September 13 : Green Bay Packers (1-0) 24, Carolina Panthers (0-1) 14
(Carolina) - Ahman Green ran up, down and all over the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers. Green ran for two touchdowns and caught a third Monday night to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 24-14 victory over the Panthers, who became the sixth straight team to lose in the Super Bowl and their ensuing season opener. Unable to stop the run or run the ball — the two main principles that carried them all last season — the Panthers were out of sync from start to finish. Green scored on touchdown runs of 3 and 6 yards and rushed for 119 yards against a Carolina defense that only gave up four individual 100-yard rushing games last season. He did it with ease, giving no indication that this was the first time this year Green Bay's entire offensive unit was on the field together. Carolina, meanwhile, showed just how bad its patchwork offensive line really is. With three of its starters from last season gone, a rotating group of aging veterans has gamely tried to fill the holes. But behind 35-year-old Matt Willig, who last started a game at right tackle in 1997, and 33-year-old Rich Tylski, who was out of football the past two years, the Panthers could do nothing. Stephen Davis, who ran for a career-best 1,444 yards last year, was held to 26 yards and the Panthers had a total of just 38 on the ground. Jake Delhomme struggled to find time to pass, often throwing his hands up in disgust after hurrying a pass and angrily glaring at the sidelines after several knockdowns. The lone bright spot came on Delhomme's 30-yard touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad that cut the score to 24-14 with 4:46 to play. But that came one play after star receiver Steve Smith went down with what appeared to be a serious left ankle injury. Smith, who signed a $27.5 million contract extension during the offseason, dropped writhing to the ground when he was tackled after a short catch, and had to be helped off the field.
GREEN BAY - 3 7 14 0 - 24
CAROLINA - 0 7 0 7 - 14
1st - GB - Longwell, 41-yard field goal 11:32 GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - CAR - Hoover, 1-yard pass from Delhomme (John Kasay kick) 7:17 CAR 7-3
2nd - GB - Green, 6-yard run (Longwell kick) 11:35 GREEN BAY 10-7
3rd - GB - Green, 3-yard run (Longwell kick) 4:01 GREEN BAY 17-7
3rd - GB - Green, 3-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 12:59 GREEN BAY 24-7
4th - CAR - Muhammad, 30-yard pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick) 10:14 GB 24-14
September 19 : Chicago Bears (1-1) 21, Green Bay Packers (1-1) 10
(Green Bay) - Mike Brown's 95-yard fumble return for a touchdown sparked the Bears to only the third win over their longtime rivals in their last 21 meetings. It was Brown's fifth defensive score, a team record, and the second-longest fumble return in Bears history, surpassed only by team founder George Halas' 98-yard return in 1923. When Lovie Smith was hired as Bears coach on Jan. 15, he declared his top priority was knocking off the Packers — and that he knew just how to do it. The last two times he'd faced Green Bay was as the St. Louis Rams' defensive coordinator, and the Packers committed a combined 10 turnovers in those games.
CHICAGO - 0 14 7 0 - 21
GREEN BAY - 3 0 7 0 - 10
1st - GB - Longwell, 25-yard field goal 5:58 GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - CHI - B.Johnson, 11-yard pass from Grossman (Paul Edinger kick) 7:20 CHI 7-3
2nd - CHI - Mike Brown, 95-yard fumble return (Edinger kick) 13:16 CHICAGO 14-3
3rd - CHI - Thomas Jones, 1-yard run (Edinger kick) 3:29 CHICAGO 21-3
3rd - GB - Ferguson, 18-yd pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 13:14 CHICAGO 21-10
September 26 : Indianapolis Colts (2-1) 45, Green Bay Packers (1-2) 21
(Indianapolis) - Peyton Manning threw for 393 yards and five first-half touchdowns and the Colts beat the Packers in a wild, high-scoring game. Brett Favre threw for 358 yards and four TDs and the Packers rallied from an 18-point halftime deficit to within a touchdown. But the play of the game was made by two defensive backs, Jason David and Nick Harper. They ended what could have been a game-tying drive by the Packers with 6:21 left. David stripped Javon Walker after he caught Favre's pass just across midfield and Harper returned it to the Green Bay 36. That set up Edgerrin James' 1-yard touchdown run with 1:49 left to seal the win.
GREEN BAY - 14 3 7 7 - 31
INDIANAPOLIS - 21 14 0 10 - 45
1st - IND - Wayne, 36-yard pass from Manning (Mike Vanderjagt kick) 1:45 IND 7-0
1st - IND - Stokley, 34-yard pass from Manning (Vanderjagt kick) 10:49 IND 21-14
2nd - IND - Stokley, 27-yard pass from Manning (Vanderjagt kick) 1:17 IND 28-14
2nd - GB - Longwell, 38-yard field goal 5:26 INDIANAPOLIS 28-17
2nd - IND - Mungro, 1-yard pass from Manning (Vanderjagt kick) 14:03 IND 35-17
3rd - GB - Walker, 12-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 5:01 IND 35-24
4th - IND - Vanderjagt, 45-yard field goal 1:26 INDIANAPOLIS 38-24
4th - GB - Driver, 27-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 1:48 IND 38-31
4th - IND - Edgerrin James, 1-yard run (Vanderjagt kick) 13:11 IND 45-31
October 3 : New York Giants (3-1) 14, Green Bay Packers (1-3) 7
(Green Bay) - Tiki Barber ran for a 52-yard touchdown and 182 yards in all, Kurt Warner threw a touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey, and Packers quarterback Brett Favre was knocked from the game with a head injury. The Giants improved to 3-1 despite a series of missed opportunities, including three errant field goal attempts by Steve Christie. The Packers, trying to overcome infighting and injuries, fell to 1-3 for the first time since 1993 and have their first three-game losing streak under fifth-year coach Mike Sherman.
