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Green Bay vs. Indianapolis
11/19/00 - Packers Win 26-24
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| QB Brett Favre threw for 302 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Colts. |
On Sunday, the Packers continued their habit of playing nail-biting
thrillers at Lambeau Field.
This time - thanks to a classic display of courage by quarterback Brett
Favre, a staunch first-half defensive effort and late special teams magic -
the 59,869 in attendance were treated to a narrow, snowy, 26-24 victory over
the Indianapolis Colts.
What appeared likely to end in blow-out fashion ended with Green Bay
marching down the field to wind down the game's final minutes and keep the
red-hot Colts offense from having a chance to take the lead.
After quarterback Peyton Manning found Jerome Pathon in the end zone to put
the Colts within two points with just over two minutes remaining in the
game, the Packers took control at their own 31-yard line.
Instead of limiting the offense to rushing plays in order to take time off
the clock, the Packers aggressively came out firing with a 22-yard
completion to wide receiver Bill Schroeder as the two-minute warning
approached. After a pass interference penalty was called on the Colts at
the Indianapolis 47, the Packers then began pounding the line of scrimmage
with ball carrier Ahman Green.
Green's consecutive runs of 19, 4, 5 and 2 yards left Green Bay with a first
down at the Indianapolis 6-yard line, and Favre was able to kneel down to
use the final seconds and give his team a win, which puts their season
record at 5-6.
"I don't know how many more of those I can take," Head Coach Mike Sherman
said with a grin. "Eleven games (played), and nine have come down to the
last play of the ballgame, and obviously this was no exception.
"With the injuries and where we were this week in practice with the minimal
guys out there and trying to keep things together at 4-6, I guess I should
say this was the most challenging week I've had."
Green's 153 rushing yards on 24 carries (6.4 avg.) marked a career-high for
the third-year back out of Nebraska. His performance was also the team's
first 100-yard showing of the season, a fact not lost on members of the
Packers offensive line.
"It's about time," said guard Marco Rivera regarding the offensive front's
dominance. "It's what we want every week, but everything was firing today.
Our type of weather out there today. Any time it snows and is muddy, that's
when we're at our best. We love that, and so we're going to have a great
running day."
"This week the coaches and Brett (Favre) said we could put up 200 yards of
rushing," Green said. "I played against Indy my first two years in the
league at Seattle, and we ran the ball well then. I knew coming into this
game if we establish it early, we can have a good running day out there on
the field."
For Favre, the win encompassed more than just statistical success (23-of-36,
301 yards, 2 touchdowns).
After suffering a left mid-foot sprain in last week's game against the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers, many questioned Favre's ability to play in Sunday's game.
Reports earlier in the week left some speculating that he could miss several
weeks of action.
Favre, renown for his ability to overcome injuries, silenced the doubters
quickly and authoritatively.
"Mentally, I felt as sharp as I've felt this year and I thought I threw the
ball as well as I have this year," said Favre after the game. "That doesn't
mean my foot didn't hurt, but I just felt like we could do just about
anything we wanted.
"I knew basically what my limitations were. I could move around, but I knew
I'd be extra sore after the game. But I just wasn't going to try to run for
30 yards. I thought I could move around in the pocket enought to at least
get the pass off."
Favre not only had a bad ankle with which to contend, but also the first
wintry weather of the football season. Game-time temperatures were measured
at 27 degrees with a 16-degree wind chill and light snow fell before and
throughout most of the game.
The weather, however, would not make a difference in the veteran
quarterback's approach to starting.
"I feel it's important to play if you can play," he said. "I could have
sat out this game and no one would have thought twice about it. But I
played, and I thought I played one of my better games this year. Yeah it
hurt, but guys were counting on me. I didn't want to let them down and I
didn't want to let myself down."
Green Bay's defense set the tone for the day on the Colts' first play from
scrimmage.
After a 32-yard punt by Josh Bidwell backed Indianapolis to their 5-yard
line, Manning dropped back to pass in the end zone and lost his grip on the
football.
Though Manning was able to fall on the loose ball, Russel Maryland was
credited with the two points that proved critical in the game's final score.
"I saw the ball come out of his hand, and I was just trying to get back
there," Maryland said. "I knew we were in the end zone, and I was just
trying to fall on it. But he fell on it before I did, and I just touched
him down. I'll take the safety and the sack."
The defense for the Packers simply wouldn't allow Manning and his Pro Bowl
targets, running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver Marvin Harrison, to
sustain a first-half drive.
Indianapolis controlled the ball for merely 9:21 of the first half and was
held scoreless with just 77 total yards over the first 2 quarters, an
unacceptable amount according to Colts Head Coach Jim Mora.
"We didn't make any plays in the first half on either offense or defense,"
conceded Mora. "We were better the second half, but the first half was
unbelievable."
A 42-yard Ryan Longwell field goal completed the first-quarter scoring for
the Packers, and they wasted no time in the second quarter, going 86 yards
on 7 plays before tight end Tyrone Davis caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from
Favre.
