| Nicole Haase. 22nd October, 2008 - 1:32 pm
 Cornerback Nick Collin’s 62-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Packers a 24-7 lead, control of the game, and hopes for their season back.
Snapping a three-game losing streak, the Packers’ decisive 34-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday left Green Bay tied with Chicago atop the NFC North.
After back-to-back home losses to Dallas and Atlanta in which the defense was lackluster and the running game sputtered, Packer fans weren’t looking forward to Sunday’s contest against a high-powered Indianapolis Colts' offense.
If you didn’t see the game or read a story that told you a team scored only on their opening and closing drives, had their quarterback throw two interceptions for touchdowns, and rushed for a mere 74 yards, you’d assume that story was about the Packers.
On paper, this was a struggling Packers' team missing key parts of its secondary going up against a quarterback who had just one other game in his 11-year career where he threw two interceptions for touchdowns.
Instead, it was Indianapolis that struggled to put together drives. The Colts, playing without top running back Joseph Addai, failed to establish a run game; Peyton Manning failed to find a rhythm behind center; and the thus-far lackluster Packers' defense chose Sunday to start playing the game.
Fans are used to seeing Manning orchestrate incredible comebacks. Instead, Manning failed to pass for a touchdown Reggie Wayne had his least productive game since 2005; and Green Bay's defense scored as many points as the Colts' offense.
Historically, October is when the Colts find their stride. Sunday’s loss snapped a 13-game October win streak that the Colts started back in 2004.
It was, however, a banner day for the Packers in many ways.
Donald Driver passed Antonio Freeman to become Lambeau Field’s all-time leader in receiving yards. Driver now has 3,494 career receiving yards on the Frozen Tundra. He also caught his 532nd pass to overtake James Lofton on the Packers’ all-time receptions list.
Aaron Rouse’s 99-yard interception return for a touchdown tied a Packers' record that was set in 1984. Johnny Jolly’s blocked field goal in the third quarter was the Packers' first since 2005.
Safety Nick Collins was nominated as Defensive Player of the Week, and Coach McCarthy was nominated for Coach of the Week, as well, after the win.
Now the Packers have momentum, have regained the homefield advantage that had vanished, and have a bye-week to clear up some of their nagging injuries.
Cornerback Al Harris has officially been cleared to play against the Titans after what was first diagnosed as a season-ending ruptured spleen. Now, just four week later, Harris will use the bye-week to get back in the swing, watching tapes and working out while the rest of the team takes some much needed rest.
While it seems a given that Harris will get his starting job back, the Packers would be smart to devise a plan to use his replacement Tramon Williams as much as possible.
Williams gave up just one touchdown while filling in for Harris and was burned for only one other pass of more than 20 yards.
The bye-week gives the Packers a chance to have their entire 53-man roster healthy for their Week 8 matchup with the undefeated Titans. McCarthy has said he is going to use the rest week to his advantage and has even considered pushing practice back a few days, and team doctors have said the whole team should be ready to go for a regular week’s practice next week.
It’s a minor miracle considering fourteen Packers have missed a total of forty games this season. |
