Note: We’d like to thank everyone at the NFL Network, particularly Andrew Howard and Dennis Johnson, for their help in putting together this inside look at the making of “America’s Game: The 2010 Green Bay Packers.” You can see the premiere on the NFL Network Wednesday evening at 9 ET.

NFL Films senior producer Dave Douglas has previous credits in the “America’s Game” series — he produced the films on the 1985 Chicago Bears and the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. And with more than 30 years with the company that has chronicled the NFL since the early 1960s, he’s seen just about everything. But as Dave told me in a recent interview, the 2010 Green Bay Packers provided a different challenge — and gave unique rewards — from a narrative perspective. That’s why his third “America’s Game” was so interesting.

The Packers had been through as much turmoil as a consistently successful team could imagine. From the recent and heartbreaking playoff losses, to the drama of the Brett Favre(notes)-to-Aaron Rodgers handover, it seemed that three people typified the story of the team that eventually overcame all the obstacles and put together the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl win — quarterback Aaron Rodgers(notes), defensive back Charles Woodson(notes) and head coach Mike McCarthy. To Dave and to NFL Films, these were the guys to talk about that season.

“The reason we chose those three people to represent this team are exactly that — it’s nice to go from the back forward and ask yourself, ‘Who do you want to see hoisting that trophy and talking about this championship team?’ So, you see the road that Aaron had to take, and the road that Mike took — 19 years of a journey and being fired by the Packers. And then Charles not living up to his Heisman hype, and being branded as a malcontent — he didn’t even want to come to Green Bay. It makes them the logical spokespeople. And they had the gravitas and the right to speak.

“They had come close in recent years, and I think that’s when Mike put the idea of the blank slate in the meeting room. I think that in the end, this team said, ‘You know what? Why not us?’ I think that allowed them to overcome 15 guys on IR, and the concussions to Aaron, and some losses to pretty bad teams like Miami and the Redskins, and they kept marching on. Once they got in the playoffs, I think they said, ‘So we’re a six-seed? Big deal. So we have to play four games away from Lambeau? Big deal. We can do it.’ And they did it.”

For Aaron Rodgers, the NFL experience began with the draft pick that didn’t happen — and then, things got much, much worse for a time.

“I dreamt about being the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. I used to draw little plays on note cards and dream I was Joe Montana throwing passes in the backyard with dad.” — Rodgers on his childhood

“On the inside, there was a lot of disappointment, embarrassment, just thinking about how hard you worked. … But it was honestly the best thing that happened to me. I was 21 years old [and] I thought I was the best thing since sliced bread and I needed a little humble pie.”  — Rodgers on slipping in the first round of the draft to the No. 24 selection

When talking to Dave about the 2010 Packers, and the concussion that Rodgers suffered against the Detroit Lions, I couldn’t help but be struck by the comparison to Steve Young, and how Young was beaten into the ground by the Detroit Lions in 1994. Of course, that was the same year that he took the 49ers to a Super Bowl win and finally got the ghost of Joe Montana off his back. Without pandering to the obvious Favre question, I wanted to know if Dave thought there was any residue of Favre in Rodgers’ eyes … or is it something that one Super Bowl can really eliminate?

“That’s very difficult to answer. He’s candid about it, and he’s forthcoming to a degree. He honestly and openly says, ‘Yes, the first year was difficult.’ And that’s understandable. Favre was wary of Rodgers taking his job. Who wouldn’t be? He sees this strong-armed kid from Cal coming in, and he wasn’t happy about it. But Aaron also goes on to say that the two years after that were a lot more fun … The thing that stood out to me, and I think it’s the soundbite of the show, is when he talks about the reaction he got from the staunch Favre backers. He says, ‘I can’t believe [what they were threatening] … break my arms, break my legs. I was kinda scared.’

“He looks at himself as a guy who had to put in his time. The 49ers didn’t draft him, he had to go to Butte Community College, he had to fight his way in at Cal, he had to wait three years for Brett Favre [to leave]. But when he got his chance, he wanted to be ready, and he was.”

For Charles Woodson, professional reclamation came in a place he didn’t want to go.

“They thought I was done. They thought I couldn’t play the game anymore. ‘He’s lost a step, can’t coach him, sleeping in meetings, bad locker room guy.’ Could I still play football? No question about it.” — Woodson on leaving the Oakland Raiders and signing with the Packers in 2006

“That’s the reason why you love the game. It’s for that moment. It’s to win the Super Bowl. It’s everything.” — Woodson on winning the Super Bowl

I said to Dave that after watching the screener, Woodson seems like the most complex character of the three.

