Wags
by Len Wagner
Monday, November 20, 2000
"Pack Helps Revive B&B"
Three weeks ago, the Indianapolis Colts fell behind the Chicago Bears 27-0
-- can you believe it? -- before scoring 24 unanswered points. Still, the
Colts lost.
This past week, the Colts fell behind the Green Bay Packers 19-0 -- can you
believe it? -- before soaring back for 24 points. Still, they lost 26-24.
Is there something about the good ol' Black and Blue Division? Are the NFC
Central teams just that tough? Heck, we know Minnesota is a playoff lock.
Tampa Bay is good but also lost to fellow NFCer Chicago Sunday. Detroit is
a little inconsistent but is a major threat to knock anybody off.
And the Packers, who have gone down to the last two minutes in nine of
their 11 games before the outcome was firmly decided, now whip -- well,
maybe that's not the right word but it sounds good -- the Colts.
Indianapolis, at least until it met up with the NFC Central, has been one
of the AFC powers. It's offense is second in the league, overcoming a
vulnerable defense.
It was that vunlerability that the Packers exploited for just over
32-and-a-half minutes Sunday. The Pack, with a superb game plan, dominated
the first half. Except for the fiasco at the end of the half, the score
could have about equaled the Bears' unbelievable start against these same
perplexed Colts. In the excitement of a potential Ahman Green touchdown on
the last play, no one took a timeout just in case the ball was not over the
goal line -- which, it turned out, it wasn't. That sort of excitement might
not have erupted on a real good team more used to scoring TDs and a cooler
head would have immediately rushed an official calling for a T.
The Packers added some more domination in the final 2:30 of the game to
prevent the now revived Colts' offense from administering a knockout final
field goal or touchdown to win the game. In between, the Pack added about
another 10 seconds of domination on Al Rossum's kickoff return for what
turned out to be the decisive touchdown.
What happened the other 28 minutes, in which Indy almost pulled a Miami on
the Pack? Don't blame the Pack, offense or defense, as much as crediting
the Colts. This is a good Indy team. Peyton Manning plain scares you with
his ability. The Colts simply got hot. But in the final analysis, credit Ed
Donatill and his defensive staff for another great preparation against a
heavyweight opponent. So to with the offensive coaches, who took advantage
of the weak Indy corners, particularly with Bill Schroeder almost toying
with diminutive Tyrone Poole.
It was truly a team effort. As we noted last week, the Packers are playing
with great fire in their system. That enthuiasm and resolve will, at times,
overcome superior talent, though the Colts' two losses to low NFC teams may
put a question mark after that superior?
Give the players credit. And, also as noted previously, give the coaches an
immense amount of credit for keeping that fire flaring. It isn't easy
motivating a team below .500. But somehow Mike Sherman and Co. has found a
way.
Footnotes: Is it something about Apolis? Besides going 2-2 in a stretch of
four extremely challenging games, the Packers have restored a bit of
Lambeau Field mystique with two straight somewhat stunning upsets:
Minneapolis and Indianapolis. . .By now you know that Brett Favre is 25-0
at Lambeau when the temperature is 34-degrees or below, a record perhaps
equal to his 136 straight starts. . .
And if you were surprised that Favre had a great game Sunday -- looking
like the Brett we have come to know and love -- you shouldn't have been. He
always plays better when injured or coming off an injury. It's that "let's
have fun" attitude of his. . .Everybody points out that the Packers won
this game with six starters sitting out wth injuries. But can you really
call Earl Dotson and Brian Williams -- maybe even Dorsey Levens -- starters
considering the little each has actually played all year?. . .And speaking
of reserves, they need to find consistent playing time for Nate Wayne. . .
Remember when I said Ahman Green may be a better runner than Levens? He
keeps making me look good -- though Levens is a better receiver. . .The
Packers still make too many crucial mistakes to be a real playoff threat:
The no-points at the end of the first half, Longwell missing a 28-yard chip
shot, Favre's one interception after a fumble recovery put them in position
to sew up the win (am I picking nits here? I think not because of the
circumstance), Sharper's clearly dropped interception that could have
stemmed the Colts' offense (another nit?), too many missed tackles.
Looking Ahead: Will this win spur the Pack to playoff heights? Well, they
have proven that they actually do have a chance to win each week. But they
have been very inconsistent in finding a way to do so. Facing Carolina,
Chicago and Detroit in the next three weeks could put them at eight wins.
But they will have to find that consistency to go with the heart they have
demonstrated. At one time, I said they would be fortunate to win six games
this year. Fortunate is still the key word there. But it now appears very
possible. Eight wins may still be a reach. But there is no doublt things
are looking up.
Extra Point: The bad news in the reference to the tough NFC Central at the
top of this piece is that four of the Packers' last five games are against
B&B foes.
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