NEW YORK GIANTS - 0 0 7 7 - 14
GREEN BAY - 0 0 7 0 - 7
3rd - GB - Walker, 28-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 4:57 GREEN BAY 7-0
4th - NYG - Jeremy Shockey, 4-yard pass from Warner (Christie kick) 2:53 NYG 14-7
October 11 : Tennessee Titans (2-3) 48, Green Bay Packers (1-4) 27
(Green Bay) -Lambeau Field is now a desired destination, as Chris Brown and the Titans were the latest to learn. Brown rushed for 148 yards and two long touchdowns and Tennessee cruised to a 48-27 rout of the stumbling Green Bay Packers on Monday night, scoring more points than any visitor ever had at the famed stadium. The Titans (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak and sent the Packers (1-4) to their fourth straight loss. This is Green Bay's first four-game losing streak since 1991 and their first 0-3 start at home since 1988. Only eight teams in NFL history have overcome a 1-4 start to reach the playoffs, including the Titans two years ago. Tennessee scored on five of its first six possessions with Brown,who had 27 carries, going in on its first two series, from 37 and 29 yards out. Only Na'il Diggs' block of Gary Anderson's 42-yard field goal prevented the Titans from scoring the most first-half points — 28 — by an opponent in Lambeau Field's 47-year history. The Packers' hopes for a comeback were killed by four second half turnovers. They had six overall. Steve McNair (chest, ankle) returned after missing Tennessee's last game, and threw two touchdown passes, including an 11-yarder to Eddie Berlin in the third quarter after Brett Favre's third interception. Favre extended his NFL record with his 213th consecutive start, including playoffs, despite numerous injuries, including a mild concussion he suffered last week. Favre also had a heavy heart over the death last week of his 24-year-old brother-in-law in an ATV accident at the family home in Mississippi. Both teams had lost three straight and much of the blame went to poor run defense, which showed up right away again for Green Bay as Brown carried nine times for 90 yards in the first quarter — and the early deficit altered Green Bay's plan to give the Titans a steady diet of Ahman Green. The Packers had just 5 yards rushing on five carries in the first half.
TENNESSEE - 17 10 7 14 - 48
GREEN BAY - 3 10 0 14 - 27
1st - TEN - Chris Brown, 37-yard run (Gary Anderson kick) 1:29 TENNESSEE 7-0
1st - TEN - Brown, 29-yard run (Anderson kick) 5:15 TENNESSEE 14-0
1st - TEN - Anderson, 36-yard field goal 8:55 TENNESSEE 17-0
October 17 : Green Bay Packers (2-4) 38, Detroit Lions (3-2) 10
(Detroit) - Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes and moved past Fran Tarkenton into fourth place on the NFL career list with 47,106 yards passing. Green Bay snapped its first four-game losing streak in 13 years. Detroit fell to 1-2 at home. The game was close until Darren Sharper intercepted a pass early in the third quarter and returned it 36 yards — with a juke move and a hurdle into the end zone — to give the Packers a 24-10 lead. Favre was 25-of-38 for 257 yards. He extended his streak with a TD pass to 31 games, passing Dan Marino and trailing only Johnny Unitas' record run of 47 straight. Favre played in his 197th game with the Packers, passing Bart Starr for No. 1 in franchise history.
GREEN BAY - 7 10 14 7 - 38
DETROIT - 7 3 0 0 - 10
1st - GB - Driver, 7-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 8:12 GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - DET - Hakim, 28-yd pass from Harrington (Jason Hanson kick) 11:13 TIED 7-7
2nd - GB - Fisher, 13-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 5:50 GREEN BAY 14-7
2nd - DET - Hanson, 48-yard field goal 10:19 GREEN BAY 14-10
2nd - GB - Longwell, 50-yard field goal 15:00 GREEN BAY 17-10
3rd - GB - Davenport, 13-yard run (Longwell kick) 11:32 GREEN BAY 31-10
4th - GB - Driver, 20-yard pass from Green (Longwell kick) 4:59 GREEN BAY 38-10
October 24 : Green Bay Packers (3-4) 41, Dallas Cowboys (2-4) 20
(Green Bay) - With coach-general manager Mike Sherman directing the offense for the second straight game, the Packers scored on their first seven possessions. The Packers snapped a three-game losing streak at Lambeau Field and Brett Favre beat the Cowboys for just the second time in 10 tries. Ahman Green ended a month-long funk by rushing for 163 yards and two scores, including a 90-yarder in the third quarter. He became the second player in NFL history with two career touchdown runs of at least 90 yards, joining Bo Jackson, who did it in 1987. Green, who had a 98-yarder last December, also set a franchise record with his 27th 100-yard game, breaking Jim Taylor's record.
DALLAS - 6 0 7 7 - 20
GREEN BAY - 3 17 21 0 - 41
1st - DAL - Billy Cundiff, 46-yard field goal 6:28 DALLAS 3-0
1st - DAL - Cundiff, 24-yard field goal 14:05 DALLAS 6-3
2nd - GB - Green, 1-yard run (Longwell kick) 1:44 GREEN BAY 10-6
2nd - GB - Walker, 5-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 13:05 GREEN BAY 17-6
2nd - GB - Longwell, 40-yard field goal 15:00 GREEN BAY 20-6
3rd - GB - Franks, 8-yard pass from Fisher (Longwell kick) 3:58 GREEN BAY 27-6
3rd - DAL - Jason Witten, 42-yd pass from Testaverde (Cundiff kick) 7:06 GB 27-13
3rd - GB - Driver, 33-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 11:44 GREEN BAY 34-13
3rd- GB - Green, 90-yard run (Longwell kick) 13:35 GREEN BAY 41-13
4th - DAL - Eddie George, 5-yard run (Cundiff kick) 6:41 GREEN BAY 41-20
October 31 : Green Bay Packers (4-4) 28, Washington Redskins (2-5) 14
(Washington) - Brett Favre ignored a sprained throwing hand to complete 20 of 33 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown for Green Bay, extending his streak to 33 games with at least one TD pass in his 199th consecutive regular-season game. The Packers won their third straight game. The Redskins, trailing 20-14, thought they scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 43-yard reception by Clinton Portis with 2:35 to play. But the celebrations died quickly when the play was called back for an illegal-motion penalty on receiver James Thrash. On the next play, Al Harris intercepted Mark Brunell's pass and Ahman Green scored on an 11-yard run four plays later to seal the victory.
