KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike McCarthy never put a whole lot of stock in a perfect season, except as a means of gaining
home-field advantage and setting the
Green Bay Packers
up for another Super Bowl run.

Well, they still have a chance to earn home-field advantage.

The perfect season? That’s history.

Kyle Orton
threw for 299 yards to outduel
Aaron Rodgers
, and the
Kansas City Chiefs
rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning
streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field
advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“We were fortunate enough to be in the position to possibly achieve the undefeated season,” he added, “but we still have the
primary goal in front of us, and that’s to get home-field advantage.”

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver
Greg Jennings
and top rusher
James Starks
because of injuries, can wrap up the No. 1 seed in their final two games against Chicago and Detroit. But the Packers no longer
have the pressure of becoming the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record, or extending the second-longest
winning streak in league history.

“I think our goal ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl. The next step is getting that number one seed in the playoffs,” Rodgers
said. “We’ve got a home playoff game – we’ve got a bye secured.”

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in
the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs
to secure the victory.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop
kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday.

Jackie Battle
added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

“Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they’re football players,” Crennel
said. “They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous
game.”

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver
Jordy Nelson
was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up
making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s
Jeremy Horne
ran into Packers punter
Tim Masthay
, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when
Mason Crosby
missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Rodgers finished the half 6 of 17 for 59 yards, with a handful of drops between wide receiver
Donald Driver
and tight end
Jermichael Finley
. In fact, things were going so badly for Green Bay that at one point it ran out of the wildcat despite having one of the
best quarterbacks in the game.

The Chiefs were still clinging to a 6-0 lead when Rodgers finally hit down field, finding Finley over top the coverage for
a 41-yard gain. Three plays later, the Packers’ star quarterback hit Driver in the corner of the end zone for a 7-6 lead with
8:04 left in the third quarter.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end,
Leonard Pope
, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

The Packers moved into field-goal range on their ensuing drive, but rather than have Crosby attempt a 56-yard kick in the
same direction he had already missed, McCarthy elected to go for it on fourth-and-9. Rodgers’ pass fell incomplete and the
Chiefs took over.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time
the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

With first-and-goal at the 5,
Thomas Jones
managed to gain a yard and Le’Ron McClain bulled ahead for three more, setting up third down from just outside the goal line.
Battle took the carry over the right side and powered into the end zone, giving the woeful Kansas City offense its highest-scoring
game since the Chiefs beat San Diego in overtime in late October.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown
that made it 19-14, but that was as close as they got.

Green Bay came into the game averaging nearly 36 points, but was held to its lowest total since beating the
Chicago Bears
10-3 in Week 17 last year. The Packers needed to win that game to make the playoffs, and wound up riding the momentum to a
Super Bowl victory over the
Pittsburgh Steelers
.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

“We set the tone on both sides of the ball,” Chiefs linebacker
Derrick Johnson
said. “This is the great thing about football. You can’t always look at the records, because you’ve got grown men out there
who are all getting paid. You don’t have to be better on paper.

“If you’re better on that given Sunday, you’ll get the win.”

Notes: Succop has made 21 consecutive field goals. … Palko was inactive for Kansas City. … The Chiefs wound up having
the ball for 36:11, while Green Bay had it for 23:49. … Kansas City won despite going 1 for 5 in the red zone. … Packers
OL
Derek Sherrod
broke his leg in the fourth quarter. He was playing in place of
Bryan Bulaga
, who went down with a knee strain.

© 2011 STATS LLC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers’ perfect season came to a crashing halt against the struggling Kansas City Chiefs, who had just fired their coach and were starting a new quarterback.

Proof again that nothing can be taken for granted in the NFL.

Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards to outduel Aaron Rodgers, and the Chiefs rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver Greg Jennings and top rusher James Starks because of injuries, also failed to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

They can still wrap that up in their final two games against Detroit and Chicago, but no longer with the pressure of trying to become the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record. Their 19-game streak was second only to a 21-game run by New England in 2003-04.

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.

Ryan Succop kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday. Jackie Battle added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

Neither team seemed as if it wanted to win in the first half.

Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s Jeremy Horne ran into Packers punter Tim Masthay, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when Mason Crosby missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Rodgers finished the half 6 of 17 for 59 yards, with a handful of drops between wide receiver Donald Driver and tight end Jermichael Finley. In fact, things were going so badly for Green Bay that at one point it ran out of the wildcat despite having one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

The Chiefs were still clinging to a 6-0 lead when Rodgers finally hit down field, finding Finley over top the coverage for a 41-yard gain. Three plays later, the Packers’ star quarterback hit Driver in the corner of the end zone for a 7-6 lead with 8:04 left in the third quarter.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end, Leonard Pope, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

The Packers moved into field-goal range on their ensuing drive, but rather than have Crosby attempt a 56-yard kick in the same direction he had already missed, coach Mike McCarthy elected to go for it on fourth-and-9. Rodgers’ pass fell incomplete and the Chiefs took over.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

With first-and-goal at the 5, Thomas Jones managed to gain a yard and Le’Ron McClain bulled ahead for three more, setting up third down from just outside the goal line. Battle took the carry over the right side and powered into the end zone, giving the woeful Kansas City offense its highest-scoring game since the Chiefs beat San Diego in overtime in late October.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown that made it 19-14. But the onside kick ended up in the Chiefs’ hands, and they were able to pound out a couple first downs to secure the upset victory.

