Packers Post Game Quotes
GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman
(on Najeh Davenport and other injuries)
We won't really know until tomorrow when we look at him more extensively. He strained his hamstring on that kickoff return. Grady Jackson dislocated his kneecap. We'll find out more tomorrow.
(on Packers)
Not turning the ball over is the key. Being able to run the football and being good in the red zone. Offensively, I think we are three for three in the red zone. This (the Panthers) is a good football team. They were NFC Champions last year, so we knew we had our hands full on a Monday night away game. I thought the guys responded very well.
We went into this game saying if we don't turn the ball over, we have a good chance of winning. If we get some back, we have a great chance of winning. Fortunately for us, we were able to do that.
I told them last night that I thought they were ready to play a football game and play well. I told them before the game that they were going to have a great football game and they did.
(on Packers confidence)
If you lose the game, you can't go in the tank. If you win the game, you haven't really done anything just yet. We've got a long season. It was a great win for us, but it's one win. Hopefully there are many more. It's one game just like if we lost, it would be one game. You've got to keep an even keel to this and keep working. We've got the Bears next week in a short week. That is going to be our challenge. We don't ever get too high or too low.
(on Offensive line)
Carolina has one of the best defensive fronts in football. I thought that our guys did well. They are a good defensive front, and they will continue to be a good defensive front. We didn't get a whole lot of explosive runs against them. We had to grind out our runs. I thought our lineman responded to the challenge.
(on Blitzing)
We have a philosophy and you practice certain things in practice. You tell the guys that is what you are going to do and we stuck with it. I thought Bob (Slowik) did a good job blending the blitz in with the zone and coverage. I thought Tom (Rossley) did a wonderful job as well on offense being patient with the run game. Sometimes that's not so easy particularly on the road against a team like this.
QB Brett Favre
(on first game of the season)
It feels great, especially after the way that we opened up last year at home and we did not play all that well. This environment and this football team are about as tough as it gets. Right out of the gates we were faced with some big time adversities, and we handled them tonight. It feels good to play the way that we did because they are an excellent football team. We did what we had to do to win, and we still got a lot left, but it definitely is a good start.
(on the success of running against the front seven)
(Carolina's defensive front) deserves it (the publicity) I don't want to take it away from them, because they are going to catch some heat. But, we are not too bad either. We have thrown the football well, and teams know that we are going to load up and run it. At times that is when we are at our best. The good thing was that we got points out of it. We didn't turn the ball over. At times it was hard making runs, and I passed the ball so it was effective enough to keep them on their heels. That was our game plan from the start and we executed it perfectly. Tom Rossley (offensive coordinator) and I were talking about it before the game, trying to neutralize the front seven and I was agreeing with him that somehow we were going to have to open the offense up. It worked to perfection and I can't say enough about our offensive line because they were faced with a huge challenge today and they answered.
(on the importance of Ahman Green)
Let him keep flying under the radar. I don't know if teams are overlooking him. I can't see that that would happen, but he is a fine of a football player as there is. His work ethic and his personal gain, which is something you guys might not see, is as good as anybody out there. That is why he is as good as he is. I don't think that he will be overlooked for too much longer.
T Chad Clifton
(on offensive line playing as a unit)
We have been together now for four years, so we know what is going on.
(on playing against a strong defensive unit)
The benefit of just being able to run the ball in general makes everything just so much easier for the offense. It opens up the passing game, if you need it, and tonight we didn't. We were able to run the ball pretty much all night long.
(on winning the battle between the tackles)
Our power loads, stutters, and everything was hitting on all cylinders.
LB Hannibal Navies
(on the varying schemes that the defense provided)
I think that they got the picture. They knew that we were coming, and we kept coming with the pressure and we did not cut it off at any point of the game. That is our style and we are going to keep that up, we are not going to change it.
(on getting off to a 1-0 start this season)
It feels a lot better, because it is a great way to start the season. We had a good opponent to play against, and to beat these guys in their house considering that they were NFC Champions, on Monday night it feels good. Hopefully it will catapult our season, and I realize it is just one game, but it does feel good.
S Darren Sharper
(on the Packers style of defensive play)
They definitely knew that we were going to force the issue and that we are going to be aggressive and create take aways. That will make the difference, because when you start to create take aways to get our offense in position then we are going to score. That is one thing that we wanted to deal with, and we were able to establish that tonight.
(on the Panthers offense inability to take advantage of defense)
The only thing that they got came with us making mistakes in the form of penalties, busted coverages, or otherwise. We played solid overall as a defense, we knew that we had to go out there and make plays as a defense and we did it. That is the most exciting thing, that we were able to force the issue. If we continue to do that then you will see positive outcomes."
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Tonight's paid attendance was 72,331.
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End of game.
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The Panthers' onside kick attempt was recovered by Darren Sharper.