GREEN BAY - 3 14 3 8 - 28
WASHINGTON - 0 7 0 7 - 14
1st - GB - Longwell, 37-yard field goal 9:05 GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - GB - Green, 1-yard run (Longwell kick) 1:19 GREEN BAY 10-0
2nd - GB - Walker, 9-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 8:32 GREEN BAY 17-0
4th - GB - Green, 11-yard run (Ferguson pass from Favre) 13:16 GREEN BAY 28-14
November 14 : Green Bay Packers (5-4) 34, Minnesota Vikings (5-4) 31
(Green Bay) - Ryan Longwell's 33-yard field goal as time expired gave the Packers a victory over their archrivals and a tie atop the NFC North, both at 5-4. The Vikings, losers of three straight, rallied to tie it with two touchdowns in the final 2:53. After Daunte Culpepper's fourth touchdown toss, Robert Ferguson returned the kickoff to midfield, where Antoine Winfield forced a fumble. Officials ruled Packers tight end Ben Steele recovered, even though Minnesota's Larry Ned emerged from the scrum with the ball. Brett Favre, who also
threw four touchdown passes, calmly guided Green Bay to the Vikings 15, where Longwell split the uprights. It was Favre's 18th game with four or more touchdowns, second only to Dan Marino's 21. Just a month after being all but counted out, the Packers have won four straight in their quest to become just the ninth team in NFL history to overcome a 1-4 start to reach the playoffs. Minnesota All-Pro receiver Randy Moss sat out his second straight game because of a strained hamstring.
MINNESOTA - 7 3 7 14 - 31
GREEN BAY - 7 17 0 10 - 34
1st - GB - Walker, 50-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 3:52 GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - MIN - Wiggins, 13-yd pass from Culpepper (M. Andersen kick) 8:35 TIED 7-7
2nd - GB - Fisher, 2-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 0:51 GREEN BAY 14-7
2nd - MIN - Andersen, 21-yard field goal 6:13 GREEN BAY 14-10
2nd - GB - Franks, 17-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 7:33 GREEN BAY 21-10
2nd - GB - Longwell, 43-yard field goal 15:00 GREEN BAY 24-10
3rd - MIN - Burleson, 8-yard pass from Culpepper (Andersen kick) 12:21 GB 24-17
4th - MIN - O. Smith, 2-yard pass from Culpepper (Andersen kick) 12:07 GB 31-24
4th - MIN - M. Williams, 17-yd pass fr Culpepper (Andersen kick) 13:40 TIED 31-31
4th - GB - Longwell, 33-yard field goal 15:00 GREEN BAY 34-31
November 21 : Green Bay Packers (6-4) 16, Houston Texans (4-6) 13
(Houston) - Brett Favre drove the Packers into scoring position with a flawless 2-minute drill and Ryan Longwell kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired. Favre finished 33-of-50 for 383 yards. Houston native Donald Driver had quite a homecoming, catching 10 passes for 148 yards. But star running back Ahman Green was knocked out of the game with a rib injury in the second quarter, finishing with 15 yards on only five carries against the Texans.
GREEN BAY - 0 3 0 13 - 16
HOUSTON - 0 13 0 0 - 13
2nd - GB - Longwell, 23-yard field goal 5:39 GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - HOU - D. Davis, 6-yard pass from Carr (Kris Brown kick) 7:37 HOUSTON 7-3
4th - GB - Longwell, 46-yard field goal 15:00 GREEN BAY 16-13
November 29 : Green Bay Packers (7-5) 45, St. Louis Rams (5-6) 17
(Green Bay) - The governor proclaimed it "Brett Favre Day", and the night belonged to the quarterback, too. Favre celebrated his 200th straight regular season start with three touchdown passes, and set another record in the Green Bay Packers' 45-17 rout of the St. Louis Rams on Monday night. Favre topped 20 touchdown passes for the 11th straight season, breaking a tie with Dan Marino on a 7-yard toss to tight end Bubba Franks in the second quarter that made it 14-3. He also threw touchdown passes to Javon Walker and Donald Driver as the Packers got two defensive touchdowns and won their sixth straight to keep pace with Minnesota atop the NFC North. Favre didn't have his costar, Ahman Green, who was out with injured ribs. But Najeh Davenport came up with a strong imitation, gaining 178 yards on 19 carries in his first NFL start even though he had a sore hamstring. It was the fifth-highest single-game rushing total in franchise history, and Davenport capped his night with a 40-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 with 1:52 left to make it 38-17. Marc Bulger threw for more yards — 448 — against Green Bay than any quarterback ever had, completing 35 of 53 passes, but St. Louis missed a chance to tie Seattle atop the NFC's woeful West. Isaac Bruce caught nine passes for 170 yards and a touchdown but his two fumbles were returned for touchdowns, one by rookie Ahmad Carroll to start the scoring and one by Michael Hawthorne to cap the rout in the final minute.
