GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: CAROLINA (4-5) at GREEN BAY (8-1)

NFL: CAROLINA (4-5) at GREEN BAY (8-1)

<h3>Packers seek first 9-1 start in 45 years</h3>





Carolina (4-5) at Green Bay (8-1) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- The last time the GreenBay Packers started 9-1, Brett Favre was not even born.

The Packers, who have opened a two-game lead in the NFC North,seek their first 9-1 start in 45 years on Sunday, when they hostthe Carolina Panthers.


The contest begins a busy stretch for the Packers, who will playthree games in a 12-day span.


After hosting Carolina, Green Bay visits Detroit onThanksgiving, then plays another Thursday game the followingweek at Dallas.


Green Bay and Dallas (8-1) remain tied for the best record inthe NFC.


Last week, the Packers blanked the Minnesota Vikings, 34-0, fortheir fourth straight victory. That win, coupled with Detroit's31-21 loss at Arizona, left the Packers with a two-game leadover the Lions.


At 8-1, the Packers have matched their best start under Favre,also winning eight of their first nine games in 1996 and 2002.

Green Bay's last 9-1 start came in 1962, when the VinceLombardi-led Packers finished 13-1 and beat the New York Giantsin the NFL championship game.


Against the Vikings, Favre passed for 351 yards and threetouchdowns - his sixth 300-yard game of the season. He alsojoined Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks to pass for more than60,000 yards.


A bigger key for the Packers, however, may have been theemergence of Ryan Grant, who became the first running back thisseason to rush for more than 100 yards against the Vikings.

Still ranked last in the NFL in rushing, the Packers have beensearching for a running game all season. They finally may havefound it, as Grant gained 119 yards on 25 carries againstMinnesota.


It was the second 100-yard game in three weeks for Grant, whobecame the Packers' primary back when DeShawn Wynn suffered aseason-ending shoulder injury.


The reeling Panthers have dropped three in a row and are facingmajor quarterback issues. Last week, Carolina suffered a 20-13loss to the Atlanta Falcons as Joey Harrington threw agame-winning 30-yard TD pass to Alge Crumpler with 20 secondsremaining.


With David Carr sidelined due to a concussion, 43-year-old VinnyTestaverde was back in as the Panthers' starter. He could notrally the Panthers, completing only 13-of-28 passes for 153yards.

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 0
GREEN BAY 0 14:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CAR BALL ON CAR 29 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 0
GREEN BAY 0 13:33 LEFT, 1ST QTR

GNB BALL ON CAR 38 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL MISSED FG GNB
MASON CROSBY 49 YD ATTEMPT BLOCKED

CAROLINA 0
GREEN BAY 0 11:57 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 0
GREEN BAY 0 11:57 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CAR BALL ON CAR 39 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TD GNB
TRAMON WILLIAMS 94 YD PUNT RETURN
(MASON CROSBY KICK)

CAROLINA 0
GREEN BAY 7 7:54 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 0
GREEN BAY 7 7:49 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CAR BALL ON CAR 39 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL FG CAR
JOHN KASAY 26 YD

CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 7 5:03 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 7 4:58 LEFT, 1ST QTR

GNB BALL ON GNB 25 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 7 1:48 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CAR BALL ON CAR 16 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CAROLINA 3 3
GREEN BAY 7 7 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: GNB - TD, TRAMON WILLIAMS 94 YD PUNT RETURN
(MASON CROSBY KICK), 7:06. GREEN
BAY 7-0
CAR - FG, JOHN KASAY 26 YD, 9:57. Drive: 6
plays, 53 yards in 2:51. Key plays:
Robinson 20-yard kickoff return
plus 15-yard unnecessary roughness
penalty on Packers' Morency to
Carolina 39; Testaverde 43-yard
pass to Carter to Green Bay 14.
GREEN BAY 7-3</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 7 14:47 LEFT, 2ND QTR

GNB BALL ON GNB 29 YD LINE
1ST AND 19</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TD GNB
GREG JENNINGS 4 YD PASS FROM BRETT FAVRE
(MASON CROSBY KICK)

CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 14 11:13 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 14 11:07 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CAR BALL ON CAR 22 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 14 8:29 LEFT, 2ND QTR

GNB BALL ON GNB 27 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 14 7:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CAR BALL ON CAR 17 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 14 5:12 LEFT, 2ND QTR

GNB BALL ON GNB 27 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF

CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 14

GNB BALL ON CAR 36 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TD GNB
DONALD LEE 26 YD PASS FROM BRETT FAVRE
(MASON CROSBY KICK)

CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 21 1:16 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: CAROLINA at GREEN BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
CAROLINA 3
GREEN BAY 21 1:16 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CAR BALL ON CAR 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>