“He’s the Most Interesting Man in the World,” Dave said. “He should be the Dos Equis guy. When in Rome, you act like Charles Woodson! Charles really is multi-multi layered. He is a cocky, self-confident guy, and rightly so — he can cover a guy in his sleep. He knows what offenses are going to run before they break the huddle. He made Tramon Williams(notes) the cornerback he is today, and he made Nick Collins(notes) the ball-hawking safety he is today.

“And because it came so easy to him, he took it for granted early on. He didn’t play attention in meetings early in his career. He didn’t bust his butt on the practice field, and he could be a little off-putting at times … He got knocked down a peg. He’s saying, ‘Here I am, I’m a free agent, and nobody wants me.’ Who wants him? Green Bay. And he says, ‘I’m not going there.’ He’s a freelancing, wild California kid with a winery in California, and life is good, and it’s sunny … and Green Bay wants him? All that place is is snow and cheese, as far as he’s concerned. But it was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he tells you that, too.”

For Mike McCarthy, his well-deserved name as one of the NFL’s best coaches came at the expense of his hometown team.

“It was really an exciting time for everybody involved in Green Bay, and even more so for my family in particular. I know everybody takes a lot of pride in the success of their son and siblings and everything, but we would have definitely preferred it had it been someone else, you know, other than Pittsburgh.” — Mike McCarthy

I asked Dave about my own impressions of McCarthy, gleamed as they are from a couple of scouting combines — this is a man with absolutely no artifice about him. He is pure football, through and through. The prototypical “Pittsburgh guy” in that regard.

“When you sit down with a guy like Mike … he is not dramatic,” Dave said. ”He hates drama. He can’t stand anything flamboyant, or any team that draws attention to itself. What you see is what you get, and Mike takes a great deal of pride in being the same guy every day. He has that no-nonsense, Pittsburgh attitude — hell, he loves the Steelers. He loved the Pirates and Steelers growing up, he coached at Pitt, and they were all successful then. So, sure enough, what does fate make you do but beat your favorite team in the Super Bowl? And that’s just the way it was.

“We pull no punches with these interviews, and we tell them no questions beforehand. The McCarthy interview lasted about two hours. Aaron knows we’re going to talk about Brett Favre. Mike knows we’re going to talk about how he didn’t draft Aaron when he was a coordinator in San Francisco. And Charles knows we’re going to talk about his rough days in Oakland.

“And they’re more than willing to talk about it, because they’re celebrating a wonderful season.”

“Being one of the few people to be able to talk about that run last year was an honor and a privilege. It’s something that it’ll be a part of my legacy, [Aaron Rodgers'] legacy, coach [Mike] McCarthy’s legacy. It was just a great, great feeling being a part of it, talking about it, having those thoughts of what we went through as a team to get to the top of our profession. Again, honored and privileged to be one of the guys, one of the few, to be able to talk about it.” — Charles Woodson 

Related: Tramon Williams, Nick Collins, Aaron Rodgers, Charles Woodson, Brett Favre, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers

If defense wins championships, the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints must have missed the memo.

The old adage seemed preposterous Thursday night after the teams figuratively and literally kicked off the new season at Lambeau Field. After all, the Packers were Super Bowl champions last season, while the Saints claimed their first-ever title the year prior.

Playing to a 42-34 final may excite fans, but it causes defensive coaches to pull their hair out (if they have any left at this point).

Oddly enough, it was defensive plays that highlighted the win for Green Bay. After the Packers put together an efficient touchdown drive where Rodgers showed no signs of rust or a Super Bowl hangover, Saints wide receiver Marques Colston fumbled the ball back to Green Bay in prime position to tack on another score. The early momentum gave the Packers a command of the game that they would maintain throughout the night.

The Saints scratched and clawed until the final play, as they needed a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie the game. Quarterback Drew Brees was able to drive the New Orleans offense to the Green Bay goalline after a pass interference penalty as time expired gave the Saints a final opportunity.

New Orleans gave the last-chance carry to rookie running back Mark Ingram, who was met in the middle by the Packers defense – an unfitting end to a game that, at times, resembled a track meet.