ST. LOUIS - 0 10 0 7 - 17
GREEN BAY - 7 14 7 17 - 45
1st - GB - Carroll, 40-yard fumble return (Longwell kick) 2:37 GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - STL - Jeff Wilkins, 34-yard field goal 2:13 GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - GB - Franks, 7-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 7:35 GREEN BAY 14-3
2nd - GB - Walker, 10-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 12:10 GREEN BAY 21-3
2nd - STL - Isaac Bruce, 4-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Wilkins kick) 14:30 GB 21-10
3rd - GB - Driver, 16-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 13:16 GREEN BAY 28-10
December 5 : Philadelphia Eagles (11-1) 47, Green Bay Packers (7-5) 17
(Philadelphia) - Donovan McNabb usually puts up these numbers playing video games. McNabb threw a career-high five touchdown passes in the first half and finished with a team-record 464 yards passing, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 47-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Brian Westbrook had 11 catches for 156 yards and three TDs and Terrell Owens caught eight passes for 161 yards and one score. McNabb set a team record by completing his first 14 passes and finished 32-of-43. Meanwhile, Brett Favre threw two interceptions that led to Philadelphia's first two scores. His streak of games with a TD pass was snapped at 37, second in NFL history to Johnny Unitas' 47 straight. The four-time NFC East champion Eagles matched the best start in team history. They have won nine games by a double-digit margin and hold a two-game lead over Atlanta for first place in the conference. Since losing to Pittsburgh 27-3 last month, the Eagles have won four in a row by at least 20 points, outscoring their opponents 151-50. The Packers snapped a six-game winning streak, but remained tied with Minnesota for first place in the NFC North. A rematch of a thrilling playoff game 11 months ago, this one never lived up to its hype. The Eagles scored four TDs in the second quarter, led 35-3 at halftime and rested most of their starters with 8:18 left.
GREEN BAY - 0 3 0 14 - 17
PHILADELPHIA - 7 28 9 3 - 47
1st - PHI - T. Owens, 41-yard pass from McNabb (David Akers kick) 9:03 PHI 7-0
2nd - PHI - Brian Westbrook, 9-yard pass from McNabb (Akers kick) 4:33 PHIL 14-0
2nd - PHI - Westbrook, 41-yard pass from McNabb (Akers kick) 9:23 PHIL 21-0
2nd - PHI - L.J.Smith, 6-yard pass from McNabb (Akers kick) 11:56 PHIL 28-0
2nd - PHIL - Westbrook, 12-yard pass from McNabb (Akers kick) 13:12 PHIL 35-0
2nd - GB - Longwell, 40-yard field goal 14:58 PHILADELPHIA 35-3
3rd - PHIL - Akers, 22-yard field goal 3:22 PHILADELPHIA 38-3
3rd - PHIL - Akers, 45-yard field goal 7:51 PHILADELPHIA 41-3
3rd - PHIL - Akers, 47-yard field goal 12:26 PHILADELPHIA 44-3
4th - PHIL - Akers, 22-yard field goal 3:44 PHILADELPHIA 47-3
4th - GB - Henderson, 1-yard pass from Nall (Longwell kick) 6:34 PHIL 47-10
4th - GB - Walker, 17-yard pass from Nall (Longwell kick) 12:39 PHIL 47-17
December 12 : Green Bay Packers (8-5) 16, Detroit Lions (5-8) 13
(Green Bay) - There are still two sure things in Green Bay: Ryan Longwell inside 40 yards and Brett Favre beating the Lions at home. The Packers led for only 2 seconds Sunday, but that was enough to keep their stranglehold over the Lions, who haven't won in Wisconsin since 1991. Longwell's 23-yard field goal gave Green Bay a 16-13 win over the Lions and lifted the Packers into first place in the NFC North by a game over Minnesota, which lost at home to Seattle. It was Longwell's third game-winner in five weeks and his 43rd straight conversion from 40 yards in. Snow flurries dampened the field into what Longwell called a "swampy mess," and swirling winds with gusts up to 35 mph wreaked havoc on passes, punts and long snaps and caused a slew of drops. Longwell slipped on the opening kickoff and left a 3-foot skid mark on his game-tying, 28-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
DETROIT - 3 10 0 0 - 13
GREEN BAY - 0 0 10 6 - 16
1st - DET - Jason Hanson, 31-yard field goal 7:45 DETROIT 3-0
2nd - DET - Kevin .Jones, 24-yard run (Hanson kick) 0:40 DETROIT 10-0
2nd - DET- Hanson, 36-yard field goal 14:03 DETROIT 13-0
3rd - GB - Longwell, 36-yard field goal 4:24 DETROIT 13-3
3rd - GB - Driver, 23-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 11:50 DETROIT 13-10
4th - GB - Longwell, 23-yard field goal 14:58 GREEN BAY 16-13
December 19 : Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6) 28, Green Bay Packers (8-6) 25
(Green Bay) - Byron Leftwich threw two touchdown passes, Fred Taylor rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown and Rashean Mathis picked off Brett Favre twice, helping the Jaguars stay in the thick of the AFC playoff race. Jimmy Smith caught two touchdowns for Jacksonville. Favre turned over the ball four times and fell to 314 at home after Dec. 1, losing for just the second time in 40 cold-weather games at home. Nevertheless, the Packers became the ninth team in NFL history to reach the playoffs after a 1-4 start. They clinched before kickoff because Chicago, Dallas, Carolina and New York all lost in the run-of-the-mill NFC. The Packers fell into a tie with Minnesota atop the NFC North. They travel to Minnesota for a Christmas Eve matinee that wall likely decide the division. Jaguars safety Donovan Darius was ejected for a helmet- stripping, clothesline hit that sent wide receiver Robert Ferguson to the hospital for X-rays on his neck and head with 4:41 remaining.
