Week 4 Game Recap: Green Bay Packers 29, Carolina Panthers 32

What you need to know

Green Bay Packers

An already poor Green Bay offensive line was further hurt by two early game injuries to starters Mike Flanagan and Chad Clifton. Injuries continued to be a major factor for the Packers throughout the night, as rookie wide receiver Terrence Murphy and most importantly, running back Ahman Green, left the game hurt.

The game looked to be over as the Packers headed into their first drive of the fourth quarter, down 32 to 13. Brett Favre, as he has done so many times in the past, put his team on his back and his arm, and nearly led Green Bay back to what surely would have been a memorable comeback. The final drive came up just short on a fourth down incompletion to Donald Driver. With no timeouts left, Green Bay had lost the game.

Farve turned in another epic Monday night performance, passing for 303 yards and four touchdowns. The score and the loss of Ahman Green in the third quarter effectively ended the running portion of the Packers’ game, contributing heavily to Favre's total of 47 attempts, compared to 19 rushing attempts total by the team.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers played well enough on both sides of the ball to hold on to the win, although they scared themselves a bit by allowing Brett Favre to throw Green Bay back into the ball game in the fourth quarter. Delhomme was efficient and productive enough to get the win.

Delhomme hit tight ends on his touchdown strikes; one to Kris Mangum, the other to Michael Gaines. He distributed the ball well, completing passes to seven different receivers. The running game balanced the Panther's offensive attack in play selection, but not yardage. Despite the low per carry totals for Stephen Davis, he managed to find the end zone twice. One of his scores was set up by a pass interference penalty drawn in the end zone by Julius Peppers, who was in as a wide receiver on the play. DeShaun Foster got his carries as well, and looked better than Davis on most of them. He was also Carolina's best contributor to the passing game.

Ultimately, the efficiency of the Panther's offense, coupled with some key stops by the defense, allowed Carolina to escape with the victory. The Monday Night crew awarded their player of the game to both Favre and Delhomme, in honor of the way the two signal callers led their respective teams.

What you ought to know

QB Brett Favre, Pass: 28 - 47 - 303 - 4 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 12 - 0

Favre looked rattled, annoyed, and generally uneven during the first half of the game. He managed to draw the score even early on with a first quarter touchdown pass to tight end David Martin. Once Carolina had gone up big, and the Packers had abandoned the running game, Favre started to light up the scoreboard. Three second half scoring strikes, one each to Donald Driver, Donald Lee, and Antonio Chatman gave Favre his most impressive fantasy performance of the year: 303 yards and four touchdowns. He also connected on two two point conversion passes.

Favre was also off on several of his throws, although his lone interception should be credited to Robert Ferguson's lack of aggressiveness on a ball stolen by defender Ken Lucas. Favre was sacked and fumbled the ball on the first drive of the game, directly leading to Carolina's first seven points. He also contributed a 12 yard scramble late in the game.

RB Ahman Green, Rush: 14 - 36 - 0, Rec: 4 - 23 - 0 (9 targets)

Green was running the ball well, if not for great yardage, before he injured his leg and left the game for good. The injury didn't look terribly serious, and Coach Sherman likely kept him out to prevent further aggravation of the leg, especially considering how far down the Packers were when it occurred.

When Green was running the ball he showed great effort, breaking several tackles throughout the game, even if just to get back to the line of scrimmage. Favre looked Green's way nine times in the passing game; mostly as a checkdown when the Green Bay quarterback was feeling pressure, or on designed screens.

RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 4 - 10 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (1 targets)

Davenport got all of the carries once Ahman Green left with an injury in the second half. The Packers were playing catch up though, so his carries were limited.

RB William Henderson, Rec: 2 - 42 - 0 (2 targets)

Henderson caught both balls thrown his way. His first was a short pass that found him in wide open space which he promptly turned it into a 32 yard gain.

RB Vonta Leach, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (2 targets)

There were reports early in the game that the Packers might use Leach more and more at fullback instead of incumbent William Henderson. While he got a couple of looks from Favre, he was far less productive than Henderson.

WR Donald Driver, Rec: 6 - 92 - 1 (14 targets)

Driver was clearly Farve's favorite target in the game, although he only managed six receptions on 14 targets. Some of those miscues were inaccurate passes by Favre, although Driver did have a couple of drops. He was targeted in the end zone on a Hail Mary type pass at the end of the first half that was nearly completed, nearly intercepted, and definitely out of bounds. Driver got the scoring started for the Packers in the second half, turning in a nice run after catch for a 26 yard touchdown.

WR Robert Ferguson, Rec: 3 - 24 - 0 (5 targets)

Ferguson only contributed 24 yards on 3 receptions. He was also a culprit in Favre's lone interception, as he didn't make as aggressive a play on a pass as he should have, resulting in Carolina's Ken Lucas stealing the ball away from him. He also caught a pass that was good for a two point conversion.

