Submitted by admin on Tue, 2006-11-21 08:00. ::
GREEN BAY — Brett Favre left the field just before halftime Sunday, riding shotgun in a cart as it sped along the perimeter of the Lambeau Field turf. As trainer Kurt Fielding hastily swerved his way through human traffic and up the south tunnel, you got the sense that along with them went any chance of a comeback.
The reality, though, was this: Even before their legendary quarterback's right (throwing) elbow injury — and even if he had returned — the Green Bay Packers simply didn't belong on the same field as the New England Patriots.
"Obviously, they're at a different level than we are. Right now, at this point in time, they're just a better team," Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga said. "The caliber of team they are, it obviously shows that we're not that caliber. We want to get to that level. At this point, we've got a ways to go yet."
Yes, in a matchup that was supposed to be a measuring-stick game for an ascending team that had won three of its last four and was harboring playoff hopes, the Packers (4-6) clearly didn't measure up to the Patriots (7-3), who've won three of the last five Super Bowls. The Packers were already behind 21-0 when Favre was hurt.
"Our performance was poor. To lose by 35 points, frankly, is unacceptable. I take full responsibility," said coach Mike McCarthy, whose team fell to 1-4 at home this season. "We did not perform very well, and that starts with me."
On offense, the Packers managed just 120 net yards — their fewest since managing just 84 yards in a 28-3 loss at the New York Jets on Dec.¤20, 1981 — and just five first downs, their least since Oct.¤17, 1999. More than half their yards came on two plays: a 26-yard pass to Greg Jennings and a 38-yard pass to Donald Driver.
The offensive line, which started three rookies with veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher (groin) out, didn't run-block well (43 yards) and hardly protected Favre or backup Aaron Rodgers (four quarterback hits, four sacks).
Favre was injured with 1 minute, 41 seconds left in the half, when he was sacked by linebackers Tully Banta-Cain and Tedy Bruschi. Favre fell with his full weight on his right elbow and, afterward, he had "weakness in his hand," McCarthy said. It was unclear whether Favre, who was making his NFL quarterback-record 251st straight start including playoffs, would be ready to play next Monday night at Seattle.
Of course, Favre was well off the mark before his injury (5-for-15, 73 yards). Rodgers (4-for-12, 32 yards) was bad, too, as the pair combined for a passer rating of 46.1.
"It's embarrassing," said Driver, who was held to just two catches for 46 yards. "Everyone on offense right now, we should have our heads down."
The defense was no better. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (20-for-31, 244 yards, four TDs, 128.2 passer rating) had all day to throw, helping the Patriots snap a two-game losing streak and win their seventh straight road game.
"We played a good football game for 60 minutes, and we obviously need to do more of that," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "Things really seemed to go our way."
Including, for the third straight week, a misplayed Cover-2 zone defense by the Packers that led to a long touchdown. This time, it was a 54-yard Tom Brady-to-Reche Caldwell bomb on which safety Marquand Manuel was beaten for New England's third score of the first half.
Earlier, Poppinga was burned for a 22-yard pass-interference penalty by tight end Daniel Graham to set up the Patriots' second TD. Tight end Benjamin Watson got behind Poppinga and Manuel for a 36-yard gain to set up the Patriots' first score.
What was particularly distressing for the Packers was that Sunday's game afforded them the chance to not only reach the .500 mark for the first time all year following a 1-4 start, but to demonstrate significant improvement by beating a good team.
Instead, coupled with their 26-0 loss to Chicago in the season opener, it marked the second time this year the Packers were shut out in a game. The last time that happened was 1988, when they were shut out three times in Lindy Infante's first year. It also marked the first time since 1934 that they've been shut out twice at home in the same season.
"I don't think (teams) fear coming to Lambeau anymore. We don't have that mystique," tight end Bubba Franks said. "It's embarrassing, to get blown out at home. Very embarrassing.
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