JACKSONVILLE - 7 7 7 7 - 28
GREEN BAY - 0 10 7 8 - 25
1st - JAC - J. Smith, 31-yd pass from Leftwich (Josh Scobee kick) 2:04 JACK 7-0
2nd - GB - Sharper, 15-yard fumble return (Longwell kick) 10:16 GREEN BAY 10-7
2nd - JAC - Smith, 16-yard pass from Leftwich (Scobee kick) 12:32 JACK 14-10
3rd - GB - Driver, 32-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 3:16 GREEN BAY 17-14
3rd - JACK - Fred Taylor, 37-yard run (Scobee kick) 4:45 JACKSONVILLE 21-17
4th - JACK - Greg Jones, 1-yard run (Scobee kick) 5:11 JACKSONVILLE 28-17
4th - GB - Chatman, 6-yard pass from Favre (Driver from Favre) 13:52 JACK 28-25
December 24 : Green Bay Packers (9-6) 34, Minnesota Vikings (8-7) 31
(Minnesota) - Brett Favre bounced back from one of his familiar costly mistakes and rallied the Packers to another big victory and another division title. Favre drove his team 76 yards to set up Ryan Longwell's 29-yard field goal as time ran out, lifting the Packers over the Vikings on Friday that clinched a third straight NFC North crown. The Packers trailed 31-24 with 8:18 left after Favre's third-down throw from his end zone was intercepted by Chris Claiborne and returned 12 yards for a touchdown. The Vikings, however, couldn't get what they needed from a pass defense that has struggled all season long. Donald Driver, who had 11 receptions for 162 yards, made a nifty, falling-down catch of Favre's pass on fourth-and-goal at the 3 to tie it at 31 with 3:34 remaining after an 80-yard drive. Minnesota, which can clinch a playoff spot with a loss by either Carolina or St. Louis this weekend, appeared on its way to retaking the lead. But a holding penalty on Matt Birk, as the Vikings were flagged nine times for 78 yards, wiped out a 16-yard run by Michael Bennett that would have given them the ball at the Green Bay 40 just before the 2-minute warning. After a punt, Favre got the ball at his 13 with 1:35 left. Twelve plays later, Longwell's kick sailed through the uprights — sending the Packers into a celebration on their biggest rival's home field. Favre finished 30-for-43 for 365 yards, three scores and the interception. Ahman Green, who left briefly with a head injury, carried 19 times for 64 yards and a score.
GREEN BAY - 0 17 7 10 - 34
MINNESOTA - 0 21 0 10 - 31
2nd - MIN - Moss, 12-yd pass from Culpepper (M. Andersen kick) 1:11 MIN 7-0
4th - GB - Longwell, 29-yard field goal 15:00 GREEN BAY 34-31
January 2, 2005 : Green Bay Packers (10-6) 31, Chicago Bears (5-11) 14
(Chicago) - Brett Favre and the Packers warmed up for the playoffs. Favre played the first quarter and one series in the second, going 9-of-13 for 196 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers beat the Bears for the 21st time in the last 26 meetings — including 11 straight on the road. Favre also went over 4,000 yards passing in a season for the fourth time in his career and reached 30 TD passes for an eighth time. Led by Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila's three sacks, Green Bay trapped Chad Hutchinson nine times.
GREEN BAY - 7 21 3 0 - 31
CHICAGO - 7 0 7 0 - 14
1st - CHI - Thomas Jones, 2-yard run (Paul Edinger kick) 2:06 CHICAGO 7-0
2nd - GB - Walker, 25-yard pass from Nall (Longwell kick) 8:44 GREEN BAY 28-7
3rd - CHI - Jones, 1-yard run (Edinger kick) 9:12 GREEN BAY 28-14
3rd - GB - Longwell, 20-yard field goal 14:19 GREEN BAY 31-14
Minnesota Vikings (9-7) 31, Green Bay Packers (10-6) 17
(Green Bay) - After defeating them twice in dramatic fashion during the regular season, the Packers played host to the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC Wild Card Playoff Game, the first-ever meeting between the two clubs in the postseason. Green Bay was unable to pull off the trifecta against the Vikings, falling to their rivals in a less than stellar performance. While the first two meetings on the season produced a pair of classic quarterback duels, Daunte Culpepper was able to put on a repeat performance but Brett Favre wasn't up to the task on this January evening. The Minnesota passer threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns, while Favre struggled throughout the game and was intercepted four times with just one TD pass. The Vikings sprinted out to an early 17-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game. Aided by some poor tackling by the home team, Culpepper threw a pair of first quarter TDs before Ryan Longwell got the Packers on the board with a 43-yard field goal late in the opening period. A four-yard touchdown pass from Favre to Bubba Franks cut the deficit to seven points, but after Favre's second interception of the day, the Vikings quickly struck to return the margin to 14. Najeh Davenport's one-yard TD run in the fourth quarter made it a one-score game again at 24-17, only to see Culpepper put the game away with a 34-yard scoring pass to Randy Moss, the receiver's second of the evening. Injuries depleted the Packers' receiving corps in this one with Javon Walker being forced from the game in the first half with a shin injury. His knock - coupled with the absence of Robert Ferguson - left Donald Driver as the lone member of Green Bay's primary trio of wideouts. Driver led the team with seven catches for 78 yards, but the Pack's effort fell short and brought the 2004 season to a close.