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The Panthers took less than a minute to put points on the board as Jake Delhomme connected with Muhsin Muhmmad for a 30-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to pull the Panthers to within 10 points (4:52, 4th quarter).
The Panthers' drive was 4 plays for 66 yards. Time of the drive was :46.
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For the Packers, Brett Favre has now thrown a touchdown in 26 consecutive games and is only one shy of the fourth-longest streak in NFL history, shared by Chris Chandler and Peyton Manning.
Ahman Green has rushed for at least 100 yards in 25 games for the Packers. Only Jim Taylor (26) had more games with at least 100 yards rushing.
In addition, Monday marked the second time in Green's career that he scored three touchdowns in one game. Green scored three rushing touchdowns vs. Washington, Oct. 20, 2002.
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End of 3rd quarter.
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The Packers added to their lead late in the third quarter when Brett Favre found Ahman Green in the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown pass (2:01, 3rd quarter).
Green had 33 yards rushing on the drive. Favre completed 3-of-4 passes for 25 yards on the drive.
The Packers' scoring drive was 11 plays for 62 yards. Time of the drive was 5:59.
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Jake Delhomme's 34-yard pass completion to Ricky Proehl had put the Panthers inside Packers' territory, but Nick Barnett intercepted Delhomme's pass intended for Steve Smith at the 17 yard line, returning it 16 yards to the 33.
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The Packers extended their lead to 17-7 early in the 2nd quarter as Ahman Green scored his second touchdown of the game (10:59, 3rd quarter).
Aaron Kampman recovered Brad Hoover's fumble at the Carolina 34 yard line on the Panthers' second play of the second half to return the ball to the Packers.
Brett Favre hit Donald Driver twice on the drive, first for 15 yards and later for a gain of 16 yards.
Favre's touchdown pass to Robert Ferguson was called back as the receiver was flagged for pass interference.
Driver's catch put the Packers inside the Carolina 5 yard line and Ahman Green punched it in from 3 yards away.
The Packers' scoring drive was 7 plays for 31 yards. Time of the drive was 3:12.
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End of 1st half.
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With the rushing touchdown, Ahman Green extended his streak to five straight games with a rushing touchdown and is tied for the No. 3 streaks in Packers history (Tobin Rote, 1956; Jim Taylor 1961 and 1964; and Brent Fullwood, 1988). Paul Hornung (1960) had seven consecutive games, while Terdell Middleton (1978) had six consecutive games with a rushing touchdown.
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Brett Favre and the Packers answered Carolina's scoring drive with a 10-play, 72-yard drive of their own.
Ahman Green punched it in from 6 yards away (3:25, 2nd quarter).
Favre completed passes of 13 yards to David Martin and 24 yards to Javon Walker on the drive.
Time of the drive was 4:18.
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Najeh Davenport left the game with a strained right hamstring on the ensuing kickoff. His return is questionable.
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Two 15-yard facemask penalties called against the Packers (James Lee & Nick Barnett) aided the Panthers in their first scoring drive of the game.
Barnett's penalty occurred as he sacked Delhomme for an 11-yard loss.
Jake Delhomme hit Brad Hoover for a 1-yard touchdown to cap off the drive (7:43, 2nd quarter).
Delhomme completed 5-of-7 passes for 66 yards on the drive, including a 22-yard pass to
Ricky Proehl.
The Panthers' scoring drive was 10 plays for 60 yards. Time of the drive was 5:05.
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End of 1st quarter.
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The Packers found the first points of the game as Ryan Longwell hit a 41-yard field goal (3:28, 1st quarter).
Ahman Green rushed for 13 yards on the drive. He had one fumble, which was recovered by Javon Walker and advanced 11 yards. Brett Favre completed 1-of-2 passes on the drive for 11 yards.
The Packers' scoring drive was 9 plays for 42 yards. Time of the drive was 4:36.
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Ahmad Carroll batted down Jake Delhomme's pass intended for Muhsin Mahammad on 3rd-and-19 to force the Panthers to punt on their first possession of the game. Todd Sauerbrun's 54-yard punt was returned 7 yards by Antonio Chatman to the Packers' own 34 yard line.
Grady Jackson sprained his left knee on the drive. His return is doubtful.
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The Packers' first drive of the game stalled on 3rd-and-9 when Green Bay was called for an illegal procedure penalty at the Carolina 38 yard line. Bryan Barker's 31-yard punt pinned the Panthers deep in their own territory at the 7-yard line.
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Temperature at kickoff is 74 degrees.
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The Packers have won the coin toss and have elected to receive.
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The following Packers players are inactive for tonight's contest: Brad Bedell, Jason Horton, Torrance Marshall, Steve Morley, Craig Nall, Kenny Peterson and B.J. Sander. |
