The Green Bay Packers look like they are living up to their name. In a lackadaisical 48-3 loss at Baltimore on Monday night, they packed in all the frustrations of their 3-11 season and now appear ready to pack up for a long winter’s nap.
In a most uncommon Bears-Packers week, Kyle Orton and Brett Favre have a lot in common, which is as unbelievable a thought to the Bears as it is to the Packers. In their first Christmas game ever, the Bears could clinch the NFC North title, ending a three-year reign by a Packers team in a rare gift-giving mode.
Like Orton, Favre was benched, although Favre’s exit late in the third quarter was more out of mercy than desperation. Coach Mike Sherman said Tuesday that Favre definitely will start against the Bears at Lambeau Field as well as in the season finale against Seattle, keeping his 228-game streak alive.
Two other questions also remain alive: Is this it for Favre? And who will start with him?
During seven losses in which they stayed within seven points, the Packers remained competitive and Sherman’s future seemed more secure than it did during Monday night’s debacle, which could change the thinking of new general manager Ted Thompson and help determine Favre’s future as well.
Favre already has said if Sherman is fired, he has little desire to return and learn a new system.
After Monday night, Favre may have less desire to return to a current regime that requires introductions in the Packers huddle every week. Against the Ravens, the Packers lost running back Samkon Gado to a medial collateral sprain of the right knee, knocking him out for the season, Sherman said. Gado, the fifth running back who has started for the Packers this season, was becoming a lone bright spot for the offense. The Packers finished with free-agent rookie Noah Herron from Northwestern at running back. Herron and Tony Fisher will carry the load against the Bears.
Favre played a shockingly bad first half Monday night and his teammates might have been worse, causing ABC commentator John Madden to resort to his coaching sense and advise the Packers: “Do something. You have to compete. You have to fight.”
But Madden’s counsel fell on deaf ears. The Packers paid no attention and the stadium was nearly empty when rookie quarterback Aaron Rodgers played in the fourth quarter and ignited no hope.
“I thought it was time to take him out of the game,” Sherman said of Favre. “It was getting out of hand.”
Sherman said Tuesday: “I thought the guys played hard, but we didn’t play well. I didn’t think [effort] was a problem.”
The national television audience started dwindling in the first quarter when the Ravens went up 14-0.
It was the worst loss by the Packers in the Favre era and the worst by a Packers’ team since the Bears routed them 61-7 in 1980 at Soldier Field. It was the most lopsided game in “Monday Night Football” history.
At first, Favre looked no more ready or eager to perform than his teammates. He overthrew his first pass and got called for intentional grounding on his second. He threw two interceptions in the first half to increase his league lead to 24, tying a career high. He now has gone three games without a touchdown pass, the longest drought of his career.
“He’s just throwing that ball up on the deep ones,” Madden said. “Every time he has thrown deep, it’s into coverage.”
But later, Favre was seen coaxing and correcting apathetic teammates.
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“They look like there’s no life in them, no passion,” Madden said. “I don’t know how hard these wide receivers are playing for him.”
After a shot of a frustrated Sherman on the sidelines, Madden said, “His team is not putting up much of a fight.”
Favre did not address the media after the game as speculation over his uncertain future continues to swell. Many fans in Baltimore, seeing Favre in person for the first time, carried complimentary signs, some imploring him to stay.
His second interception was to Ravens defensive back Deion Sanders, who fielded the wild throw as if it were a punt. Sanders, 38, and Favre, 36, began their careers together with the Atlanta Falcons and commiserated before the game.
ABC noted nobody as old as Sanders ever has intercepted a pass against anybody as old as Favre.
During a break in the action, Sanders went to Favre on the sidelines in the fourth quarter. It looked like at least one of them was saying goodbye to the other.
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