have been the Packers' offensive MVP Sunday, punter Jon Ryan said that's "not a good thing." The numbers Ryan put up - a 45.9-yard average on 10 punts - showed he was a viable weapon. Ryan placed two punts inside the 20 and would have had a third down at the 1 if Jarrett Bush had been able to handle the ball. Ryan's lone blemish was a 47-yard line drive that Kevin Faulk returned 33 yards to set up New England's final touchdown. It was one of just three punts that didn't have better than 4.4-second hang time. "Except for the one, I thought he kicked magnificent," special teams coordinator Mike Stock said. "The one was low and down the middle. He's had one of those in the fourth quarter since we started. He's got to get rid of that." Kicker Dave Rayner, who had converted 15 of 18 field goals coming in, pushed his lone attempt, a 44-yarder to the right. "I kicked the ground a little bit and didn't hit it well," Rayner said. "I'll be all right, believe me."

Health watch
In addition to Favre's right elbow injury, which kept him out of the remaining 31:41 of the game, the Packers also lost tight end David Martin to a rib injury. Mike linebacker Nick Barnett hurt his right hand late in the game, while Rodgers was favoring his left leg in the locker room after the game, though McCarthy didn't mention Rodgers' injury. Martin was injured with 4:51 left in the first half when he took a hit on an overthrown pass from Favre, one of a handful of inaccurate throws by Favre on the day. Little-used Donald Lee took over for Martin, who had x-rays at halftime that were negative. "I was here the whole offseason working hard, here each and every day to learn the new offense, and when you don't get many opportunities, it kind of messes with you mentally," said Lee, who caught one pass for 16 yards. "But I've just been trying to do what the coaches ask me to do. They want me to play special teams, go down and hit the wedge, I just try to do that. Sitting on the sideline, getting only two or three (offensive) plays a game, it's hard."

Rush to judgment
After registering nine sacks in the previous two games, the Packers' formidable pass rush was essentially non-existent. Colin Cole knocked the ball out of Tom Brady's hand for an early fourth-quarter sack, and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila got his fourth sack of the year in garbage time against backup Matt Cassel. "It was nothing special," defensive tackle Corey Williams replied when asked what the Patriots did to neutralize the rush. "It's pretty much stuff we've been going over."