Who can stop the second defending Super Bowl champion since the 1998 Denver Broncos to start a season 13-0? "Us," cornerback Charles Woodson said. "We believe in each other, our coaches and in our plans and schemes. If we continue to play how we should play, we should be fine."
Then again, the reigning Super Bowl champions' quest to become the first-ever team in league history to go 19-0 may have suffered its first uh-oh hit. Green Bay's leading receiver Greg Jennings limped to the Lambeau Field sideline with a third-quarter right knee injury. Jennings, whose injury was described as a sprain, was taken by cart to the locker room where he was joined by defensive end Ryan Pickett and rookie tailback Brandon Saine, who suffered head injuries.
"Well, it didn't look very good," Rodgers said of Jennings' knee. "We'll see what the MRI (today) says. We wrapped up the bye so we have close to five weeks before we have to play our playoff game."Should such injuries give coach Mike McCarthy pause and cause him to want to rest key starters if the Packers have clinched NFC home-field advantage throughout the postseason next week? "I know we're going to play to win every game," Woodson said. "What that means as far as who's playing I'm not sure."
A much-maligned 31st-ranked defense intercepted quarterback Carson Palmer three of four total times and tailback Ryan Grant ignited for two rushing touchdowns in staking Rodgers and Co. to a 31-0 halftime lead.
Rodgers finished 17 of 30 for 281 yards with an interception before he was replaced byMatt Flynn late in the third quarter. The reigning Super Bowl MVP has thrown at least two touchdowns every game as the Packers have strung together 19 straight wins dating to a Dec. 19, 2010 loss to the New England Patriots. On first-and-10 from the Oakland 37-yard line, Rodgers and the Packers came to the line without huddling. That enabled them to catch the Raiders defense changing personnel on the fly. Receiver Jordy Nelson streaked down the right sideline and got behind Oakland's secondary as Rodgers hit the fourth-year veteran for a 24-0 lead with 9:14 left in the first half. Though the Raiders were flagged for having 12 men on the field, there was no stopping the league's highest scoring offense averaging 35 points per game. Rodgers' 39th touchdown pass tied predecessor Brett Favre's single-season franchise record of 39 scoring passes in 1996. On Oakland's ensuing series, Woodson intercepted Palmer to set up Grant's 6-yard scoring run four plays later. To that point, the Packers had turned their five possessions into four touchdowns and a 34-yard field Mason Crosby field goal.
Playing without three of their big-play standouts, tailback Darren McFadden and receivers Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford, the 7-6 Raiders finally found the end zone on Michael Bush's 2-yard run after a nine-play, 80-yard, third-quarter drive.
Credit McCarthy and staff for keeping the Packers focused and in the moment rather than reflecting on their big-picture quest to join the 17-0,1972 Miami Dolphins as the lone undefeated, untied teams in the Super Bowl era. "It's all about Kansas City," McCarthy said. "This is the target. This is the next mile marker. Our goal is home-field advantage all the way through, make sure you're playing playoff games at Lambeau Field." The four interceptions boosted Green Bay's league-leading total to 27 pickoffs. What's more, the Packers have turned their 30 overall takeaways into 98 points. "Turnovers are emphasized by this defense," linebacker Clay Matthews said. "We have a lot of ballhawks. "You want to be peaking toward the end of the season and entering the playoffs."
WOW MOMENT: Instant Replay Goes Down...Raiders could not challenge a call that would of have taken away 17 yards on a return by the Packers. First time we have seen that call.
On To KC! GO! PACK GO!