Aaron Rodgers started off quickly and never really stopped, completing an impressive 19 passes on 23 attempts for 204 yards and a TD. Chances are if he doesn't get sacked 3 (or 4) times, he ends up with even more impressive numbers in the game.
Despite an excellent performance through the air by Rodgers, the Packers mustered only 10 points in the first half and found themselves trailing at the half after two touchdown passes by Curtis Painter. The first on a completely blown coverage by Morgan Burnett that resulted in a 57-yard TD by Reggie Wayne, and the second on a perfectly placed pass right over the top of the ever-so-infuriating Jarrett Bush.
Matt Flynn replaced Rodgers in the 3rd Quarter, but didn't manage much aside from a 4 of 6 performance for 32 yards, no TDs, and no INTs. Graham Harrell trots out...and comes dangerously close to throwing a pick six. Later in the fourth quarter, he came dangerously close to throwing a pick six, overthrowing the receiver and placing the ball into the hands of Mike Newton. Newton, glad to receive Harrell's gift, returned the interception 36 yards to the Packer's 3-yard line.
The big return would set up a touchdown by David Gilreath on the very next play, one that gave Indianapolis a 21-13 lead. Harrell, moments after his huge mistake, responded. He responded by leading a touchdown drive for the tie, leading the Packers into the Indianapolis redzone. On 4th down, Harrell found Ryan Taylor for an 11-yard touchdown strike, then converted the two-point conversion to Taylor for the tie.
Mike McCarthy did the unexpected on the kickoff. Mason Crosby lined up...and snuck in an onside kick, which M.D. Jennings recovered at the Green Bay 48. Two completions gained the Packers enough yards for a 50-yard FG attempt by Mason Crosby...who nailed the kick as time expired.
Well, that was fun.
THE GOOD
Aaron Rodgers's passing performance: 19 of 23 passing for 204 yards is good, very good. Nobody's going to complain about that kind of accuracy in the regular season.
Mike McCarthy's call for the onside kick: Gutsy. If this doesn't work, Indianapolis has 3 timeouts and excellent field position to work with.
Jermichael Finley's epic TD in the first half: Incredible play by Finley, getting incredible position right over the top of Pat Angerer and utterly posterizing the former Iowa Hawkeye. Angerer simply got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
THE BAD
Pass Protection: Ugly as ever. Chad Clifton got solidly owned by Dwight Freeney twice and was nailed for a holding call that negated a TD pass from Rodgers to Chastin West. 5 sacks on the day and several forced rollouts by GB QBs made this game hard to watch at points.
Reggie Wayne's 57-yard TD reception: Absolutely inexcusable gaffe by both cornerbacks and Morgan Burnett, one that left Reggie Wayne COMPLETELY open with no one in the same ZIP code. Not even Curtis Painter could screw that up.
Jarrett Bush getting burned in man-to-man coverage by Chris Brooks for a TD: This was uglier than it sounds. Jarret simply got beaten on a corner route and Painter dropped off a perfectly placed pass over his head to Brooks. As ThroughBeingCool put it, "there's the Jarrett Bush we know and loathe"
THE FINAL GUN
The end result, a Packers W, is perfectly acceptable. I'm still in shock about the onside kick call, but it was a great move by McCarthy that totally caught the Colts off-balance and set up a Packers win.