Green Bay came into the game averaging nearly 36 points, but was held to its lowest total since beating the Chicago Bears 10-3 in Week 17 last year. The Packers needed to win that game to make the playoffs, and wound up riding the momentum to a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

Kansas City, Mo. • Mike McCarthy never put a whole lot of stock in a perfect season, except as a means of gaining home-field advantage and setting the Green Bay Packers up for another Super Bowl run.

Well, they still have a chance to earn home-field advantage.

The perfect season? That’s history.

Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards to outduel Aaron Rodgers, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“We were fortunate enough to be in the position to possibly achieve the undefeated season,” he added, “but we still have the primary goal in front of us, and that’s to get home-field advantage.”

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver Greg Jennings and top rusher James Starks because of injuries, can wrap up the No. 1 seed in their final two games against Chicago and Detroit. But the Packers no longer have the pressure of becoming the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record, or extending the second-longest winning streak in league history.

“I think our goal ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl. The next step is getting that number one seed in the playoffs,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got a home playoff game — we’ve got a bye secured.”

Story continues below

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday. Jackie Battle added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

“Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they’re football players,” Crennel said. “They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous game.”

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s Jeremy Horne ran into Packers punter Tim Masthay, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when Mason Crosby missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Next Page »

The perfect season? That’s history.

Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards to outduel Aaron Rodgers, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“We were fortunate enough to be in the position to possibly achieve the undefeated season,” he added, “but we still have the primary goal in front of us, and that’s to get home-field advantage.”

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver Greg Jennings and top rusher James Starks because of injuries, can wrap up the No. 1 seed in their final two games against Chicago and Detroit. But the Packers no longer have the pressure of becoming the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record, or extending the second-longest winning streak in league history.

“I think our goal ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl. The next step is getting that number one seed in the playoffs,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got a home playoff game — we’ve got a bye secured.”

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday. Jackie Battle added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

“Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they’re football players,” Crennel said. “They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous game.”

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s Jeremy Horne ran into Packers punter Tim Masthay, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when Mason Crosby missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike McCarthy never put a whole lot of stock in a perfect season, except as a means of gaining
home-field advantage and setting the
Green Bay Packers
up for another Super Bowl run.

Well, they still have a chance to earn home-field advantage.

The perfect season? That’s history.

Kyle Orton
threw for 299 yards to outduel
Aaron Rodgers
, and the
Kansas City Chiefs
rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning
streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field
advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“We were fortunate enough to be in the position to possibly achieve the undefeated season,” he added, “but we still have the
primary goal in front of us, and that’s to get home-field advantage.”

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver
Greg Jennings
and top rusher
James Starks
because of injuries, can wrap up the No. 1 seed in their final two games against Chicago and Detroit. But the Packers no longer
have the pressure of becoming the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record, or extending the second-longest
winning streak in league history.

“I think our goal ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl. The next step is getting that number one seed in the playoffs,” Rodgers
said. “We’ve got a home playoff game – we’ve got a bye secured.”

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in
the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs
to secure the victory.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop
kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday.

Jackie Battle
added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

“Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they’re football players,” Crennel
said. “They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous
game.”

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver
Jordy Nelson
was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up
making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s
Jeremy Horne
ran into Packers punter
Tim Masthay
, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when
Mason Crosby
missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Rodgers finished the half 6 of 17 for 59 yards, with a handful of drops between wide receiver
Donald Driver
and tight end
Jermichael Finley
. In fact, things were going so badly for Green Bay that at one point it ran out of the wildcat despite having one of the
best quarterbacks in the game.

The Chiefs were still clinging to a 6-0 lead when Rodgers finally hit down field, finding Finley over top the coverage for
a 41-yard gain. Three plays later, the Packers’ star quarterback hit Driver in the corner of the end zone for a 7-6 lead with
8:04 left in the third quarter.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end,
Leonard Pope
, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

The Packers moved into field-goal range on their ensuing drive, but rather than have Crosby attempt a 56-yard kick in the
same direction he had already missed, McCarthy elected to go for it on fourth-and-9. Rodgers’ pass fell incomplete and the
Chiefs took over.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time
the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

With first-and-goal at the 5,
Thomas Jones
managed to gain a yard and Le’Ron McClain bulled ahead for three more, setting up third down from just outside the goal line.
Battle took the carry over the right side and powered into the end zone, giving the woeful Kansas City offense its highest-scoring
game since the Chiefs beat San Diego in overtime in late October.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown
that made it 19-14, but that was as close as they got.

