Trailing by 17-10 with less than minutes to play Sunday, the Packers had the ball on the Buffalo 1-yard line. Instead of just trying to jam the ball in the end zone with a run, the Packers went for a quick pass from Brett Favre to Donald Driver. A similar play had earlier worked for the Packers only touchdown of the game. This time, Nate Clements made a terrific, instinctive play and deflected the ball into the air. Rookie Ko Simpson grabbed the ricochet and scampered 76 yards for the Bills. Three plays later, Anthony Thomas scored the clinching touchdown in a 24-10 Buffalo victory. The Packers' record dropped to 3-5, even though they dominated the offensive statistics. The culprit: four turnovers. Two Favre interceptions and two fumbles charged to center Scott Wells.
The next three weeks, the Packers will play at Minnesota, at home against New England and then at Seattle.
You don't have to be a negative thinker to envision a 3-8 record when that stretch is over as a strong possibility. Certainly, this NFL season has proven to be wildly unpredictable. Did anybody really think that Miami could go into Soldier Field and rout the previously unbeaten Bears? Forecasting next week, let alone the rest of the season, is nearly impossible. The Packers still have half of their season left to try to get another sniff at the .500 mark.
Still, the play in Buffalo will linger in the mind. What if the Packers had scored a touchdown to tie the game? What if Green Bay had gone on to win to get to 4-4? Games turn on plays. Seasons turn on games. The turning for the Packers in Buffalo could prove to be devastating for their 2006 season.
Dennis Krause joined OnMilwaukee.com as a contributor on June 16, 2006. He is a two-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year and a regional Emmy-award winner. Dennis has been the color analyst on home games for the Milwaukee Bucks Radio Network for the last 10 years. He has also been involved with the Green Bay Packers Radio Network for 16 years and is currently the host of the "Packers Game Day" pre-game show.
Dennis started his broadcasting career as a radio air personality in the Fox Valley and Milwaukee.
He spent three years as a sportscaster at WMBD radio and television in Peoria, Illinois before joining WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee in 1987 as a weekend sports anchor. Dennis spent 16 years at Channel 4, serving as its Sports Director and 5 and 6 pm sports anchor from 1994-2003.
Dennis grew up in Hartford, Wisconsin and attended UW-Oshkosh. He lives in Thiensville with his wife and two children. He serves as the Community Resource Director for the Mequon-Thiensville School District.