MINNESOTA - 17 7 0 7 - 31
GREEN BAY - 3 7 0 7 - 17
1st - MIN - Moe Williams, 68-yd pass fr Culpepper (Andersen kick) 1:40 MIN 7-0
1st - MIN - Moss, 20-yard pass from Culpepper (Andersen kick) 5:10 MINN 14-0
1st - MIN - Andersen, 35-yard field goal 9:54 MINNESOTA 17-0
Scott Wells 63 C 6- 2 300 Tennessee 1 1 23 5 2004 Draft - 7th round
James Whitley 25 CB 5-11 190 Michigan 2 4 25 6 2003 FA - St. Louis
Corey Williams 99 DE 6- 4 310 Arkansas State 1 1 24 12 2004 Draft - 6th round
Walt Williams 32 RB 6- 1 206 Grambling State 1 1 26 1 2004 FA - New Orleans
NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games Played FA - Free Agent
2004 PACKERS PRACTICE SQUAD
NAMEPOSCOLLEGEHOW ACQUIRED
Colin Cole DT Iowa 2004 FA - Detroit
Julius Curry S Michigan 2004 FA - Detroit
Ike Emodi LB East Carolina 2004 FA
Atlas Herrion OL Alabama 2004 FA
Jamal Jones WR N. Carolina A&T 2004 FA - St. Louis
Kelvin Kight WR Florida 2004 FA - St. Louis
Vonta Leach FB East Carolina 2004 FA
Mike Marker WR Milikin 2004 FA
Scott McBrien QB Maryland 2004 FA
Sean McHugh TE Penn State 2004 FA - Tennessee
Nick McNeil LB W. Carolina 2004 FA - Pittsburgh
Kevin Millhouse CB Hawaii 2004 FA
Chris Robertson RB Houston 2004 FA
Art Smith S Northeastern 2004 FA - Oakland
Ben Steele TE Mesa State 2004 FA - Minnesota
Andrae Thurman WR S. Oregon 2004 FA - Pittsburgh
Scott Wells C Tennessee 2004 Draft - 7th round
Walt Williams RB Grambling State 2004 FA - New Orleans
Wendell Williams S La-Lafayette 2004 FA - Cincinnati
David Young S Georgia Southern 2004 FA - Jacksonville
Bold Italics - Made Active Roster
SEASON REVIEW - The Packers would start the season with a solid road win on Monday Night Football beating the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers 24-14. However, the Packers would struggle losing the next four games, including three at Lambeau Field. The Packers would end their losing streak in a big way beating the Detroit Lions on the road 38-10. The win in Detroit would be just the spark the Packers needed as they won their next six games, including a thrilling 34-31 win over the Minnesota Vikings on a Ryan Longwell 33-yard field goal as time expired, to climb back to the top of the NFC North. After losing two of three games, the battle for the division title came down to one game as the Packers faced the Vikings on the road in nationally-televised game on Christmas Eve. The game would go back and forth as Brett Favre passed for 365 yards as the Packers won again 34-31 on Ryan Longwell's 29-yard field goal as time expired. The Packers would go on to finish the season with a second-straight 10-6 record as they closed the season with a solid win over the Chicago Bears. In the playoffs, the Packers would face the Vikings again after two thrilling regular season wins. However, this time the Packers would dig themselves an early hole as they fell behind in the first Quarter 17-0. The Packers would never recover as Favre had four passes intercepted in a crushing 31-17 loss at Lambeau Field.
2004 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (1-3) - AUGUST (1-2)
16 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS L 7-21 0- 1-0 69,718
21 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS W 19-14 1- 1-0 69,666
27 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 7- 9 1- 2-0 50,846
SEPTEMBER (0-1)
3 at Tennessee Titans L 7-27 1- 3-0 68,809
2004 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS (10-6) - SEPTEMBER (1-2)
13 at Carolina Panthers (0-0) W 24-14 1- 0-0 73,656 Favre
19 CHICAGO BEARS (0-1) L 10-21 1- 1-0 70,688 Favre
26 at Indianapolis Colts (1-1) L 31-45 1- 2-0 57,280 Favre
OCTOBER (3-2)
3 NEW YORK GIANTS (2-1) L 7-14 1- 3-0 70,623 Favre
11 TENNESSEE TITANS (1-3) L 27-48 1- 4-0 70,420 Favre
17 at Detroit Lions (3-1) W 38-10 2- 4-0 62,938 Favre
24 DALLAS COWBOYS (2-3) W 41-20 3- 4-0 70,679 Favre
31 at Washington Redskins (2-4) W 28-14 4- 4-0 89,295 Favre
NOVEMBER (3-0)
14 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-3) W 34-31 5- 4-0 70,671 Favre
21 at Houston Texans (4-7) W 16-13 6- 4-0 70,769 Favre
29 ST. LOUIS RAMS (5-5) W 45-17 7- 4-0 70,385 Favre
DECEMBER (2-2)
5 at Philadelphia Eagles (10-1) L 17-47 7- 5-0 67,723 Favre
12 DETROIT LIONS (5-7) W 16-13 8- 5-0 70,497 Favre
19 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (7-6) L 25-28 8- 6-0 70,437 Favre
24 at Minnesota Vikings (8-6) W 34-31 9- 6-0 64,311 Favre
JANUARY 2005 (1-0)
2 at Chicago Bears (5-10) W 31-14 10- 6-0 62,197 Favre
2004 PLAYOFFS (0-1) - JANUARY
NFC Wild Card Playoff
9 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-7) L 17-31 71,075 Favre
August 16: Seattle 21, Green Bay (0-1) 7
(GREEN BAY) - Tim Couch still has a lot to learn about the West Coast offense. Fourth-string QB Seneca Wallace led Seattle on two touchdown drives and the Seahawks took advantage of Couch's dismal debut. Couch, expected to be an upgrade over veteran Doug Pederson as Brett Favre's primary backup, finished 2-of-11 for 18 yards, a 1.6-yard average, and was sacked twice. Couch, a former No. 1 draft pick who served as Cleveland's starter most of the last five years, wasn't released by the Browns in time to get a jump-start on Green Bay's intricate offense in minicamp. He sat out much of last week after overuse the first week led to soreness in his throwing arm. Favre completed 5 of 7 passes for 43 yards in two series, and Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck completed 5 of 9 passes for 56 yards for Seattle before giving way to Wallace, who was 14-of-26 for 135 yards and a score. Couch looked nothing like those three. He repeatedly overthrew or underthrew his receivers, was indecisive in the pocket and unable to shake a troublesome hitch in his delivery. His day came to a finish on a series in which he held the ball too long and was sacked, then threw right into the swatting hands of defensive end Omar Nazel as he backpedaled from the pressure near his own goal line.