Green Bay came into the game averaging nearly 36 points, but was held to its lowest total since beating the
Chicago Bears
10-3 in Week 17 last year. The Packers needed to win that game to make the playoffs, and wound up riding the momentum to a
Super Bowl victory over the
Pittsburgh Steelers
.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

“We set the tone on both sides of the ball,” Chiefs linebacker
Derrick Johnson
said. “This is the great thing about football. You can’t always look at the records, because you’ve got grown men out there
who are all getting paid. You don’t have to be better on paper.

“If you’re better on that given Sunday, you’ll get the win.”

Notes: Succop has made 21 consecutive field goals. … Palko was inactive for Kansas City. … The Chiefs wound up having
the ball for 36:11, while Green Bay had it for 23:49. … Kansas City won despite going 1 for 5 in the red zone. … Packers
OL
Derek Sherrod
broke his leg in the fourth quarter. He was playing in place of
Bryan Bulaga
, who went down with a knee strain.

© 2011 STATS LLC

“I remember on the field in Chicago, the (Bears’) DBs before the game coming up to Jordy saying, ‘We didn’t know you were that fast.’ They don’t know how fast he is, how big he is, how strong he is until he gets behind them, or until he gets his hands on them. And then they’re like, ‘Oh my goodness,’” Whitt explained Friday. “I tell my guys, ‘When you get here, you hear about ‘85’ (Greg Jennings). You hear about ‘80’ (Donald Driver). But I tell them, ‘That ‘87,’ until you figure out how to play him, he’s going to wear you out.’”

The color of Nelson’s skin became a topic of conversation in the Packers’ locker room this week after quarterback Aaron Rodgers shared a conversation he had with cornerback Charles Woodson, a 14-year NFL veteran and former league defensive player of the year, in the waning moments of the Packers’ 45-7 victory over Minnesota – a game in which Nelson caught two touchdown passes from Rodgers.

“I was talking to ‘Wood’ in the fourth quarter and he said, ‘When you see Jordy out there, you think, “Oh well, he’s a white wide receiver. He won’t be very athletic.” But Jordy sort of breaks all those stereotypes,’” Rodgers recounted during his weekly radio show on WAUK-AM, an ESPN Radio affiliate. “I am not sure why he keeps sneaking up on guys.”

Jennings, Nelson’s fellow wide receiver and friend, knows exactly why Nelson keeps sneaking up on opponents: He’s white.

“They underestimate him. And honestly, he uses that to his advantage,” said Jennings, who like Woodson is black. “Seriously . a lot of it has to do with the fact that guys look at him and say, ‘OK, he’s the white guy, he can’t be that good.’ Well, he is that good, he’s proven to be that good and it’s because of the work and the time that he’s put in — not only on the field but in his preparation off the field.”

Nelson enters Sunday’s home game against Tampa Bay with 34 catches for 633 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranks second on the team in receptions and yardage to Jennings (51 catches, 755 yards) and the two are tied for the team lead in touchdown catches. In the NFL, Nelson ranks tied for 44th in catches but 15th in yardage and tied for first with Carolina’s Steve Smith in yards per reception (18.6) among receivers with at least 20 receptions.

By Friday, when even conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh devoted time to the subject, Nelson could only shake his head. An avoid-the-spotlight person, all the attention was a bit much.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Another night, another four-touchdown performance for Aaron Rodgers – just about what the Green Bay Packers have come to expect from their superstar quarterback.

The real surprise came on the other side of the ball: A defense that finally showed it can take charge of a game.

The Packers (9-0) remain the NFL’s lone undefeated team. And if they now can count on a defense to complement their high-octane offense, they just might be unstoppable.

Rodgers threw for four scores against a fierce Vikings pass rush, Randall Cobb returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and the Packers defense contained Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings in a 45-7 victory on Monday night.

Green Bay’s defense came into the game giving up nearly 300 yards passing per game, second-most in the NFL. Their last time out, the Packers nearly blew a big lead in the fourth quarter at San Diego, holding on for a 45-38 victory.

But the Packers finally played to their potential against the division rival Vikings (2-7), holding rookie quarterback Christian Ponder to 190 yards passing with an interception and limiting Peterson to 51 yards and a touchdown.

The Vikings’ defense did its best to rough up Rodgers, sacking him three times and hitting him hard virtually every time he took off running. Defensive end Jared Allen harassed Rodgers at every turn.

The pressure didn’t force any uncharacteristic mistakes from Rodgers, who was 23 of 30 for 250 yards without an interception. Rodgers threw a pair of touchdown passes to Jordy Nelson, and also found Greg Jennings and John Kuhn for scores.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy put backup quarterback Matt Flynn in the game with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter – and the Vikings couldn’t keep him out of the end zone, either, as he scrambled 3 yards for a touchdown with 4:27 left.