WR Antonio Chatman, Rec: 3 - 36 - 1 (6 targets)

Chatman received the second most targets of any Green Bay wide receiver, including a completion for a four yard fourth quarter touchdown.

WR Terrence Murphy, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (2 targets)

Rookie Murphy made good on both his targets. He was involved in the scariest play of the game, as he was leveled with a helmet to helmet blow that injured him and knocked him out of the game. It was clear the injury was considered serious as he was taken off the field in a stretcher. Early reports indicated that he did have some movement in his limbs.

TE David Martin, Rec: 5 - 53 - 1 (7 targets)

Martin got the start with Bubba Franks inactive with an injured knee. He made the most of his opportunity, catching most everything thrown his way, including a 21 yard first quarter touchdown. He also caught a pass that was good for a two point conversion.

TE Donald Lee, Rec: 1 - 16 - 1 (1 targets)

Lee made his only reception of the game count, hauling in a 16 yard touchdown.

TE Bubba Franks

Franks was inactive due to a bruised left knee.

PK Ryan Longwell 0 - 0 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points

Longwell's value was extremely limited in the game, as three of the four Green Bay touchdowns were followed by attempted two-point conversions. He made his only PAT, and attempted no field goals.

GB Rush Defense

Collectively, the Carolina backfield managed to break the 100 yard mark. Green Bay's rush defense didn't allow either back to explode for huge gains, but they did allow two Stephen Davis scores. Early in the game the unit looked great, stopping Davis time and again for minimal to no gains, including several losses.

GB Pass Defense

The Green Bay pass defense allowed quarterback Jake Delhomme to complete a high percentage of his passes to a wide range of receivers. They allowed two touchdown strikes to wide open tight ends. They didn't allow Delhomme to break the 300 yard mark, but with no interceptions in the game, that’s about their only highlight.

QB Jake Delhomme, Pass: 17 - 24 - 206 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -3 - 0

Delhomme was consistent and efficient in leading his team to the victory. He completed a high percentage of his passes for decent yardage totals and two touchdowns. Delhomme didn't have any clear cut favorite receivers in this game, a marked difference from the high number of targets Steve Smith has seen coming his way most of the year. His two touchdowns went to tight ends; Kris Mangum and Michael Gaines. Delhomme was hit by Gbaja-Biamila and fumbled the ball away to the Packers in the fourth quarter, quickly leading to eight Green Bay points.

RB Stephen Davis, Rush: 19 - 51 - 2, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (2 targets)

Davis started the game horribly, totaling negative yardage over his first five carries. Eventually he got going in a positive direction, gaining good yardage through the air and on the ground on his touchdown scoring drive in the second quarter. The second half was also more positive, and included a one yard touchdown run that was set up by a defensive pass interference call drawn by defensive end turned wide receiver (for just one play) Julius Peppers.

RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 9 - 38 - 0, Rec: 3 - 55 - 0 (4 targets)

Foster looked better than Davis in both areas of the game, but didn't see as many touches or the end zone. He made one of the highlight plays of the night, catching a pass and dragging his would be tackler with him before going out of bounds. Foster averaged over four yards a carry and was the Panthers’ leading receiver.

RB Brad Hoover, Rush: 2 - 4 - 0, Rec: 3 - 20 - 0 (3 targets)

Hoover only saw a couple of carries but proved to be a reliable target for Delhomme out of the backfield, gaining 20 yards on three receptions.

RB Nick Goings, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0

Goings was a not a factor, gaining zero yards on one carry.

WR Keary Colbert, Rec: 4 - 52 - 0 (6 targets)

Colbert awoke from his two week catch less slumber to make some nice plays. His four receptions were good for 52 yards (second only to DeShaun Foster). He made a nice run after catch for a first down by running sideways to utilize a good Foster block.

WR Steve Smith, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (6 targets)

Smith was a major disappointment after a huge week three. He was the primary concern of the Packers’ secondary and it was reflected in his stats. They focused on shutting him down and were very successful in doing so.

TE Michael Gaines, Rec: 2 - 42 - 1 (2 targets)

Gaines made good on both his targets, and surprised with his first ever touchdown, a 19 yarder from Delhomme in the second quarter.

TE Kris Mangum, Rec: 2 - 4 - 1 (3 targets)

Mangum caught the first touchdown of the game, from two yards out.

PK John Kasay 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 3 XP, 8 points

Kasay had a PAT blocked but made his other two tries. He also kicked field goals of 32 and 38 yards.

CAR Rush Defense

The Carolina rush defense played well, but owed much of its success to the Carolina offense that kept the Green Bay running game out of most of the game. The defense played Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport well, although Green made a lot of tacklers miss. Nevertheless, only giving up 58 yards on the ground is an unequivocal success.

CAR Pass Defense

The pass defense looked good through the first half of the game, even picking off a Favre pass. In the second half, though, Favre turned on his Monday Night magic and shredded the secondary for three touchdowns. All told, the pass defense allowed 300 plus yards and four touchdowns. Still, it was good enough to get the victory.