Green Bay Packers: Mike Sherman’s Exciting, Disappointing Tenure
By Tim Muma
The Green Bay Packers had the look of a Super Bowl contender to start 2001, but it was the wrong year to be great – you had to be elite.
Sherman’s group came out firing on all cylinders in the first three contests.
In going 3-0, the Packers outscored their opponents 93-13, including a 37-0 shutout of the Washington Redskins. Then after a Week 4 loss in Tampa, Green Bay came home for battle with the defending champs.
The Baltimore Ravens, fresh off a Super Bowl title with one of the best defenses in NFL history, came into Lambeau Field for a juicy matchup.
Favre and the Packers carved up Baltimore all day long. He finished the game 27-for-34 for 337 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
While the game got close late, the Packers dominated. They built up a 31-10 lead in the fourth quarter before holding on for a 31-23 victory.
The Packers looked like they figured it all out. Green Bay would end the season fifth in points scored and points allowed en route to a 12-4 campaign.
Favre was back on track, finishing second in touchdown passes (32) behind MVP Kurt Warner (36) of the St. Louis Rams. He was also third in yards, trailing Warner and Peyton Manning.
Meanwhile, Ahman Green finished third in yards from scrimmage, proving himself as an all-around threat.
Plain and simple, the Rams were a better team and one of the best during this period. It was really just poor timing for the Packers, and a horrible matchup.
However, despite the 12-4 mark and two wins over Chicago, Green Bay ended up in second place behind the 13-3 Bears. Still, it was fantastic to see the Packers back in the playoffs.
As a Wild Card, the Packers had to play the opening week, where they took care of business with an ugly 25-15 home win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Unfortunately, that also meant a date with “The Greatest Show on Turf.”
Green Bay had to go on the road to face the 14-2 Rams. St. Louis owned the previous three MVPs in Warner (twice) and Marshall Faulk.
They were also the first team in NFL history to score more than 500 points in three consecutive seasons, just two years removed from a Super Bowl crown.
The game is most remembered for Favre’s six interceptions, but that’s just a startling side note. The first pick, which went for a touchdown, happened when Bill Schroeder ran the wrong route.
Two of the interceptions were tipped at the line, and three of the picks came in garbage time as Favre was desperate for points.
Plain and simple, the Rams were a better team and one of the best during this period. It was really just poor timing for the Packers, and a horrible matchup.
If they just could have won the division – another fluke with Chicago 13-1 against anyone not named the Packers – it could’ve been different.
Green Bay would’ve had a first-round bye and a home playoff game in the Divisional Round. Perhaps someone would’ve knocked off the Rams to send the NFC Championship game to Lambeau.
It wasn’t meant to be for the Green Bay Packers.