But it was Cobb, a second-round rookie out of Kentucky, who got it all started for the Packers.

After the Packers’ defense forced the Vikings to go three-and-out on their first possession, Cobb fielded a punt from Chris Kluwe and squeezed through a seam in the middle of the field.

Cobb accelerated down the left sideline and danced the final few steps into the end zone, tossing the ball in the air as if he was shooting a basketball before doing a “Lambeau leap” into the stands.

Cobb also had a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Packers’ season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Rodgers finally got the ball at the 9:55 mark in the first quarter and directed an 11-play, 70-yard drive that included conversions on third-and-8, to Donald Driver, and third-and-7, to running back James Starks. Rodgers then finished the drive with a perfect pass to Jennings in the middle of the field for a touchdown, and the Packers led 14-0.

With the Vikings driving near the end of the first quarter, Charles Woodson wrestled a ball away from Visanthe Shiancoe for what initially was ruled an interception. Vikings coach Leslie Frazier challenged the call and it was overturned, giving Ryan Longwell a shot at a 47-yard field goal.

But the Vikings committed a penalty, and Longwell came up just short on a 52-yard attempt.

Rodgers then put together another drive, and Rodgers hit tight end Jermichael Finley for 25 yards on a fourth-and-5 conversion attempt at the Vikings 34-yard line. Allen sacked Rodgers on first-and-goal, and the Packers ended up settling for a 25-yard field goal by Mason Crosby to take a 17-0 lead with 12:04 left before halftime.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Don’t expect Charles Woodson and the Green Bay Packers‘ defense to beat themselves up for letting the winless St. Louis Rams pile up yards.

Woodson worries first about points and wins — and the Packers were just about perfect on both counts Sunday.

Despite giving up 424 yards of offense, Green Bay‘s defense shut St. Louis out of the end zone in a 24-3 victory that kept the Packers perfect at 6-0.

“Does anybody want to give up a lot of yards? No. But the goal is to win,” Woodson said. “We held them to three points today, kept them out of the end zone, which is a goal of ours. There’s places where we can get better, we feel like we’ll get better, and we’ll enjoy this win today.”

With Sunday’s loss by NFC North rival Detroit, the Packers are the last unbeaten team left in the NFL this season.

But the Packers’ defense hasn’t been flawless.

Green Bay has been tough in the red zone and made plenty of big plays. But the Packers are having a hard time stopping teams between the 20s. It happened again Sunday.

Sam Bradford was 28 of 44 for 321 yards with an interception for the Rams (0-5). Bradford said moving the ball but failing to score was becoming an unsettling trend for St. Louis.

“It is something that we struggle with all year,” Bradford said. “There have been several games that we have been able to move the ball up and down and we get to the red zone, we have silly mistakes that don’t allow us to put the ball in the end zone. In this league, if you want to win, you got to score touchdowns.”

Bradford’s ankle was sore after the game, but he said he wasn’t hurt badly.

Rams running back Steven Jackson had 18 carries for 96 yards.

“For whatever reason, we get into the red zone, we keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” Jackson said.

The Packers held the Rams to 3 for 13 on third down and 1 for 4 when they went for it on fourth — more indications that the Packers’ defense tightens up when it needs to.

“You give some things, but you buckle down in the times when you’re supposed to and get yourself off the field,” Woodson said. “I think we had a couple of fourth downs today where we got off the field. Those are the type of things that we’re going to have to do during the season. When games are tougher than they are today, you’re going to have to make plays and get off the field in crucial situations. And today we did.”

Bradford said the Rams have to find ways to avoid getting backed into third-and-long situations.

“It is not easy to pick first downs up when you get yourself into that situation,” Bradford said. “When you do it with penalties, it becomes very frustrating. We got to figure out a way, whether it is my communications skills or whether it is guys just tuning in, we’ve got to figure out a way on first and second down not put ourselves in such a bad situation.”

The Packers’ offense took control in the second quarter, as Aaron Rodgers threw touchdowns to James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Donald Driver. But Green Bay’s offense hit a lull and didn’t score in the second half.

“It’s a feeling of minor disappointment, I think, in that locker room,” Rodgers said. “We just, in the second half, offensively just struggled. The second quarter was great, we put up a lot of points. I think it’s encouraging at the same time. It’s tough to win in this league, we’re 6-0, and have a lot of room for improvement.”

Packers coach Mike McCarthy had a mixed reaction to the victory. He bristled at questions about the offense being shut out in the second half, saying, “the last time I checked, when you win by three touchdowns, that’s a pretty significant win.”

But McCarthy also said the team isn’t anywhere near where it wants to be.

“You have to be running on all cylinders, and we’re not there yet,” McCarthy said. “So fortunately, we’re 6-0. We’ll continue to work to get there.”

