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PACKERS UPSET INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 26-24
posted 11/21/00
THE WEEK PAST: The Packers have had some unusual competitive experiences this 2000 season, including an early 6-3 victory over Philadelphia in a game that went without a touchdown, but no scenario any more extraordinary than the one which unfolded in their 26-24 Sunday victory over the Colts.
For openers, they led 2-0 after the Colts' first offensive play of the game. It was one on which Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, attempting to pass from his own end zone as light snow fell, dropped the football. He managed to fall on it in the scramble that ensued but was "covered" by Packers nose tackle Russell Maryland for a safety.
Secondarily, the Packers were out front by the baseball-like score of 5-0 at the end of the first quarter, placekicker Ryan Longwell having coupled a 42-yard field goal with the safety.
The Green and Gold then began to find themselves offensively, quarterback Brett Favre ignoring a sore left arch to preside over a pair of back-to-back, 87-yard scoring drives that sent them into the intermission with a somewhat surprising 19-0 lead - over a formidable foe that had arrived in Green Bay hours earlier with an imposing 7-3 record.
Favre finished off the first marathon march with a one-yard scoring strike to tight end Tyrone Davis in the right corner of the end zone and the second with a 17-yard, pass-run collaboration with flanker Antonio Freeman.
Another glittering opportunity evaporated just before the intermission when running back Ahman Green was stopped just short of the goal line with 4 seconds remaining on the clock. The officials, however, did not see that the Packers had attempted to call timeout and the first half ended without their being able to attempt a field goal.
The third quarter then was uneventful from the Packers' perspective. They went scoreless, squandering a "chip shot" scoring chance when Longwell's 28-yard field goal attempt sailed left of the uprights.
The Colts, meanwhile, made their first visit to the scoreboard, by way of a 38-yard Mike Vanderjagt field goal, but the Packers still were enjoying a relatively comfortable 19-3 advantage.
Then, after having been kept away from Green Bay's end zone for three quarters, the Colts struck for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the first two pulling them to within 2 points of the Packers, at 19-17.
Manning's 34-yard pass to wideout E.G. Green at 4:25 of the period launched the Colts' comeback and Indianapolis capitalized on defensive tackle Ellis Johnson's interception of a Favre pass on the Packers' next possession, Manning orchestrating a 12-play, 83-yard drive capped off by a 5-yard scoring pass to running back Jim Finn. Vanderjagt's second conversion closed the score to 19-17.
If the faithful were growing restless at this point, they were promptly reassured - and also soon ecstatic - when mercurial Allen Rossum returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, breaking into the open up the middle, veering to his right and streaking down the sidelines to the end zone untouched. Longwell added what was to the Packers' final point for a 26-17 lead.
The Colts, however, were not through. Taking over at their own 39-yard line following a 25-yard runback of the kickoff by returner Terrence Wilkins, Manning had the Hosses in the end zone in 6 plays, finding wide receiver Jerome Pathon in the right corner of the end zone from 11 yards out.
After Vanderjagt's conversion again lifted the Colts to within 2 points, anxious moments remained for the Packers as 2:39 was left on the clock. But a pair of first downs - one on a 22-yard Favre pass to Bill Schroeder and the other on a 19-yard run off left tackle by Green - largely settled the issue, the Packers subsequently holding possession at the Indy 9-yard line as the game ended.
With Favre's precision passing complementing Green's 153-yards rushing, the Packers mounted their second-best offensive performance of the season (behind only a 455-yard effort at Arizona September 24), closing out the afternoon with 432 yards, including 145 (net) on the ground.
The running game's production ranked second this season only to the 176-yard output in the 29-3 victory at Arizona.
Favre, spreading the football among eight receivers, completed 23 of 36 attempts for 301 yards - his second 300-yard effort of the season and the 28th of his NFL career.
The defense, meanwhile, limited the Colts to 71 yards rushing and put Manning under heavy pressure, sacking Indy's talented young field general four times, Santana Dotson accounting for two of the latter despite playing on a sprained ankle.
Free safety Darren Sharper, continuing to perform at a high level, paced the defensive effort statistically, posting 9 tackles, 5 of them solos, and one pass defensed. Middle linebacker Bernardo Harris was close behind with 7 stops, 4 of them unassisted, while strong safety LeRoy Butler and weak side linebacker Nate Wayne each weighed in with 6 tackles.
COACH SHERMAN'S POSTGAME COMMENTS:
(on whether not Sunday's game had been "a white knuckler') "I would agree with the white knuckle theory. I think it's great to hear theories...I told these guys...I said, 'I don't know how many more of these I can take. Of eleven games, I believe nine of them have come down to the last two minutes of the ball game and, obviously, this was no exception.
