Taking a final look back at the 2004 season for the Green Bay Packers, Packers.com brings you the second installment in a four-part series recapping the Pack's run for their third straight NFC North Division title. Here's a game-by-game look at the second quarter of the 2004 season.
**Tennessee Titans 48, Green Bay Packers 27
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Monday, October 11, 2004
Packers.com Fan Poll Player of the Game: Javon Walker**
Much like the first quarter of the Packers' 2004 season, the second quarter opened with a prime time Monday Night Football game, this time at home. Unlike the season opener though, the Green Bay defense was not at the top of its game as the visiting Tennessee Titans scored 17 unanswered points in the game's first 10 minutes on their way to a 48-27 victory.
The Titans gashed the Packers both on the ground and through the air, with running back Chris Brown scoring twice as he ran for 148 yards, with his 37- and 29-yard touchdown runs coming before the Lambeau Field fans could even get comfortable in their seats. 2003 NFL co-MVP quarterback Steve McNair threw for two TDs with wide receiver Drew Bennett throwing one as well to complete Tennessee's scoring barrage.
With the early hole the Packers found themselves in, the offense was in catch-up mode nearly all night and never established a running game. Brett Favre attempted 44 passes and completed 24 of them for 338 yards, but his two touchdown passes to Bubba Franks were offset by three interceptions.
Donald Driver and Javon Walker continued to post big receiving numbers, with the duo each going over the 150-yard mark on the night, Driver with 150 on 10 catches and Walker catching eight balls for 159 yards. The occasion marked just the third time in franchise history that the Packers had two players with 150 receiving yards or more in the same game.
With the game's outcome already determined, third-year quarterback Craig Nall saw his first extended playing time in his first game as the team's primary backup to Favre. Nall led the Packers on their final possession of the night and completed seven of eight pass attempts for 64 yards and hit Walker from one yard out for his first career touchdown pass.
**Green Bay Packers 38, Detroit Lions 10
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Packers.com Fan Poll Player of the Game: Brett Favre**
With the prospects of a successful season slipping away in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the Packers - following an impassioned Saturday night speech from Head Coach Mike Sherman - broke out in a big way with a dominating 38-10 win at Detroit.
The defense looked like a completely different unit than the one that had taken the field just six days earlier, as they limited the Lions offense to just 125 total yards and a mere 18 in the second half. Darren Sharper's third quarter 36-yard interception return of a Joey Harrington pass gave the visitors a 14-point lead early in the third quarter and highlighted a fine defensive performance.
On the offensive side of things, the Packers spread the wealth with all three of the team's tailbacks involved in a scoring play. Tony Fisher was the first to score, catching a 13-yard pass from Brett Favre in the second quarter to put Green Bay up 14-7, a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Najeh Davenport powered his way through the Detroit defense on a 13-yard run to the end zone in the third quarter.
Ahman Green proved he's not only a scoring threat with his feet, as he swept to his left on a halfback option play and lofted a 20-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver to round out the backfield trifecta.
Driver's fourth quarter TD reception from Green was his second six-point catch of the day, as the receiver had opened the afternoon with a seven-yarder from Favre on his way to 110 yards on nine catches. Favre finished the day with 257 yards passing and two scores to put the Pack back in the win column for the first time in over a month.
**Green Bay Packers 41, Dallas Cowboys 20
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Packers.com Fan Poll Player of the Game: Brett Favre**
The Green Bay offense continued its run of good form the next Sunday afternoon, as the Packers gave the hometown fans their first victory of the year at Lambeau Field, topping the Dallas Cowboys 41-20.
Brett Favre led a highly-efficient offensive attack as he completed nearly 80% of his throws, going 23-for-29 for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Javon Walker was on the receiving end of one of those TDs, catching a five-yard score as one his eight catches for 129 yards, his fourth 100-plus yard receiving effort in six weeks.
Tony Fisher proved that Ahman Green wasn't the only Packer running back who can throw the ball, finding Bubba Franks for an eight-yard touchdown just after halftime on the team's second halfback option TD pass in two weeks.
Green let his legs do his talking on this day, averaging more than 10 yards per carry as he gained 163 yards on just 15 attempts and scored the Green and Gold's first and last touchdowns of the afternoon. The running back's first score came on a one-yard plunge to give the home team a 10-6 lead in the second quarter, but the second one would be a bit more spectacular.
After the Packers took possession at their own 10-yard line late in the third quarter, Green took a toss off left tackle and ran through the big holes provided by the offensive line and fullback Nick Luchey. Green sprinted up the left sideline and left many Dallas defenders in his wake on a 90-yard run, the Packers' longest play of the season.
**Green Bay Packers 28, Washington Redskins 14
FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Packers.com Fan Poll Player of the Game: Al Harris**
Closing out the first half of the season, the Packers went into the nation's capital with the stated goal of getting back to the .500 mark heading into their bye week. Green Bay was able to overcome turning the ball over four times with some timely defense of their own to secure a 28-14 victory to draw level at 4-4.
The Packers jumped out to a 17-0 second quarter lead by way of an Ahman Green one-yard touchdown run and a nine-yard pass from Brett Favre to Javon Walker after a 37-yard Ryan Longwell field goal.
Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell, who was hassled much of the afternoon by a pass rush that produced four sacks, cut the lead to 10 with a TD pass to Rod Gardner just before halftime.
The home team tried to catch the Packers napping with a surprise onside kick to open the third quarter, but safety Bhawoh Jue, playing in front of his hometown fans, followed up a first half interception by alertly pouncing on the ball which set up another Longwell field goal.
Washington cut the lead to 20-14 with just under five minutes to play in the fourth quarter and looked to take their first lead of the day two minutes later, but a 43-yard touchdown pass from Brunell to Clinton Portis was nullified by an illegal motion penalty. Al Harris all but clinched the win for the Packers as he intercepted Brunell on the next play to snuff out the rally.
Green provided an insurance touchdown with an 11-yard score just after the two-minute warning. Favre's two-point conversion pass to Robert Ferguson closed the scoring for the day and the Packers returned home for their week off at .500 at the season's mid-point.