Notes: Wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker and linebacker Ben Leber were inactive for St. Louis. Neither was listed on the team’s injury report this week. “We weren’t trying to send any messages,” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “We just put our the guys out there that we thought would help us win the game.” … It was the Packers’ last home game for nearly a month. … Packers cornerback Sam Shields sustained a head injury after he picked off a Bradford pass in the end zone and was hit hard. McCarthy said Shields was still being evaluated after the game.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Don’t expect Charles Woodson and the Green Bay Packers‘ defense to beat themselves up for letting the winless St. Louis Rams pile up yards.

Woodson worries first about points and wins — and the Packers were just about perfect on both counts Sunday.

Despite giving up 424 yards of offense, Green Bay‘s defense shut St. Louis out of the end zone in a 24-3 victory that kept the Packers perfect at 6-0.

“Does anybody want to give up a lot of yards? No. But the goal is to win,” Woodson said. “We held them to three points today, kept them out of the end zone, which is a goal of ours. There’s places where we can get better, we feel like we’ll get better, and we’ll enjoy this win today.”

With Sunday’s loss by NFC North rival Detroit, the Packers are the last unbeaten team left in the NFL this season.

But the Packers’ defense hasn’t been flawless.

Green Bay has been tough in the red zone and made plenty of big plays. But the Packers are having a hard time stopping teams between the 20s. It happened again Sunday.

Sam Bradford was 28 of 44 for 321 yards with an interception for the Rams (0-5). Bradford said moving the ball but failing to score was becoming an unsettling trend for St. Louis.

“It is something that we struggle with all year,” Bradford said. “There have been several games that we have been able to move the ball up and down and we get to the red zone, we have silly mistakes that don’t allow us to put the ball in the end zone. In this league, if you want to win, you got to score touchdowns.”

Bradford’s ankle was sore after the game, but he said he wasn’t hurt badly.

Rams running back Steven Jackson had 18 carries for 96 yards.

“For whatever reason, we get into the red zone, we keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” Jackson said.

The Packers held the Rams to 3 for 13 on third down and 1 for 4 when they went for it on fourth — more indications that the Packers’ defense tightens up when it needs to.

“You give some things, but you buckle down in the times when you’re supposed to and get yourself off the field,” Woodson said. “I think we had a couple of fourth downs today where we got off the field. Those are the type of things that we’re going to have to do during the season. When games are tougher than they are today, you’re going to have to make plays and get off the field in crucial situations. And today we did.”

Bradford said the Rams have to find ways to avoid getting backed into third-and-long situations.

“It is not easy to pick first downs up when you get yourself into that situation,” Bradford said. “When you do it with penalties, it becomes very frustrating. We got to figure out a way, whether it is my communications skills or whether it is guys just tuning in, we’ve got to figure out a way on first and second down not put ourselves in such a bad situation.”

The Packers’ offense took control in the second quarter, as Aaron Rodgers threw touchdowns to James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Donald Driver. But Green Bay’s offense hit a lull and didn’t score in the second half.

“It’s a feeling of minor disappointment, I think, in that locker room,” Rodgers said. “We just, in the second half, offensively just struggled. The second quarter was great, we put up a lot of points. I think it’s encouraging at the same time. It’s tough to win in this league, we’re 6-0, and have a lot of room for improvement.”

Packers coach Mike McCarthy had a mixed reaction to the victory. He bristled at questions about the offense being shut out in the second half, saying, “the last time I checked, when you win by three touchdowns, that’s a pretty significant win.”

But McCarthy also said the team isn’t anywhere near where it wants to be.

“You have to be running on all cylinders, and we’re not there yet,” McCarthy said. “So fortunately, we’re 6-0. We’ll continue to work to get there.”

Notes: Wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker and linebacker Ben Leber were inactive for St. Louis. Neither was listed on the team’s injury report this week. “We weren’t trying to send any messages,” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “We just put our the guys out there that we thought would help us win the game.” … It was the Packers’ last home game for nearly a month. … Packers cornerback Sam Shields sustained a head injury after he picked off a Bradford pass in the end zone and was hit hard. McCarthy said Shields was still being evaluated after the game.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are 3-0
and still feel like they haven’t come anywhere near playing up to
their potential — especially on defense.

 That’s potentially bad news for the Denver Broncos (1-2), who
bring a sputtering offense into today’s game against the defending
Super Bowl champions at Lambeau Field.

 The Packers are stopping the run better than any team in the
league three games into the season, allowing only 55 yards rushing
per game. And they’ve been tough in the red zone, allowing only
four touchdowns in 13 opponent trips inside the 20-yard line.

 But the Packers have been remarkably vulnerable to the pass, and
will be without Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins for the rest of the
season after he injured his neck in Week 2.

