Immediately following the Green Bay Packers' 17-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Packers general manager Ted Thompson approached Brett Favre to gauge his mood.
Favre compared his frustration to the start of the 2004 season when the Packers lost four of their first five games.
"Being 0-3 or 1-4, I don't know if one feels worse than the other," Favre said "It feels terrible."
Favre took the loss especially hard, heaping blame on himself. While he averaged 7.1 yards-a-pass and threw two touchdown passes, he also threw three interceptions.
"You can't make mistakes," Favre said. "It starts with me."
Sherman, however, defended his quarterback.
"I wouldn't say he threw it up," Sherman said. "This is Brett Favre."
His first interception came with 9:25 left in the second quarter. Cornerback Brian Kelly read Donald Driver route at the 40-yard-line.
"They all jump routes," Favre said. "That's what they're good at."
That play set up a seven play-13-yard drive, which culminated in a 42-yard Matt Bryant field goal and a 17-6 Buccaneers lead.
Safety Will Allen caught his two other interceptions. Allen's first pick occurred with 11:42 left in the fourth quarter on a pass intended for Driver. The offensive line picked up a blitz and Driver was isolated on a linebacker. Favre lofted the ball, thinking Allen was flat-footed and would be slow to turn on the throw.
"I underestimated the safety, 26. I felt like he was flat," he said. "That's one I wish I had back."
The other ended the Packers' last drive at the Tampa Bay 48-yard-line with 5:15 to play.
"That was a legitimate opportunity to win that game," he said. "That play sticks in my mind."
Favre, who showed excellent touch on his two touchdown passes, a 37-yarder to Ferguson and a 20-yarder to Chatman, may have been trying to do too much.
"I feel like I can be the difference maker in good times and bad," Favre said. "It's hard to change the way I play because I want to be aggressive and know we have to score points."
The Buccaneers defense was equally aggressive. They owned the top-ranked defense in the NFL, going into the game. Statistically they have ranked among the top-10 defenses each of the last eight years. The 2005 version impressed Favre when he watched tape of them earlier in the week.
"This was the best I've seen them play," he said. "After the game I still feel that way."
The losses eat at the 15-year-veteran more than they did during the early part of his career and may not leave him until the Packers' next game against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 3.
"It stays with me," he said.
Favre, however, will continue his Tuesday routine with Sherman, meeting for a one-on-one session going over the game tape.
"We must find a way to win the game," Favre said. "The show must go on."