A few exquisite examples of shoddy tackling gave way to an abnormally high output of offensive fireworks. Not only were both quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Brees dominating the statistical categories, even the special teams were shining on both sides. After the smoke cleared, Brees (32-of-49 passes, 419 yards, three touchdowns) and Rodgers (27-for-35 for 312 yards and three first-half touchdowns) had stat lines that read like something out of a video game.

New Saints returner Darren Sproles and rookie Randall Cobb shattered expectations as each brought back kicks for scores. Sproles, formerly of the San Diego Chargers, scampered 72 yards for a score on a punt return. Cobb brought a kickoff from eight yards deep in the end zone out, and completed a 108-yard return for a touchdown.

In the nationally-televised event, the skill players proved to be the biggest stars of the night – with all due respect to opening musical acts Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5 and Kid Rock.

Make no mistake about it, those looking for textbook tackles and sound kick coverage were in for disappointment.

On the other hand, those interested in pass-heavy offenses and game-breaking returns were in for a treat.

It may difficult to gauge since both teams are known for extraordinary offense, but in the weeks to come, it will become more evident who has the defense to be successful over the course of the season. Keep in mind, it was just the first game of the season. This bit of anecdotal evidence does not disprove the idea behind “defense wins championships.” 

After 16 regular contests, a few playoff games and a Super Bowl, a team will have to figure out how to make a few defensive plays along the way to win it all. Both the Saints and the Packers have done so in recent history.

It will be interesting to see if either or both can develop into a more complete team. If they can, they may have another Super Bowl run ahead.

Michael Tortorich is sports editor of the Gonzales Weekly Citizen. His weekly column is available in print and at weeklycitizen.com. He can be found on Twitter at @MikeTortorich.

Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and the reigning Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers beat the New Orleans Saints 42-34 in the opening game of the NFL season.

Rodgers became the first player to throw three touchdowns in the first quarter of an opener since Buffalo’s Jack Kemp in 1964, and traded big plays and scoring drives with Saints captain Drew Brees all night.

“We knew if we gave Aaron time he’s usually able to pick defenses apart,” Packers center Scott Wells said. “We protected him well and he played great.”

Rodgers completed 27 of 35 passes for 312 yards and sparked the Packers to the most points by any reigning Super Bowl champion in a season opener.

“We went out and played well. We showed what this offensive can do,” Green Bay receiver Donald Driver said. “This team is dangerous. If we keep playing at this level, the sky is the limit.”

Green Bay, whose record 13 NFL titles include four in the Super Bowl era, celebrated last February’s title-game triumph over Pittsburgh and began the business of adding yet another championship banner at historic Lambeau Field.

“It was a good start for us,” Rodgers said. “It’s always great to come back at home. The fans are great. But we’re (only) 1-0. We move on.”

In a game dominated by offensive playmakers, Brees flipped his third touchdown pass of the night to Jimmy Graham from five yards to pull New Orleans within 42-34 with 2:15 remaining.

Driver recovered the Saints’ onside kick attempt but the Packers were unable to run out the clock and punted to New Orleans, giving Brees a chance to equalize.

“You have to applaud him for the effort,” Rodgers said of Brees. “Drew was on a roll. He played incredible. We were able to just hold on at the end.”

Brees completed five passes in a row to march the Saints to the Green Bay 10-yard line with three seconds to play.

His last toss went incomplete but referees ruled defensive pass interference against Green Bay, giving the Saints the ball at the Packers 1-yard line with an untimed down, one last play, to score a touchdown.

Green Bay’s defense stopped Mark Ingram’s run up the middle for no gain and the Packers had the victory.

“It was a hard-fought game,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “I was proud of the way we hung in there. There was a lot of momentum that went back and forth.

“There’s a lot of work for us to do. The progress we make from week one to week two will be important.”

The matchup of the past two Super Bowl winners kicked off a 2011 campaign that many feared might never happen when club owners locked out players in March. The fight on how to divide $9.3 billion in annual revenues was settled in July after a four-and-a-half-month shutdown and only one pre-season game was lost.

Rodgers threw touchdown passes of seven yards to Greg Jennings, three yards to Jordy Nelson and 32 yards to Randall Cobb to give the Packers a 21-7 lead after the first quarter. A 17-yard James Stark touchdown run gave them a 28-17 half-time lead.

Brees completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Robert Meachem in the first quarter, John Kasay kicked a 30-yard field goal and Darren Sproles returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown for the Saints in the first half.