 ‘‘That’s definitely motivation,’’ defensive lineman Ryan Pickett
said. ‘‘Because we watch film, we’re like, ‘Man, we left plays out
there.’ We have so much room to grow as a defensive unit, and
that’s the exciting part. I think we’re getting better. We’re
preparing harder, and we’re getting better. We’re looking to make
an even bigger step this week toward having a dominant
defense.’’

 The Packers pass defense might be an area to target for the
Broncos, a team quarterback Kyle Orton says can play much better on
offense. Having wide receiver Brandon Lloyd back healthy for the
second game in a row should help.

 ‘‘When we have everybody on the same page doing the right things,
we’re a pretty danged good football team,’’ Orton said. ‘‘On the
flip side, when you only get eight or nine guys doing the right
thing, we can’t overcome it. I think our focus heading forward is
getting on the right page and get more guys doing the right thing
on every play.’’

 Orton has struggled since winning his first six starts for Denver
in 2009. Some fans who want to see more of Tim Tebow, at least in
short-yardage and goal line situations, but Orton says he’s
ignoring it.

 ‘‘When you’re 1-2, your only thoughts are what can you do to get
to 2-2, and after that, what can we do to win the next game,’’
Orton said.

 And dating back to his time with Chicago, Orton is 3-1 as a
starter against the Packers.

 ‘‘I can’t wait to come back,’’ Orton said. ‘‘I’ve always had a
great amount of respect for the team and always had fun playing
against them in Chicago. I’ve always had a ton of respect — I came
out in the draft with Aaron (Rodgers) and really just watched him
from afar and really respect his game and what he brings to the
table. I’m excited to come out there. It’s a huge game for
us.’’

 The start to John Fox’s first season in Denver has been rocky,
especially with fans calling for more Tebow — at least in short
yardage and goal line situations.

 ‘‘I have not heard it,’’ Fox said. ‘‘It’s not been a distraction
to me. I can honestly say it has not been a distraction to our
locker room. ‘‘

 It hasn’t helped that Fox hasn’t yet had his best defensive
players on the field at the same time. Defensive end Elvis Dumervil
(shoulder), linebacker D.J. Williams (elbow) and cornerback Champ
Bailey (hamstring) could play today.

 Rodgers is at his best against the blitz, but certainly will have
his eye on Broncos rookie linebacker Von Miller. The No. 2 overall
pick in the draft had a sack in each of his last two games.

 ‘‘I think he’s going to be a really good player,’’ Rodgers said.
‘‘He’s got great athleticism, he’s an active player. They like to
bring him in their rush. He’s a tough guy to handle during the
game. So we’re going to make sure we pick out where he’s at, and
try to slow him down a little bit.’’

 The Packers’ high-powered offense might be without a couple of key
players, right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) and running back Ryan
Grant (kidney bruise).

 But Green Bay’s main concerns come on defense.

 ‘‘It’s a high standard around here,’’ B.J. Raji said. ‘‘Anything
short of greatness is not going to be accepted.’’

 Their strong run defense is particularly impressive because Dom
Capers’ defense spends so much time in nickel with only two down
linemen on the field — typically Pickett and Raji.

 And while teams have been slicing their secondary apart between
the 20s, the Packers are giving up an average of 3.54 points
allowed per opponent red-zone trip this season — second-best in the
league behind Carolina (3.29).

 New Orleans scored only one touchdown in five red zone trips in
the season opener, and the Packers set a tone for the season when
they stopped Saints rookie running back Mark Ingram short of the
goal line on the final play of the game to seal a victory.

 Packers coach Mike McCarthy says his defense plays great
‘‘adversity football,’’ playing its best when it’s backed into a
bad situation, but needs to be better overall.

 ‘‘We have a lot of work to do,’’ McCarthy said. ‘‘We’re 3-0. It’s
a good place to be in, to know you’ve won all your games, but you
know that you’re not really scratching the surface of how good you
can be as a team.’’

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

That’s potentially bad news for the Denver Broncos (1-2), who bring a sputtering offense into today’s game at Lambeau Field.

The Packers are stopping the run better than any team in the league three games into the season, allowing only 55 yards rushing per game. And they’ve been tough in the red zone, allowing only four touchdowns in 13 opponent trips inside the 20-yard line.

But the Packers have been remarkably vulnerable to the pass, and will be without Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins for the rest of the season after he injured his neck in Week 2.

“That’s definitely motivation,” defensive lineman Ryan Pickett said. “Because we watch film, we’re like, ‘Man, we left plays out there.’ We have so much room to grow as a defensive unit, and that’s the exciting part. I think we’re getting better. We’re preparing harder, and we’re getting better. We’re looking to make an even bigger step this week toward having a dominant defense.”

The Packers’ pass defense might be an area to target for the Broncos, a team quarterback Kyle Orton says can play much better on offense. Having wide receiver Brandon Lloyd back healthy for the second game in a row should help.