"A huge play there to Bill Schroeder (a 22-yard completion for a first down) in the 2-minute offense - we had another one in the 2-minute offense - but we were in a position where we had to get a first down and it was just a tremendous play between the quarterback and Bill."
(on having elected to 'throw the ball for first downs' down the stretch instead of being conservative) "(Offensive coordinator) Tom Rossley and I talked about it and felt we had to treat it as if the score was tied (the Packers led then, 26-24) and we certainly had to get a first down.
"We couldn't sit on it - not with that (Indianapolis) offense. If we punted from where we were, they had the ability to move the ball down the field, I felt, and we felt like we had to be aggressive. I told the guys at halftime, we come out, we're not going to hold anything back, we're going to just go get it, and we lived with that philosophy throughout the second half, in spite of the fact that we didn't score the points that I wish we had."
(on why running back Ahman Green 'was so successful in the first half' (105 yards rushing in 14 attempts) "We were patient with the running game - I think that helped us. We had some runs that we thought were good core runs, that he felt familiar with. We had a couple scheme things we put in this week and it just seemed like it helped. Ahman Green is a good back and I'm not surprised by what he did. I expect more of the same in the future."
(on when he felt 'sure' about Brett Favre (playing with a sprained left arch) "Definitely sure?...After the first series."
(on the practice week with respect to Favre's availability) "It was very interesting. Of course, we counted upon Matt Hasselbeck to be ready to go in case things don't pan out for Brett. But, you know, one thing you can't tell Brett Favre is he can't do something. And, as I told him a few minutes ago, I said, 'You actually relish the fact that you had a bad foot going into this game.' It was just another challenge for him. And you can't tell him he can't do something. And it's amazing. He wasn't very effective in practice on Friday - he was limping around - and what he did out there today was a great lesson for our younger players. I'm very proud of the leadership that Brett Favre shows these guys...the toughness he brings to our football team - as well as Santana Dotson, Vonnie Holliday - guys that stepped in and didn't practice this week.
"Very usually, as I told them last night, at 4-and-6 a lot of guys try to back out of the game. Our guys are fighting to get into the game, and it's a credit to those men."
(on what had happened at the end of the first half when Ahman Green had been stopped at the goal line and the Packers were unable to get the officials' attention, with time remaining on the clock, to call a timeout) "We called timeout...completed the ball...called timeout with 4 seconds left in the half but the officials' eyes were looking to see if there was a touchdown and they didn't pay attention to the clock...We had called timeout with enough time left. Replay, I don't believe, showed it that way because I don't think replay showed the clock."
(on whether he would have gone for a field goal or a touchdown if the timeout had been granted) "I was going to go for a field goal."
(on whether Colts quarterback Peyton Manning might have been confused by the Packers' defense because of changing the play call frequently, especially in the early going) "I don know if they (the Packers' defensive schemes) - confused him or not. We mixed some things, showed some looks and backed out of some things, show some other things and pressured. So we mixed up things as we have done all year long. I don't think that was anything new for them - that they didn't think we were going to do - but we did fake and check out of a couple things maybe he wanted to check into or whatever."
(on whether, because of the latest injury situation, this might have been his 'toughest week' of the season) "They've all been pretty tough, to be honest with you. With the injuries and where we were, this week of practice with minimal guys out there, and trying to keep things together at 4-and-6, yes, I guess I should say this would be the most challenging week I've had."
(on Allen Rossum's 92-yard scoring runback of a kickoff) "Allen Rossum does so many things with his effort, his intensity, on both sides of the ball. He ran a reverse last week (for a 16-yard gain) and a kickoff return for 90 yards today. He's playing defense...special teams, he keeps balls inbounds...like on the goal line like he did last week. I can't say enough about Allen Rossum and his contributions to this football team."
(on how much it meant to have the ball in Brett Favre's hands) "Brett Favre has played within the system extremely well. Even the interception he threw, they brought pressure off the edge and they dropped the 'nose' out. It's kind of a unique deal...I've got to give them credit for what they did on that play.
"But the reason for our success today is minimal turnovers, and guys hanging together and fighting and trying not to give up the big play on defense."
THE PLAYER PERSPECTIVE:
Quarterback Brett Favre (on when he felt he was 'back in the groove'): "Probably about the second play...Mentally, I felt as sharp as I've felt this year. I felt like I was throwing the ball as well as I've thrown it all year.
"That doesn't mean my ankle didn't hurt...my foot...but I just felt like we could do just about anything we wanted. I just thought we were in a groove. And that was from the start of the game."
(on whether he had worn a normal shoe) "I wore a bigger shoe...and extra tape and that stuff (including an arch support)."
