| It would be easy to dismiss the Green Bay Packers Thanksgiving Day victory over the Detroit Lions as a narrow escape from a humiating defeat. But the fact is that in one of the worst officiated games of the season (a game in which the officiating was equally horrific to both teams) the margin was not so narrow as the score or the anxious ending indicated, nor would the loss, had it befallen the Packers have been all that humiliating. Like a mist that shrouds the beauty of a mountain peak, so the referees made indistinguishable the true nature of the game. History has taught the faithful of the Green and Gold, if nothing else, that the Silver Dome in Pontiac Michigan is an extremely tough venue for an outdoor, cold weather team such as the Packers to come in and perform well. In fact, the Packers had not won there since their Super Bowl victorious campaign of 1996. The combination of stalwart Lions' teams, an enclosed and hostile crowd, and the turf (always the damned turf) have made efforts to win there difficult at best. And this year was no exception. The Lions 0-9 record going into the game belied the talent inherent on the team. In addition to preparing to defend against QB Charlie Batch, who had thrown for 436 yards and 3 TD's just days before in Arizona, Green Bay defensive coordinater Ed Donnatell had to consider the return of Pro Bowl caliber RB James Stewart, who had 1100+ yards and 10 TDs with the Lions last season, and 900+ yards and 11 TD's the previous season as back up to Fred Taylor in Jacksonville. The Wildcard, for which there could be no preparation, was the rookie QB out of Rutgers, Mike McMahon, who was allowed |
by Head Coach Marty Morninweg to lead an eleventh hour rally against the Packers operating a prevent defense. With less than 7 minutes remaining in the game, and down by 16 points, McMahon engineered a 71 yard drive, aided by critical penalties against Mike McKenzie, Vonnie Holliday, and Ty Williams, and two highlight reel 4th down conversions, that culminated in a 1 yard TD plunge by goal line RB Lamont Warren. McMahon ran in the two point after TD attempt, and suddenly (almost Bear-like) the Lions were back in the game. With but a minute and 17 seconds remaining in the game, a successful on side kick by the Lions gave Detroit the ball at the Packers 31 yard line. Morninweg stuck with the hot hand, and after a questionable review and reversal of a McMahon to rookie WR Scotty Anderson TD, the pair combined to get it right and the Lions were a two point conversion away from a glorious comeback to send the game to overtime. Dubious play-calling by Morninweg,, inexperience by McMahon, and a stiffened Packer defense combined to prevent the Lions from have a legitimate shot at their first win of the season. The win was, by no stretch of the imagination, a cheap one for the Packers who gained their first victory in four years at the Silverdome. And the Lions have nothing to be ashamed of in the loss. The last minute heroics of were simply not enough to overcome 53 minutes of Packer domination. As are all NFC "Black And Blue" division contests, this game had a great deal of emotion, an emotion the Packers could have used |
several days earlier when a lackluster perfomance cost them a share of divisional first place in a home loss to the Falcons. Brett Favre had an outstanding day completing nearly 70% of his pass for two TDs with no picks to post a 125+ passer rating. RB Ahman Green solidified his Pro Bowl candidacy with yet another 100 game rushing, enhanced by 48 receiving yards and posting two TDs, one each rushing and receiving. As is usually the case, the Packers are peaking, heading into their historically most successful portion of the season, the cold of winter, where they will play three home games on "The Frozen Tundra" in December, against the Bears, the Browns, and the Vikings, and an extreme colds weather game on the shores of the Hudson river in January. THE BILLIE UPDATE: BIllie Schroeder continued to fall out of Brett Favre's sites on Thrusday when she failed to make any effort whatsoever at a hurried pass. While Lion receivers spent most of their day stretched out trying to bag errant passes from their two QB's, Schroeder pulled up on one in the first quarter that landed but two yards from where he stood. No one will ever know whether or not he would have been able to make the reception if he'd made the effort, but the disappointed expression on Favre's face, and his reluctance to look for Billie the rest of the day tells a sad story of a favorite son fallen on hard times. It would be nice to think that Billie could regain the confidence of her leader, but with a run to the playoffs ahead, Favre and his Packer bretheren don't have time to make concessions to half hearted efforts. |