“When we have everybody on the same page doing the right things, we’re a pretty danged good football team,” Orton said. “On the flip side, when you only get eight or nine guys doing the rightthing, we can’t overcome it. I think our focus heading forward is getting on the right page and get more guys doing the right thing on every play.”

Orton has struggled since winning his first six starts for Denver in 2009. Some fans want to see more of Tim Tebow, at least in short-yardage and goal line situations, but Orton is ignoring it.

“When you’re 1-2, your only thoughts are what can you do to get to 2-2, and after that, what can we do to win the next game,” Orton said.

And dating back to his time with Chicago, Orton is 3-1 as a starter against the Packers.

“I can’t wait to come back,” Orton said. “I’ve always had a great amount of respect for the team and always had fun playing against them in Chicago. I’ve always had a ton of respect — I came out in the draft with Aaron (Rodgers) and really just watched him from afar and really respect his game and what he brings to the table. I’m excited to come out there. It’s a huge game for us.”

The start to John Fox’s first season in Denver has been rocky, especially with fans calling for more Tebow.

“I have not heard it,” Fox said. “It’s not been a distraction to me. I can honestly say it has not been a distraction to our locker room. ”

It hasn’t helped that Fox hasn’t yet had his best defensive players on the field at the same time. Defensive end Elvis Dumervil (shoulder), linebacker D.J. Williams (elbow) and cornerback Champ Bailey (hamstring) could play today.

Rodgers is at his best against the blitz, but certainly will have his eye on Broncos rookie linebacker Von Miller. The No. 2 overall pick in the draft had a sack in each of his last two games.

“I think he’s going to be a really good player,” Rodgers said. “He’s got great athleticism, he’s an active player. They like to bring him in their rush. He’s a tough guy to handle during the game. So we’re going to make sure we pick out where he’s at, and try to slow him down a little bit.”

The Packers’ high-powered offense might be without a couple of key players, right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) and running back Ryan Grant (kidney bruise).

But Green Bay’s main concerns come on defense.

“It’s a high standard around here,” B.J. Raji said. “Anything short of greatness is not going to be accepted.”

Their strong run defense is particularly impressive because Dom Capers’ defense spends so much time in nickel with only two down linemen on the field — typically Pickett and Raji.

And while teams have been slicing their secondary apart between the 20s, the Packers are giving up an average of 3.54 points allowed per opponent red-zone trip this season — second-best in the league behind Carolina (3.29).

New Orleans scored only one touchdown in five red zone trips in the season opener, and the Packers set a tone for the season when they stopped Saints rookie running back Mark Ingram short of the goal line on the final play of the game to seal a victory.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy says his defense plays great “adversity football,” playing its best when it’s backed into a bad situation, but needs to be better overall.

“We have a lot of work to do,” McCarthy said. “We’re 3-0. It’s a good place to be in, to know you’ve won all your games, but you know that you’re not really scratching the surface of how good you can be as a team.”

“I feel fine,” said Grant, who left Soldier Field in an ambulance as a precaution following his 17-carry, 92-yard performance in the Packers’ 27-17 victory over the Chicago Bears last Sunday. “I guess that doesn’t mean anything.”

After missing the team’s run to the Super Bowl with a season-ending ankle injury in the 2010 opener at Philadelphia, Grant was the Packers’ starting running back in name only during the first two games this year. In those two games combined, second-year back James Starks – the savior of the running game late last season – played 82 snaps to Grant’s 32; while Starks gained 142 yards on 21 carries, Grant carried 15 times for 65 yards.

Against the Bears, Grant got an opportunity and ran with it. He had six runs of double-digit yards and two more 9-yarders, shining on plays designed for his one-cut-and-go running style. Starks carried 11 times for 5 net yards and lost a fumble.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Grant said. “I think it’s even harder because of me sitting out so many games last year. I don’t want to miss a game at all. But I kind of have no say in this. It is what it is.”

With 11 minutes left in the game, Grant took a helmet in the back from Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, and in obvious pain he went to the sideline, where he collapsed to his knees. But when the Packers offense went back on the field four minutes later, there was Grant, who wound up carrying the ball three more times. When he got back to the locker room, he went to the bathroom and saw blood in his urine.

“I’m like, ‘Oh, that can’t be good,’” Grant said.

After the hospital trip, Grant wound up coming home to Green Bay separate from his teammates. By Wednesday, coach Mike McCarthy was talking as if Grant is a longshot to play against the Broncos.

“What happens a lot of times when you have injuries and then players are trying to get ready to play, they’re of the opinion they’ll be ready to go by Sunday,” McCarthy said. “Our medical staff is not of the same opinion.”

McCarthy said Grant will have until Friday to show that he’s healthy enough to play, but he quickly added that Grant “will be pressed to make this game.”

McCarthy has said all along that he would go with the hot hand at running back, and in order to get those carries, Grant needs to be on the field.