(on what size shoe) "About a 15. I would ask my linemen if I could borrow their shoes, but (smirk) they're too small...Big wimps."
(on his mobility, under the circumstances) "I knew, basically, what my limitations were. I felt like I could move around...I knew I'd be extra sore after the game. But I just wasn't going to try to run for 30 yards. I'd have been a fool if I could have done it anyway. But I felt like I could move around in the pocket enough to at least get the pass off."
(on his playing with an injury having been a good lesson for the team's younger players) "I feel like it's important to play, if you can play. I could have sat out this game and no one would have thought twice about it. Most people would have said, 'Hey, smart, way to go.'
"But I played, and I thought that it was one of my better games of the year. Yeah, it hurt, but guys were counting on me. And I didn't want to let them down, I didn't want to let myself down...I think guys can take something from that and say...'You know, I can push myself.' Santana Dotson - great effort - his ankle was like hamburger meat during the week. And he didn't know if he was going to play...extremely great effort today. He could have sat out - no one would have said anything.
"You know this game, and I've said it a millions times - it's about playing with injuries, playing with pain...being tough. It's a physical game, you know, and when you step on to the field, you have to know that. And you have to know that, come Monday, you may be sore. You may be hurting to a point where it questions your toughness. Whether or not you're going to play next week.
"There's only 53 guys - you can't just keep bringing in new guys during the year and expect to stay a quality team. So your number one guys have to play...your number two guys have to play. I've always felt that way, not that that's why I do it, but I've always felt that it's important, as a leader of the team, to lead in every aspect that you can. And playing with pain sometimes is part of it."
(on the rest of the year) "I don't know what's going to happen the rest of the season. And I said this a couple weeks ago - after Minnesota - I don't really care. As long as we just play hard and we play smart, if it's not good enough, it's not good enough. But I think today is proof enough to a lot of people that we're not going to give up, no matter what, regardless of the situation...regardless of the record.
"If the guys on this team have any pride at all, they won't. It's unfortunate if we don't make the playoffs, then so be it. You know, if we're going to go down, we're going to go down swinging. I'm going to give it everything I've got and I think the rest of the guys will do the same thing."
Split end Bill Schroeder (on whether the game plan was to 'go deeper' than normal): We tried to attack 'em long, attack 'em short. We got our screens working, tired to get our running game established...So we definitely tried to get down-field throws - but we tried to work everything into it."
(on the first two '80-yard' scoring drives) "It felt real comfortable. We felt like we had in the past when we moved the ball real well on offense. We knew that we had a great week of practice. We changed a few things during the week that Coach Sherman wanted to change to get us more focused, and we took that throughout practice - had a great week of practice. And, at the same time, put that into the game. And it worked real well for us, so we felt real comfortable - just like we were doing in practice."
(on what had been changed) "Just physical things...tried to practice a little harder...catching more balls...hanging on to the ball a little bit better - just things that we kind of got away from as the season went along...the things that people take for granted as the year goes along...It wasn't anything major - just little things here and there. It was something that we all needed to focus - every person on this team needed to focus better."
(on Brett Favre's gritty performance) "He's one of the best leaders I've ever been around."
(on whether there had been 'a greater sense of urgency this week') "Without a question. Pretty much now, if we lose a game, our season's over. So we know that we've let some close games slip by...We've got to go out and play the way that we can play. We know that we have a very strong team in all three phases of the game and we just want to go out and prove to this league and prove to ourselves that we're good enough to play."
Running back Ahman Green (on his 180-yard total offense contribution to the victory): "The special thing about it is that it was a hard-fought win. It was a win that we needed. It was a game where everybody pulled together - offense, defense and special teams. (Allen) Rossum's kickoff return gave us some breathing room...We did what we had to do to win this game."
(on his rushing success, in part because of over-pursuit by the Colts) "On a few of them, yes, they did over-pursue. And if I got the ball and pressed it as far as I could, and I saw the safeties and everybody running, and the place I like to cut back was wide open."
(Having played well, had he played in 'this kind of weather before') "Yes, I played at the University of Nebraska. It's just second nature for me. I mean, a lot of guys aren't used to the cold weather but my philosophy always has been to learn how to tolerate it because it's going to be cold; it definitely is going to be real cold up here, so how I tolerate it and it makes it more fun out there because it makes it muddy out there. You're playing in temperatures and things that a football game is meant to be played."
(on the game's closing drive) "That's when you have to step up. I'm not much of a talker, but if I have to say something, I will. I let most of my actions do the talking for me - the way I run, the way I practice, the way I do things on the field when we need it. That's something we needed at that time. We needed a good run. We got what we needed (a 19-yard gain) and turned it into a victory."