SEATTLE - 7 7 0 7 - 21
GREEN BAY - 3 0 0 0 - 7
1st - GB - Longwell, 47-yard field goal 9:03 GREEN BAY 3-0
1st - SEA - Mack Strong, 2-yard run (Josh Brown kick) 2:34 SEATTLE 7-3
(GREEN BAY) - Darren Sharper had flashbacks to his days as a punt returner at William & Mary -- until he started gasping for breath at about the 25-yard line. "I was a lot younger then; I had a lot more energy," Sharper said after his 90-yard interception return for a touchdown sparked the Green Bay Packers' win. Sharper hadn't been able to showcase his playmaking abilities since LeRoy Butler's last game in 2001, but he was turned loose with strong safety Mark Roman roaming deep for the Packers. Roman, who signed a three-year contract in March after four years in Cincinnati, has been involved in a heated training camp fight with Marques Anderson for the starting job. Roman made a good case to keep the job with his versatile play that allowed Sharper to play close to the line of scrimmage and create havoc. Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks aggravated his strained right thigh muscle while scrambling to the sideline to avoid former teammate Grady Jackson in the second quarter and was replaced by Todd Bouman. Sharper picked off Bouman's first pass at his own 10-yard line, then zigzagged down the field and picked up a key block from rookie cornerback Joey Thomas that allowed him to score and give Green Bay a 10-0 halftime lead.
NEW ORLEANS - 0 0 7 7 - 14
GREEN BAY - 3 7 3 6 - 19
1st - GB - Longwell, 40-yard field goal 4:54 GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - GB - Sharper, 90-yard int return (Longwell kick) 7:48 GREEN BAY 10-0
3rd - GB - Longwell, 48-yard field goal 8:23 GREEN BAY 13-0
3rd - NO - Ki-Jana Carter, 1-yard run (John Carney kick) 7:21 GREEN BAY 13-7
4th - GB - Longwell, 42-yard field goal 5:35 GREEN BAY 16-7
4th - GB - Longwell, 32-yard field goal 2:43 GREEN BAY 19-7
4th - NO - D. Henderson, 70-yd pass from O'Sullivan (Rob Hart kick) 2:26 GB 19-14
PRE-SEASON - August 27: Jacksonville 9, Green Bay (1-2) 7
with every kick. The rookie booted three field goals. Scobee missed three of four field goal attempts in his first two preseason games, but was perfect on tries of 23, 32 and 43 yards against the Packers. Brett Favre played a half for Green Bay, throwing a 52-yard touchdown pass to Robert Ferguson in the second quarter. Backups Doug Pederson, Craig Nall and Scott McBrien shared the rest of the playing time, but did not come close to getting the Packers into the end zone. Favre completed 9 of 14 passes for 127 yards and was intercepted twice before being replaced by Pederson at the start of the third quarter. Tim Couch, who missed practice earlier in the week with a sore arm, did not play. Ferguson's touchdown was the first for Green Bay's offense during the preseason. The receiver missed the Packers' first two exhibitions with a hamstring injury caused by a hyperextended knee and finished with three receptions for 83 yards. The Packers got a scare late in the second quarter when Green remained on the ground after a 5-yard carry up the middle. Trainers rushed onto the field and examined Green's left knee before the Pro Bowl running back got up on his feet and walked to the sideline with what the Packers said was a bruised kneecap.
GREEN BAY - 0 7 0 0 - 7
JACKSONVILLE - 0 6 0 3 - 9
2nd - JACK - Josh Scobee, 23-yard field goal 9:09 JACKSONVILLE 3-0
2nd - GB - Ferguson, 52-yard pass from Favre (Longwell kick) 6:20 GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - JACK - Scobee, 32-yard field goal 0:58 GREEN BAY 7-6
4th - JACK - Scobee, 43-yard field goal 9:18 JACKSONVILLE 9-7
September 3: Tennessee 27, Green Bay (1-3) 7
(TENNESSEE) - At least the Packers know what needs to be fixed before their season opener. Tennessee's Samari Rolle tipped a pass to LB Keith Bulluck, who returned the interception 70 yards for a touchdown, and then Rolle picked off a Brett Favre pass to help lead the Titans to a win over the Packers on Friday night. The Packers finished with four turnovers despite holding the ball for nearly 34 minutes. Tennessee had given up 240 yards passing to Vinny Testaverde in losing at Dallas five days ago. But with starting cornerbacks Rolle and Andre Dyson together for the first time this preseason, the Titans held Favre to 110 yards. When these teams wrapped up the preseason in 2003, Favre didn't dress and Steve McNair took only three snaps. Each played the first half Friday night, but the extra work didn't help. Favre was without running back Ahman Green, who sat out with a bruised left kneecap. McNair didn't have two of his top three receivers because of injuries. Favre had his offensive line together for the first time this preseason with center Mike Flanagan back. Favre completed his first three passes, but Rolle nearly intercepted a pass intended for Javon Walker before tipping it to Bulluck, who scored. The final block was provided by Rolle.