“Ryan Grant is an attempt runner. That’s what he is. He’s a bull. You’ve got to give him the ball; he gets better as the game moves forward,” McCarthy said. “I don’t think the defensive players probably enjoy tackling him a lot because it’s a blow-for-blow type running style. . He had a heck of a day and played through some pain.”

And given how much Starks struggled against the Bears, Grant recognizes there is an opening for him to reinforce in the coaches’ minds that he deserves more playing time.

“Coaches know that it’s not about what you did in the past; it’s about what you do in the present,” he said. “So how I played (against Chicago), if I started out that way against Denver, that’d dictate how the game goes. Especially how our run game is with (McCarthy). His confidence in the run games builds if we start fast as a team running the ball. … Trust me, if I can go, if they allow me to go, I’m going to go.”

Notes: Grant and right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) both sat out practice for the second consecutive day. They will be evaluated again on Friday. . Outside linebacker Clay Matthews (quadriceps) and cornerback Pat Lee (back) returned to work on a limited basis. . Linebacker Jamari Lattimore was added to the injury report with a shoulder injury. . Injured defensive end Mike Neal, out since Aug. 16 with a knee injury, said he’s hoping to return before the team’s Oct. 30 bye week.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—Ryan Grant(notes) spent all of last season trying to get
back on the field. Now that he’s there, he doesn’t want to leave—even with a
bruised kidney.

The Green Bay Packers running back is unlikely to play Sunday against the
Denver Broncos after sustaining the injury late in the Packers’ 27-17 victory
over the Chicago Bears.

“I feel fine,” said Grant, who left Soldier Field in an ambulance as a
precaution following his 17-carry, 92-yard performance in the Packers’ 27-17
victory over the Chicago Bears last Sunday. “I guess that doesn’t mean
anything.”

After missing the team’s run to the Super Bowl with a season-ending ankle
injury in the 2010 opener at Philadelphia, Grant was the Packers’ starting
running back in name only during the first two games this year. In those two
games combined, second-year back James Starks(notes) – the savior of the running game
late last season – played 82 snaps to Grant’s 32; while Starks gained 142 yards
on 21 carries, Grant carried 15 times for 65 yards.

Against the Bears, Grant got an opportunity and ran with it. He had six runs
of double-digit yards and two more 9-yarders, shining on plays designed for his
one-cut-and-go running style. Starks carried 11 times for 5 net yards and lost a
fumble.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Grant said. “I think it’s even harder
because of me sitting out so many games last year. I don’t want to miss a game
at all. But I kind of have no say in this. It is what it is.”

With 11 minutes left in the game, Grant took a helmet in the back from Bears
linebacker Brian Urlacher(notes), and in obvious pain he went to the sideline, where he
collapsed to his knees. But when the Packers offense went back on the field four
minutes later, there was Grant, who wound up carrying the ball three more times.
When he got back to the locker room, he went to the bathroom and saw blood in
his urine.

“I’m like, `Oh, that can’t be good,”’ Grant said.

After the hospital trip, Grant wound up coming home to Green Bay separate
from his teammates. By Wednesday, coach Mike McCarthy was talking as if Grant is
a longshot to play against the Broncos.

“What happens a lot of times when you have injuries and then players are
trying to get ready to play, they’re of the opinion they’ll be ready to go by
Sunday,” McCarthy said. “Our medical staff is not of the same opinion.”

McCarthy said Grant will have until Friday to show that he’s healthy enough
to play, but he quickly added that Grant “will be pressed to make this game.”

McCarthy has said all along that he would go with the hot hand at running
back, and in order to get those carries, Grant needs to be on the field.

“Ryan Grant is an attempt runner. That’s what he is. He’s a bull. You’ve
got to give him the ball; he gets better as the game moves forward,” McCarthy
said. “I don’t think the defensive players probably enjoy tackling him a lot
because it’s a blow-for-blow type running style. . He had a heck of a day and
played through some pain.”

And given how much Starks struggled against the Bears, Grant recognizes
there is an opening for him to reinforce in the coaches’ minds that he deserves
more playing time.

“Coaches know that it’s not about what you did in the past; it’s about what
you do in the present,” he said. “So how I played (against Chicago), if I
started out that way against Denver, that’d dictate how the game goes.
Especially how our run game is with (McCarthy). His confidence in the run games
builds if we start fast as a team running the ball. … Trust me, if I can go,
if they allow me to go, I’m going to go.”

Notes: Grant and right tackle Bryan Bulaga(notes) (knee) both sat out practice for
the second consecutive day. They will be evaluated again on Friday. . Outside
linebacker Clay Matthews(notes) (quadriceps) and cornerback Pat Lee(notes) (back) returned to
work on a limited basis. . Linebacker Jamari Lattimore(notes) was added to the injury
report with a shoulder injury. . Injured defensive end Mike Neal(notes), out since Aug.
16 with a knee injury, said he’s hoping to return before the team’s Oct. 30 bye
week.