Returner Allen Rossum (on his 92-yard scoring kickoff return) "Momentum had kind of shifted towards their way and we needed a big play. 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."
Tight end Ryan Wetnight (on Rossum's decisive runback): "It was a return we really hadn't worked on that much and really weren't high on. We decided to go with it, and Frank (special teams coach Frank Novak) does a good job of scheming for returns, and this one broke."
Defensive tackle Russell Maryland: "Our goal is to win them all the rest of the way out. That's a tough challenge, but we're backed into a wall right now. We got to. We have to win them all if we're going to do anything and get into the playoffs. So, that's one down and five to go."
NOTE-WORTHY:
-Sunday's victory enabled the Packers to even their all-time rivalry with the Colts. Each team now has won 19 games in the 47-year-old series and there has been one tie.
-Ahman Green's 105 yards rushing in the first half marked the first time a Packers running back has had 100 yards in one half of a game since September 19, 1999, when Dorsey Levens weighed in with the same number, 105, against the Detroit Lions at the Pontiac Silverdome.
-Bill Schroeder emerged with a similar distinction, his 113 yards receiving in the first half marking the first such effort by a Green Bay receiver since Antonio Freeman amassed 110 yards in the first half of a game at Dallas November 14, 1999.
-Russell Maryland's safety was the first for the Packers since September 19, 1999, when Detroit long snapper Allen Aldridge snapped the ball out of the end zone in a Lions punting situation.
-Santana Dotson's two sacks of Indy quarterback Peyton Manning on the Colts' first drive of the second half padded his team-leading total to 6.5.
-Cornerback Tod McBride's interception of a Manning pass, with just 1:46 remaining in the first half, was the first of his NFL career.
-Strong safety LeRoy Butler and fullback William Henderson joined quarterback Brett Favre in extending durability streaks Sunday. Butler played in his 102nd consecutive game and Henderson in his 90th straight contest.
-Butler also set a Packers record for most games played by a defensive back, playing in his 167th game. Willie Wood (1960-71) held the record, having played in 166 games over his 12-year NFL career.
-K.D. Williams made his first start as a Packer, stepping in for Na'il Diggs at strong side linebacker. Diggs sat out because of a sprained ankle.
-Elsewhere in the Green Bay lineup, three others all made their sixth starts of the season - Ahman Green at running back, Cletidus Hunt at left defensive end and Tod McBride at left cornerback - Green replacing Dorsey Levens, Hunt in behalf of Vonnie Holliday and McBride for Mike McKenzie, Levens and McKenzie sidelined by knee injuries and Holliday by a sprained ankle.
-Billy Lyon also made his first start of the season, replacing Santana Dotson at that point. Dotson later entered the game in the tenth minute of the first quarter.
-Wide receiver Bill Schroeder (offense), left end Cletidus Hunt (defense) and returner Allen Rossum (special teams) were Packers captains for Sunday's game.
-Packers inactives included running back Dorsey Levens, offensive tackle Earl Dotson, linebackers Brian Williams and Na'il Diggs, wide receiver Corey Bradford, defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, defensive back Mike McKenzie and designated Third Quarterback Danny Wuerffel.
-The Top Ten: A poster card depicting the top ten Packers players of the '90s, as chosen by vote of more than 20,000 Packers fans, was presented to each fan who entered the gates Sunday.
The honorees (selected from among 44 players) include four members of the current Green and Gold - quarterback Brett Favre (1992-present); running back Dorsey Levens (1994-present); center Frank Winters (1992-present); and safety LeRoy Butler (1990-present).
The other six selections: Wide receiver Sterling Sharpe (1988-94); tight end Mark Chmura (1993-99); linebacker Brian Noble (1985-1993); left end Reggie White (1993-98); cornerback Craig Newsome (1995-98); and placekicker Chris Jacke (1989-96).
The voting was sponsored by Pick'n Save Roundy's.
-The highly regarded University of Wisconsin band, a 350-member ensemble, played the national anthem for Sunday's contest, also performed at halftime and closed out a strong performance with its famous "Fifth Quarter" concert after the game.
-Neil Warner, a silver medal winner in swimming competition at the recent Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, and a native of Verona, Wisconsin, was a guest of the Packers at Sunday's game.
-Two check presentations, one on behalf of the Packers organization and the other by the Packers Women's Association, were made before and during the game. The Packers presented a check of $5,000 to the Very Special Arts of Wisconsin and Rhodesia Butler, president of the PWA and wife of strong safety LeRoy Butler, presented a check of $8,394 to Paul's Pantry. The latter amount was donated by fans during the PWA's annual food drive at the Packers-Bears game October 1.
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