Chalk Up Another Win For The Packers Defense » Brats & Beer

October 14, 2007
posted under: Packers, Post-game, Redskins

There was a point during the game today that I was ready to concede defeat and tried to convince myself that being 4-2 going into the bye week was pretty respectable. And the Green Bay defense took over the second half. Like they say over that the Wisconsin Sports Bar, thank Odin. Those guys really earned their pay today in a 17-14 win over the Washington Redskins.

The game balls are almost too numerous to mention here. Atari Bigby had eight tackles and forced a fumble inside the Washington nine-yard line; Nick Barnett had eight tackles including one on a fourth-down stop; Cullen Jenkins had a sack; Cullen Jenkins forced a fumble, AJ Hawk caused another fumble and recovered one; Aaron Kampman had two sacks and eight tackles.

But if you only had one game ball to hand out, it would have to go to Charles Woodson who had an interception and took a fumble 57 yards for the winning touchdown. Despite what comment troll Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette says, whatever the Packers were going to pay Randy Moss they should split it up amongst the defense. I’d rather have that squad on the field to win a game than gamble on a receiver with maybe one or two seasons left in him.

As for the offense, well, ugly is the best way you can describe it. If you want to know what an amazing job the defense did, consider that the biggest offensive play for Green Bay was the 60-yard reception by Donald Lee in the first quarter and after that they were forced to punt on four consecutive drives. They had the ball inside the 10-yard line and came away with no points for crying out loud. I’m not sure what has happened to the short passing game that was working so well in the first four games, but I sure hope it makes a return in the second half of the season.

Of course this didn’t have to be such a close game. Mason Crosby, come on! Two missed field goals, one from 38 yards after Hawk recovered a fumble inside the nine. And don’t get me started on the officials: They stole two touchdowns from the Packers with the phantom holding call on Tauscher and then ruling Bubba Franks was not pushed out on the catch at the back of the end zone. How much did it cost Dan Snyder in bribes to get those calls?

But still the Packers are 5-1 with a comfortable lead in the division going into the bye, and you have to be happy with that. Green Bay has a whole extra week to get healthy and work on improving the offense before the Monday night game against Denver.