Although he was held scoreless for the game, Schroeder made key receptions
on that drive and several other series.
Before finding Davis in the end zone, Favre completed passes of 19 and 25
yards to Schroeder, who, for the game, caught 8 passes for 155 yards, an
amount which stands just 3 yards short of his career high.
"We tried to attack them on the field," said Schroeder. "We definitely
tried to get down-the-field throws, but we tried to work everything in this
week's plan.
"We knew we had a great week of practice. We changed some things Coach
Sherman wanted us to change to keep us more focused. We brought it into the
game and it was just like practice."
Green Bay was faced with similar field position on their following drive,
taking possession at their 13-yard line, and finished with comparable
results - a 17-yard touchdown catch by Antonio Freeman, which gave the
Packers a commanding 19-0 lead.
The Green and Gold nearly scored once more at the end of the half, but the
clock expired with the Packers at the Indianapolis one-yard line and unable
to stop the clock in time to acquire another snap.
The Colts then inched their way back in the second half.
A 38-yard Mike Vanderjagt field goal, the third quarter's lone score, put
them on the board and Manning's 34-yard pass to E.G. Green trimmed the Green
Bay lead to 19-10 with 10:35 remaining in the game.
Minutes later, Manning struck again, finding fullback Jim Finn in the end
zone for a five-yard touchdown.
With the Packers leading by two points and seemingly on their heels, kick
returner Allen Rossum quickly awakened the stunned spectators.
Rossum took the ensuing kickoff at the 8-yard line and shot through a wall
of blockers to the right sideline. Three different Colts seemed to have an
angle to stop the return near midfield, but the lightening quick Rossum
out-raced the tacklers en route to a 92-yard touchdown.
"I tell you what, momentum had kind of shifted towards their way, and we
needed a big play," said Rossum. "I'm just thankful that I had the
opportunity, and I give all the thanks to those guys who were blocking and
working so hard all week during practice. Without that, we'd probably be in
here moping right now."
The third-year kick returner/cornerback had come close to scoring on several
other attempts during the season and even had a touchdown recalled due to a
penalty. When he saw that there were no yellow flags on the field, Rossum
knew he had a special moment.
"It's nothing like anything you've ever experienced," he said. "To finally
get a Lambeau Leap, it feels good. I kind of had claimed the other end zone
as my house, but I'll tell you what, I'll take the other end zone."
Pathon's score would narrow the scoring gap, but could not prevent the
Packers from closing the door and running off the field with momentum
heading into next Monday night's showdown against the Carolina Panthers.
"We know we've let some close games slip by," said Schroeder. "We've got to
go out and play like we can play. We know we have a very strong team in all
three phases of this game. We just want to go out and prove to this league
and prove to ourselves that we're good enough to play."
The heroic Favre echoed Schroeder's never-say-die attitude.
"I think today is proof to a lot of people that we're not going to give up,
no matter what - regardless of the situation, regardless of the record,"
said the quarterback, who started his 136th straight game. "And if the guys
on this team have any pride at all, they won't."
Injury Notes
Left offensive guard Ross Verba and cornerback Tod McBride were the only
Packers to sustain an injury in Sunday's game.
McBride suffered a hip pointer in the second half, and Verba received a
concussion late in the game. Both will be evaluated on Monday.
Game Highlights (Real Audio)
Packers-Colts archived complete game broadcast (Real Audio)
Post-Game Audio Clips
Head Coach Mike Sherman (RealAudio)
QB Brett Favre (RealAudio)
RB Ahman Green (RealAudio)
WR Bill Schroeder (RealAudio)
S LeRoy Butler (RealAudio)
DT Russel Maryland (RealAudio)
Special Teams Coach Frank Novak (RealAudio)
S Darren Sharper (RealAudio)
DE David Bowens (RealAudio)
G Ross Verba (RealAudio)
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
GBP: R.Maryland sacks P.Manning in endzone for SAFETY
GBP: R.Longwell 42 yd Field Goal is GOOD
2nd Quarter
GBP: B.Favre pass to T.Davis for 1 yds and TOUCHDOWN (R.Longwell Extra Point is good)
GBP: B.Favre pass to A.Freeman for 17 yds and TOUCHDOWN (R.Longwell Extra Point is good)
3rd Quarter
IND: M.Vanderjagt 38 yd Field Goal is GOOD.
4th Quarter
IND: P.Manning pass to J.Pathon for 11 yds and TOUCHDOWN (M.Vanderjagt Extra Point is good)
GBP: A.Rossum 92 yd kick return for TOUCHDOWN (R.Longwell Extra Point is good)
IND: P.Manning pass to J.Finn for 5 yds and TOUCHDOWN (M.Vanderjagt Extra Point is good)
IND: P.Manning pass to E.G.Green for 34 yds and TOUCHDOWN (M.Vanderjagt Extra Point is good)
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