DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila strips San Diego QB Philip Rivers of the ball during the fourth quarter of the Sept. 23 game at Lambeau Field. The Chargers recovered the fumble.
There's a lot of value placed on winning the turnover battle in the NFL. Come out on the plus-side of the turnover ratio, and the chances to win greatly improve.
But what a team does with the turnovers it gets, and what it allows its opponents to do with theirs, can be even more important in the winning equation. And that's an area where the Packers have turned their modest plus-3 turnover ratio into a monumental difference on the scoreboard.
Through the first four games in 2007, the Packers have eight takeaways against just five giveaways. But while Green Bay has turned those eight turnovers into 41 points, it has allowed its opponents to turn their five turnovers into just six points.
The fact that those numbers produce a 35-point differential and the Packers have won their four games by a combined 39 points is more than mere coincidence. And going up against a Chicago team on Sunday that has turned the ball over 14 times in four games will put turnovers, and their aftermath, in the spotlight once again.
"That's what you work for every day, because you know how impactful (turnovers) are," linebacker Brady Poppinga said. "They can change the whole complexion of the game if you can get a turnover."
The Packers have been amazingly efficient at converting turnovers into points, doing so seven of eight times. The only time they did not was last week at Minnesota, when Atari Bigby's interception at the Green Bay 24-yard line with just 66 seconds left was followed by two kneel-downs to seal the 23-16 win over Minnesota.
Here's a look at the other seven turnovers, which have been converted into five touchdowns and two field goals:
Week 1 vs. Philadelphia
--A muffed punt is recovered by special teamer Tracy White for a touchdown.
--A Nick Barnett interception gives the offense the ball at the Eagles' 34-yard line, setting up a field goal.
--Another muffed punt puts the ball on the Philadelphia 31, and three plays later Mason Crosby hits the game-winning 42-yard field goal.
Week 2 at New York Giants
--A fumble on a kickoff, forced by Charlie Peprah, is recovered by White at the New York 22. The offense needs five plays to score, with Donald Driver catching a 10-yard TD pass.
--An interception by defensive tackle Corey Williams gives the Packers the ball on their own 47. Five plays later DeShawn Wynn busts into the open field for a 38-yard TD run.
Week 3 vs. San Diego
--Barnett returns an interception late in the fourth quarter to the 2-yard line, and Brandon Jackson scores the touchdown on a second-down run.
Week 4 at Minnesota
--Atari Bigby's strip and Johnny Jolly's fumble recovery gives the offense a first down at the Minnesota 46, and four plays later Brett Favre breaks the all-time record for touchdown passes with a 16-yard strike to Greg Jennings.
"We're always talking to our guys about being ready to capitalize when an opponent makes a mistake, and for the most part we've been able to do a pretty good job," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We have been fairly opportunistic as an offense and have usually taken advantage of that field position."
{sportsad300}On the flip side, the defense has handled the "sudden change" of an offensive turnover very well. Opponents have converted five turnovers into just two field goals, and the defense has come up with a valuable stop in the other three instances.
"That's our job," defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said. "It doesn't matter where they get the ball or how it happens. When their team gets the ball, it's our job to go out there and stop them."
The two field goals came after Favre's first-quarter interception against Philadelphia, and Donald Lee's fumble at Minnesota. One of the stops came after Favre's interception at New York early in the second quarter, which was followed by a three-and-out.
The other two defensive stops were absolutely critical. Late in the fourth quarter against the Eagles, Favre was sacked and fumbled, giving Philadelphia a first down at the Green Bay 38 with the score tied at 13.
The Eagles didn't even need a first down to get within David Akers' field goal range, but the defense forced a three-and-out, beginning with Barnett's tackle of Correll Buckhalter for a 4-yard loss on first down.
Then last week at Minnesota, Ryan Grant's fumble on a handoff gave the Vikings the ball on their own 46 with 1:40 left, needing a touchdown to tie the score. But the defense rose up and got the interception from Bigby to preserve the win.
"It's a tough situation," defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins said. "After a turnover they've got the momentum there at home, and they just need a touchdown to tie it up and possibly send it to overtime. It's adversity, but we overcame it. It says a lot about our defense, being able to step in there and not give in and stay strong and hold it together."
Sanders credited his unit for its no-panic approach when it had to take the field unexpectedly with the game on the line.
"I was real proud of the way the guys responded with composure," Sanders said. "We went out there ad played our stuff. The rush was good and we were fortunate enough to make a play."
That knack for making plays after turnovers, on both sides of the ball, will serve the Packers well the longer they keep it up, beginning Sunday against the turnover-prone Bears.
"I think it all depends on the resiliency of your guys, the character of your guys, the confidence they have in one another," Philbin said of capitalizing on, or handling, the momentum swings.
"There's certainly a chance for things to go either way, but the good news about the way our guys are playing now, they're playing with some confidence and they're giving effort for 60 minutes, and you always have a chance then."