GREEN BAY - 7 7 21 0 - 7
TENNESSEE - 3 14 0 6 - 27
1st - TN - Keith Bulluck, 70-yard int return (Joe Nedney kick) 11:05 TENN 7-0
4th - MIN - Moss, 34-yard pass from Culpepper (Andersen kick) 4:42 MINN 31-17
2004 PACKERS DRAFT (April 24-25, 2004)
RND-PCKNAMEPOSCOLLEGENOTES
1 25 Ahmad Carroll CB Arkansas
2 55 Traded to Jacksonville in draft-day trade
3a 70 Joey Thomas CB Montana State (A)
3b 72 Donnell Washington DT Clemson (A)
3c 86 Traded to Jacksonville in draft-day trade
3d 87 B.J. Sander P Ohio State (B)
4a 102 Traded to Miami, originally from Jacksonville
4b 118 Traded to Jacksonville in draft-day trade
5 153 Traded to Miami in draft-day trade
6a 179 Corey Williams DT Arkansas St (C)
6b 185 Traded to Philadelphia in 2003 draft-day trade
6c 188 Traded to San Francisco, from Dallas for Terry Glenn
7a 226 Traded to San Francisco in draft-day trade
7b 251 Scott Wells C Tennessee
A-From Jacksonville in draft-day trade B-From Miami in draft-day trade C-From San Francisco in draft-day trade
Bold Italics - Played for the Green Bay Packers
FREE AGENCY - UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
PLAYERS SIGNED - S Mark Roman (Cincinnati)
PLAYERS LOST - P Josh Bidwell (Tampa Bay), S Antuan Edwards (Miami)
FREE AGENCY - RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
PLAYERS LOST - S Matt Bowen (Washington)
FRANCHISE PLAYER DESIGNATION
T Chad Clifton
2004 Packers Yearbook
2004 Packers Media Guide
Packers at Vikings Program - 24 December
TRADES AND TRANSACTIONS
APRIL 24 - Traded 2004 2nd-round choice to JACKSONVILLE for 2004 3rd-round choice (CB Joey Thomas) and 2004 4th-round choice (traded to Miami)
APRIL 24 - Traded 2004 3rd-round choice and 4th-round choice to JACKSONVILLE for 2004 3rd-round (DT Donnell Washington)
APRIL 24 - Traded 2004 4th-round choice and 5th-round choice to MIAMI for 2004 3rd-round choice (P B.J. Sander)
APRIl 24 - Traded 2004 6th-round choice and 2004 7th-round choice to SAN FRANCISCO for 2004 6th-round choice (DT Corey Williams)
SEPTEMBER 4 - Traded S Marques Anderson to OAKLAND for 2005 5th- and 6th-round draft choices
SEPTEMBER 5 - Traded OT/OG Brad Bedell to MIAMI for a conditional 2006 draft choice
SEPTEMBER 5 - Traded 2005 5th- and 6th-round draft choices to KANSAS CITY for DE R-Kal Truluck
OCTOBER 4 - Traded CB Mike McKenzie and a 2006 conditional draft choice to NEW ORLEANS for QB J.T. O'Sullivan and 2005 2nd-round draft choice (S Nick Collins)
WISCONSIN'S OTHER PRO TEAMS
The Green Bay Packers were not the only professional football team to call Wisconsin home. The Badger State has been home to numerous franchises in outdoor and arena leagues:
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
* MILWAUKEE BADGERS (1922-26) - The team played its home games at Athletic Park, later known as Borchert Field and team was notable for having a large number of African-American players. The team was caught up in the 1925 NFL championship controversy. The Chicago Cardinals, after losing to Pottsville, played two hastily-arranged games against clubs which had disbanded for the year. The Badgers used four high school students in their game. The NFL forced the Badgers owner to sell the franchise, and the team folded after the 1926 season. - RECORD (TITLES): 16-27-6 (None)
* RACINE LEGION/TORNADOES (1922-26) - The team's official name was the Horlick-Racine Legion. In 1925, the franchise was turned over to the Racine Exchange Club, but was inactive that season. The Racine franchise was reactivated in 1926, but after winning their first game, the Tornadoes lost four in a row and disbanded in late October. - RECORD (TITLES): 15-15-6 (None)
* KENOSHA MAROONS (1924) - The team was originally based in Toledo, Ohio and called the Toledo Maroons from 1922-1923. The Maroons played in the NFL only during 1924. The Maroons dissolved after posting no wins in five games.
RECORD (TITLES): 0-4-1 (None)
AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
* MILWAUKEE CHIEFS (1940-1941) - The team played its home games in the Dairy Bowl at the State Fairgrounds. Originally formed as an expansion team in the American Professional Football Association for the 1940 season, the new team joined the Cincinnati Bengals and Columbus Bullies in becoming charter members of a new major-league AFL, which forced the APFA to fold. After two season, AFL owners were optimistic about the league's long-term future, and a new franchise was awarded to Detroit for the 1942 season. After the United States entered World War II, the league was put on hold and never returned.
RECORD (TITLES): 11-5-1 (None)
ARENA FOOTBALL
* MILWAUKEE MUSTANGS (1994-2001) - The team never finished lower than eighth in attendance, regularly drawing in the 14,000's and 15,000's. The team even led the AFL in attendance in 1996. The AFL folded the team after the 2001 season, due to arena issues. - RECORD (TITLES): 46-66-0 (None)
* GREEN BAY BOMBERS (1998-2000) - The Bombers played in the Professional Indoor Football League in 1998, and the Indoor Football League in 1999 & 2000
RECORD (TITLES): 32-13 (Won the IFL title in 1999)
* MADISON MADDOGS (1998-2000) - The MadDogs lost the PIFL championship in 1998 and moved to the IFL in 1999 - RECORD (TITLES): 26-18 (None)
* LA CROSSE RIVERRATS (2000) - They were a 2000 expansion member of the Indoor Football League (1999-2000) - RECORD (TITLES): 2-12 (None)
* LA CROSSE NIGHT TRAIN (2002-2003) - The team played in the National Indoor Football League - RECORD (TITLES): 5-23 (None)
* GREEN BAY BLIZZARD (2003-Now) - The team struggled initially as an AF2 expansion team, drawing only 2,957 fans per game. By 2008, the team was drawing over 6,000 fans a game. The team is scheduled to join the new Arena Football 1 league in 2010. - RECORD (TITLES): 55-55-0 (None)
* MILWAUKEE BONECRUSHERS (2008-Now) - The Bonecrushers were an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League, and play in the U.S. Cellular Arena, known as the "Bone Yard". The team has struggled at the gate and on the field - RECORD (TITLES): 4-19 (None)
* WISCONSIN WOLFPACK (2009-Now) - Based in Madison and playing in the CIFL, they play at Veterans Memorial Coliseum - RECORD (TITLES): 7-5 (None)
* MILWAUKEE IRON (2009-Now) - The Iron were announced as an af2 expansion team in March 2008 when the team's ownership group announced an agreement to play at the Bradley Center. For the 2010 season, the Iron will be playing in the new Arena Football 1 league. - RECORD (TITLES): 5-11 (None)
* LA CROSSE SPARTANS (2010) - Will be an expansion team in the Indoor Football League
