TimesFour

October 10, 2010 in other words 10/10/10

In the course of every NFL season there are dozens, perhaps hundreds of turning points. There are highs and lows that players, coaches and fans may not even realize until long after the fact.

There are other times, however, when everyone can recognize rock-bottom when it’s staring you in the face. For the 2010 Green Bay Packers that moment may well have presented itself at FedEx field on the outskirts of Washington D.C.

Orakpo sacks Rodgers

Against an inferior opponent that was already playing poorly, the Packers played down to the level of their competition and found themselves on the short end of a game they knew very likely could come back and haunt them before the season was over.

There was no reason for the Packers to lose to a Redskin team still seeking an identity after a major roster overhaul brought on by new head coach Mike Shanahan. However, the Redskins also faced the Packers at the perfect time–Green Bay was 3-1 but perhaps the most puzzling and puzzled 3-1 team in the NFL.

Little had gone right in the season for the Packers to that point. The offense, which was supposed to be close to unstoppable, was sputtering like an old Ford Pinto. It was even to the point that the Packers sublime stable of receivers were beginning to gripe that they weren’t seeing the ball enough.

The defense was playing better but it was not forcing turnovers and it had just been shredded the week before by a Detroit Lions backup QB.

So if the Packers were going to right their ship, this seemed like a perfect place to do it. Instead, as they had done much of the season to date, they struggled early, allowed a bad team to stick around and believe in itself, and then had no answer at the end. Worse, the injury plague that was already hovering over the team, came crashing down with a vengeance.

The ominous portents began on the game’s 2nd play when TE Donald Lee fumbled to the Redskins. In an effort to make a tackle on the play, fellow TE Jermichael Finley injured his knee and was lost for the game.

On Green Bay’s next series, thanks to a 71 yard run by Brandon Jackson, the Packers scored a touchdown on a Rodgers-to-Lee 5 yard pass.

A Mason Crosby FG upped the Packers lead to 10-0 but the Packers could not shake the Redskins. It didn’t help when the Packers reached the Redskin 1 yard line in the 2nd quarter but were stuffed on 4 downs and could not score.

In the 2nd half the Packers built their tenuous lead to 13-3 before Washington began its comeback. Donovan McNabb hit Anthony Armstrong for a 48 yard touchdown and then with 1:11 left in regulation, Graham Gano kicked a 45 yard FG to tie the game.

The Packers had a chance to come back and win in regulation as Rodgers drove them into Redskins territory with 2 big completions to Green Bay’s #3 TE, rookie Andrew Quarless. However, with just 7 seconds left, Crosby’s 53-yard FG try strayed left and smacked the left upright–no good.

Pack fans with Redskin Paint on Cheesehead

It only got worse for the Packers in overtime. Deep in their own territory, Rodgers, who had been harassed all day by the Redskin defensive line was hit hard and threw an interception to LaRon Landry. Not only did the INT setup Gano’s game-winning 33-yard FG, Rodgers suffered a concussion, making his status for the next game uncertain.

Green Bay fell to 3-2 and looked at a growing list of injuries that included their starting QB, 2 tight-ends (Lee & Finley), their top defensive player (Clay Matthews), noseguard Ryan Pickett and safety Derrick Martin.

The Packers piled up 427 yards including 115 on the ground from RB Brandon Jackson. Rodgers threw for 293 yards but still didn’t look comfortable.

After the game, Finley was convinced his injury wasn’t serious and figured he’d be out just a week or 2. “I still think we can be the team we want to be,” he said.

The trouble was, no one knew what that team was supposed to be