The rookie kicker spent a majority of his Sunday evening returning voice mails and text messages after booting three field goals -- including the game-winner -- as the Packers slipped past Philadelphia, 16-13, at Lambeau Field.
"I just looked at my phone as I came in and I had 22 text messages and a few phone calls," Crosby said. "There's a long list of people to get back to, but I'd rather have it this way than the other way."
Selected in the sixth round of this year's NFL Draft, Crosby outlasted incumbent Dave Rayner in a tight training camp race to get the job and quickly made general manager Ted Thompson look smart by booting a 53-yarder in his first professional attempt.
Both Crosby and Rayner put up similar numbers during the preseason; Rayner was good on all three of his attempts, while Crosby missed just once -- from 52 yards -- in three tries. In the end, it was Crosby's leg strength that gave him the edge. The owner of 31 records at the University of Colorado, Crosby hit a school-record 60-yard shot against Iowa State in 2004.
For those who say his numbers are inflated because of the high altitude conditions of the CU campus in Boulder, Crosby also holds the NCAA record for kicking without a tee at sea level, a 58-yard shot against Miami in 2005.
"He's a talented young man," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "Just watch the way the ball comes off of his foot and the lift that he gets. He's uniquely special that way. But his focus, concentration, he nailed it."
The Packers will need a strong performance from their kicker this season. If Sunday was any indication, Crosby will be called upon frequently to salvage stalled drives and to keep the team in the game, much like he did in the season opener.
Quarterback Brett Favre struggled to find a rhythm with his novice receiving corps. Favre completed 23 of 42 pass attempts for 206 yards. He teamed up with Donald Driver -- who caught a pass for the 81st consecutive game -- six times, but none of Favre's passes resulted in a touchdown.
Making things worse for Green Bay was the almost complete absence of a running game. Second-round draft pick Brandon Jackson carried 15 times for just 40 yards with a long run of just nine. Fellow rookie DeShaun Wynn (a seventh-round pick out of Florida) had one carry for eight yards, but saved a third quarter drive by catching a dump pass from Favre for 18 yards.
The Packers defense was solid in the opener. While Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb was far from polished (15-33, 184), the defense put constant pressure on the Eagles' passing game and all but took-away the long ball, despite the fact that cornerback Al Harris wasn't playing at 100%. In all, the secondary came up with six pass defenses for the contest.
"They're definitely playing with a lot of confidence," McCarthy said. "I think we can only get better because we have some young guys on the defensive side of the ball, particularly in the secondary, that are really contributing."
Special teams play was a major concern heading into camp and throughout the exhibition season, but the units played a major role in Sunday's contest.
A muffed punt by the Eagles' Greg Lewis inside the 10-yard line resulted in Green Bay's first touchdown. When a possible game-winning drive stalled with 59 seconds left, the Eagles' J.R. Reed botched a fair catch attempt at his own 31-yard line.
Like the Packers will need a strong kicking game to offset a young offensive group, special teams -- which ranked last in almost every category last season -- will be crucial to the Packers fortunes this year.
"We're 1-0," McCarthy said. "It's definitely the starting point of our season. We have a lot of work to do, there's no doubt about that, but it's an excellent team win. You're seeing a young team coming together. It's an excellent win to build off of."
Getting off to a good start is important for this team, which has won five in a row dating back to last season. But while a 16-13 victory looks good on paper, there is still a long way to go if the Packers really think they are capable of making a playoff run.
