The resilient Packers added a different slogan to one of the most spectacular wins in their 97-year history: Scat Two Rebound Pass.
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“Not an easy pill to swallow”, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said afterward. This one was a 50-yard pass to Quincy Morgan (No. 4 on top plays of 2002 video) to give the Browns a 21-20 win. Aaron Rodgers’ 61-yard throw coming after a penalty with 0:00 on the clock arced high into the air before coming down into the hands of leaping tight end Richard Rodgers in the end zone. The Green Bay Packers tight end fought his way out of the slew of Detroit Lions stars blocking his way and leapt to catch his quarterback’s pass.
They were literally done at the 0:00 mark of the game when Rodgers was tackled on the last portion of a series of laterals in an attempt to replicate the play made famous by Rodgers’ alma mater, the Cal-Stanford “Band Is Out On The Field” walk-off touchdown.
“Could be. But those things we don’t discuss in here anyway”, McCarthy said.
It was a gut punch for the players and the fans.
Green Bay are now 8-4 on the season, half a game behind the NFC North leading Minnesota Vikings.
COMPLAINTS: Caldwell disputed the facemask call. You don’t really want to catch it in the field of play, although we’ve seen a couple of those I’d say luck out. “The ref called what he called, there was nothing I could do about it”.
Crockett had been promoted from the Packers’ practice squad just before the game, after the club cut previous third-string running back Alonzo Harris.
“I’m not saying it was, I’m not saying it wasn’t”. “We had plenty of time throughout the game, plenty of opportunities to make sure it never got to that point where they were involved in the game”. Big one for us. That pass resulted in the Packers’ 27 to 23 victory over the Lions.
NOTES: The Packers scored their first points with 5:44 left in the third when James Starks fumbled and Randall Cobb recovered it in the end zone…. But the Detroit facemask penalty extended the game and the Packers pulled off the miracle. Now the Lions lead 23-21 with 3:04 left.
More important, on a night when their character would have been seriously questioned had they lost, the Packers re-affirmed their resiliency and tough-mindedness by outscoring the Lions 27-6 in the second half and making the plays – or is that play? – they needed to make at the end. He was hoping for one more chance.
“Didn’t think it was, but that doesn’t matter”, Caldwell said. But Rodgers showed his vast arm strength and found his target for the touchdown.
“No lead is safe in this league particularly with a guy like that on the other end”, said Lions coach Jim Caldwell.
In an appearance on NFL Network after the game, Blandino suggested that, even if replay review were available to overturn the ruling on the field, it may not have been reversed. With their victory last night, their odds improved to 10/1 according to oddsmakers from online sports book Mybookie.ag.
“I was just looking at the rush, moving around, guys did a good job of holding their blocks and I knew once I got outside [to] the right, I was going to be able to set up and throw”.
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Sixty minutes was just not enough.
