Game Recaps

A day after unexpectedly losing his father, QB Brett Favre did "what his father would have wanted" and played a football game. On what was likely his toughest game ever, Favre had a career day.

RB Ahman Green continued his dominate season with another sparkling performance. He was explosive hitting the holes with speed and power.

WR Javon Walker was Favre's favorite deep target. Walker caught 3 of Favre's 9 passes that went for 20+ yards. Favre hit all three of his WRs deep as he spread the ball around to 12 different receivers.

Oakland Raiders

As the Raiders limp to the end of the season, QB Rick Mirer confirmed everyone's suspicion that he is not a viable NFL starting QB. He showed once again that he has the arm strength and athleticism, but lacks accuracy and decision making skills.

RB Charlie Garner was used twice as much in the passing game as the running game. He had 3 rushes and 7 passing targets. The Raiders utilized RB Tyrone Wheatley more when attempting to run the ball (10 carries).

CB Phillip Buchanon was torched for 3 TDs and hundreds of yards in the first half. Yes, half. Virtually every downfield throw from Favre in the opening half went towards Buchanon. He was benched in the second half.

WR Jerry Rice posted spectacular numbers that were severely inflated by fourth quarter garbage time. He pulled in 6 of his 10 receptions in fourth quarter for 81 of his 159 yards.

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Oakland Raiders

QB: Rick Mirer: (12-23-114 1 INT passing) Mirer didn't make any glaring mistakes, but he was unable to get the ball down field with any accuracy and couldn't keep drives going.

Rob Johnson: (6-13-54 1 INT passing) Johnson replaced Mirer in the second half and was running for his life from the outset. The Packer pass rush pinned back their ears and smelled blood as Johnson dropped back to pass on every down.

Tee Martin: (4-4-55 passing) Martin got double scrub duty replacing Rob Johnson at the end of the game. He zeroed right into WR Jerry Rice. All four of his passes went to Rice.

RB: Charlie Garner: (3-27 1 TD rushing, 4-19 receiving on 7 targets) Garner was active in the passing game and actually got the majority of snaps at the RB position in the first half. His combined passing targets and carries outnumbered Wheatley seven to six. His 25-yard TD run was reminiscent of his countless dynamic carries from a year ago. He spun and darted through tacklers on his way to the endzone.

Tyrone Wheatley: (10-56 rushing, 0-0 receiving on 0 targets) Wheatley was the focus of the Raider rushing attack through the first three quarters. He ran hard with good power and shoulder lean, but as the blowout got worse, the Raiders had to abandon the run.

WR: Jerry Rice: (10-159 receiving on 15 targets) Rice put up some monster numbers, but the bulk of it came in the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand. Rice continued to run hard and precise routes. He demonstrated that he still runs excellent routes and can make tough catches in traffic.

Tim Brown: (4-30 receiving on 8 targets) Brown caught his first target in the game, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. His second target drew a pass interference flag. Brown struggled to gain separation from DBs. Two of his four receptions also happened the fourth quarter when the game was over for all intents and purposes.

Jerry Porter: Porter attempted to make a go of it in pre-game warm-ups, but he re-aggravated his injury and barely saw the field. He was not targeted in the game and was mostly replaced by Alvis Whitted.

Alvis Whitted: (1-8 receiving on 4 targets) Whitted took Jerry Porter's role in the game, but was a non-factor. Three of his four targets came in the fourth quarter when the game was well over.

TE: OJ Santiago (0-0 receiving on 1 target, Doug Jolley, & Teyo Johnson: (1-0 receiving on 2 targets) Santiago started the game, but none of the three TEs contributed anything significant to the game.

K: Sebastian Janikowski: (0-0 FG, 1-1 XP) The Raider kicking game was not a factor in the game.

Pass Defense: CB Phillip Buchanon was the sacrificial lamb of the evening. He was torched play after play in the first half by all three Green Bay WRs. The Raider pass rush dropped Favre only once in the game, but they were able to hit him on a few other plays. However, Favre was unfazed and seemed dialed in all night.

Rush Defense: RB Ahman Green had his way with the Raiders. If it hadn't been QB Brett Favre's opportunity to honor his father, Green might have put up even larger numbers. The Raiders allowed gaping holes.

Green Bay Packers

QB: Brett Favre: (22-30-399 4 TD passing) Favre came out of the locker room red-hot. He hit his first 9 passes for 180 yards and 3 TDs. By half he had 300 yards passing and 4 TDs. Words can't describe the emotions that Favre must have felt after losing his father the previous day, then performing at such a high level to honor his dad. If it had been a movie script, you would have never believed it.

RB: Ahman Green: (24-127 1 TD rushing, 1-2 receiving on 2 targets) Green turned in another great effort paying second fiddle to Favre. He made great cuts and ran hard.

Najeh Davenport: (5-18 rushing, 1-3 receiving on 1 target) & Tony Fisher: (6-13 rushing, 1-32 receiving on 1 target) Davenport started to spell Green late in the third quarter with the game well in hand. He didn't get much of a chance because the Raiders began to stack the line knowing that Green Bay was ready to run out the clock. Davenport gave way to Fisher later in the fourth quarter to finish out the game. Of note, Fisher had his 32-yard reception in the first quarter before the game was out of reach.

WR: Donald Driver: (3-78 receiving on 4 targets) Driver was targeted only twice in the first half pulling in both passes. Until his 41-yard reception in the fourth quarter, Driver didn't appear to be anymore important to the Packer passing game than Ferguson or Walker. His long reception in the fourth was between defenders and Driver did a nice job of leaping high to pull the ball down.

Robert Ferguson: (3-85 receiving on 5 targets) Ferguson made a beautiful 47-yard reception beating the CB down the sideline early in the game to set up Favre's first TD pass. He followed up that with another tough grab over his shoulder down the sideline for 27 yards.

Javon Walker: (4-124 2 TD receiving on 4 targets) Walker's four receptions went for 23(TD), 12, 43(TD), and 46 yards. All four receptions were in the first half. His first TD was deep down the sideline. His second was deep down the middle of the field in double coverage. He beat CB Phillip Buchanon on both plays. Walker did a nice job of using his size to catch the ball high on his second TD. On his last reception Favre just lobbed the ball down the field and Walker made a nice grab in traffic between two defenders.

TE: Bubba Franks: (3-23 receiving on 3 targets), Wesley Walls: (1-22 1 TD receiving on 1 target), & David Martin: (2-4 1 TD receiving on 2 targets) The tight end by committee put up great numbers when combined. Favre spread the ball all over the place on the evening hitting 12 different receivers. Franks continues to draw the most targets due to his blocking on all single TE formations. When the Packers are inside the 20 and use more 2-TE sets, both Walls and Martin will continue to steal targets away from him. Also of note, Martin was targeted on the Packers first play in the second half down the seam in the endzone and nearly made a nice over the shoulder reception.

K: Ryan Longwell: (2-2 FG 31 & 27, 5-5 XP) Longwell made both of his FG attempts. They put the ball in front of him, and he kicked it through the uprights.

Pass Defense: The Packers dropped Oakland QBs five times in the game. Kabeer Gbaja Biamila recorded three of the sacks. His speed was too much for LT Sims to deal with. The Packers secondary came close to picking off several passes on the night, but also allowed several open WRs to run free in the secondary. The inaccuracy of QB Rick Mirer helped to make them look good.

Rush Defense: Aside from a 31-yard Wheatley run and a 25-yard Garner TD run, the Packers allowed only 49 yards on 14 rushing attempts. The game became such a blowout so quickly that he Raider rushing attack was an afterthought during the entire second half.