K. C. Masterpiece

Packers 33 - Chiefs 22

Last week, Favre won in Denver for the first time. This week, he beat the only team he hadn't beat so far in the NFL, so he's now joined Manning and Brady in that regard. Those two managed to reach that milestone last week, but actually, since there have definitely been games in which Favre has caused the Packers to beat themselves, I'd argue that Brett Favre is the only QB to have beaten all 32 teams in the NFL.

So there.

This game was a back-and-forth affair, and that actually made it fun. (Well, okay, it's much easier to say that when we win....) The difference of 11 in the final score is misleading. That's thanks in large part to Mr. Charles "Woody" Woodson, who came alive in the 4th quarter. He started with a huge 27-yard punt return, and ended with a 46-yard pick-6. In fact, in the last 3 minutes, we scored 17 points. The first in that chunk was a deep-middle 60-yarder to the Jennerator. Amazing. That was his second, actually (all he does is catch touchdowns). His first was on one of my favorite crossing pattern plays at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Favre had a couple of interceptions in this game, and one was quite controversial. At the end of the half, the guy who wanders around on the sidelines with a headset and a laminated play sheet (I'll call him "Oblio") made an odd choice. Favre had thrown an almost-lateral pass on 2nd-and-2, and Morency wisely made sure the ball went out of bounds... by kicking it (and thus I learned that in a game called "football" it is actually illegal to use your foot to do that!). At the start of that play, there were about 40 seconds left in the half. Five minutes later, I think, the zebras had finally resolved that the throw was not a lateral but an incomplete forward pass, and there would not be a 10-yard illegal kick penalty on Morency... but there would be a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty on him. I think it was the damned zebras who were delaying the game, TYVM! Anyway, after all of that, with 35 seconds left, Oblio said, "Hey, let's throw the ball instead of safely running for the first" (yes, I know, the one time we actually want him to call a run), and Favre threw a pick. That led to a KC TD, meaning instead of going into halftime up by 6, we were down by 1.

At least the defense kept the Chiefs from earning their own first down on our half of the field until late in the game. I love how the D is playing this year. They're a very cohesive group. They're playing the way Green Bay defenses played when there was an emotional veteran player like Reggie or LeRoy leading them. We just have a strong group of guys. Kampmann and Barnett are class, Hawk is coming on (he had a pick in this game), and KGB has even made a difference this year. They just need to make sure guys like Bigby can keep their game honest and they'll own the NFL.

This is the youngest team in the league. They're 7-1, on pace with the Cowboys... and when we play one another the week after Thanksgiving, it's possible we'd both only have one loss. Not to get too far ahead of myself, but that game might just be a preview of the NFC Championship game. We beat them, it's bring on the Patriots for a Super Bowl XXXI rematch!

Okay, mommy says I need to go take my pills now.