Kasay kicked a 38-yard field goal 6:20 into the third quarter to pull the Saints back to 28-20, but the Packers struck back on the ensuing kickoff.

Cobb, making his NFL debut, returned the ball 108 yards for a touchdown to boost the Packers’ lead to 15 points and matching an NFL record for the longest kickoff return in league history in the process.

But just 92 seconds later, Brees answered for the Saints, connecting with Devery Henderson on a 29-yard pass that pulled New Orleans within 35-27.

“We hit a lull there in the third quarter,” Rodgers said. “We just couldn’t get our rhythm back.”

After New Orleans failed on a fourth-down play early in the fourth quarter, Green Bay drove 93 yards and took a 42-27 lead on John Kuhn’s one-yard touchdown run, setting up the closing drama.

Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and the reigning Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers beat the New Orleans Saints 42-34 in the opening game of the NFL season.

Rodgers became the first player to throw three touchdowns in the first quarter of an opener since Buffalo’s Jack Kemp in 1964, and traded big plays and scoring drives with Saints captain Drew Brees all night.

“We knew if we gave Aaron time he’s usually able to pick defenses apart,” Packers center Scott Wells said. “We protected him well and he played great.”

Rodgers completed 27 of 35 passes for 312 yards and sparked the Packers to the most points by any reigning Super Bowl champion in a season opener.

“We went out and played well. We showed what this offensive can do,” Green Bay receiver Donald Driver said. “This team is dangerous. If we keep playing at this level, the sky is the limit.”

Green Bay, whose record 13 NFL titles include four in the Super Bowl era, celebrated last February’s title-game triumph over Pittsburgh and began the business of adding yet another championship banner at historic Lambeau Field.

“It was a good start for us,” Rodgers said. “It’s always great to come back at home. The fans are great. But we’re (only) 1-0. We move on.”

In a game dominated by offensive playmakers, Brees flipped his third touchdown pass of the night to Jimmy Graham from five yards to pull New Orleans within 42-34 with 2:15 remaining.

Driver recovered the Saints’ onside kick attempt but the Packers were unable to run out the clock and punted to New Orleans, giving Brees a chance to equalize.

“You have to applaud him for the effort,” Rodgers said of Brees. “Drew was on a roll. He played incredible. We were able to just hold on at the end.”

Brees completed five passes in a row to march the Saints to the Green Bay 10-yard line with three seconds to play.

His last toss went incomplete but referees ruled defensive pass interference against Green Bay, giving the Saints the ball at the Packers 1-yard line with an untimed down, one last play, to score a touchdown.

Green Bay’s defense stopped Mark Ingram’s run up the middle for no gain and the Packers had the victory.

“It was a hard-fought game,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “I was proud of the way we hung in there. There was a lot of momentum that went back and forth.

“There’s a lot of work for us to do. The progress we make from week one to week two will be important.”

The matchup of the past two Super Bowl winners kicked off a 2011 campaign that many feared might never happen when club owners locked out players in March. The fight on how to divide $9.3 billion in annual revenues was settled in July after a four-and-a-half-month shutdown and only one pre-season game was lost.

Rodgers threw touchdown passes of seven yards to Greg Jennings, three yards to Jordy Nelson and 32 yards to Randall Cobb to give the Packers a 21-7 lead after the first quarter. A 17-yard James Stark touchdown run gave them a 28-17 half-time lead.

Brees completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Robert Meachem in the first quarter, John Kasay kicked a 30-yard field goal and Darren Sproles returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown for the Saints in the first half.

Kasay kicked a 38-yard field goal 6:20 into the third quarter to pull the Saints back to 28-20, but the Packers struck back on the ensuing kickoff.

Cobb, making his NFL debut, returned the ball 108 yards for a touchdown to boost the Packers’ lead to 15 points and matching an NFL record for the longest kickoff return in league history in the process.

But just 92 seconds later, Brees answered for the Saints, connecting with Devery Henderson on a 29-yard pass that pulled New Orleans within 35-27.

“We hit a lull there in the third quarter,” Rodgers said. “We just couldn’t get our rhythm back.”

After New Orleans failed on a fourth-down play early in the fourth quarter, Green Bay drove 93 yards and took a 42-27 lead on John Kuhn’s one-yard touchdown run, setting up the closing drama.

MOUNT PLEASANT – Former Central Michigan University star Frank Zombo saw his chance at a starting spot fade when he broke his scapula before an exhibition game against the Arizona Cardinals.

But the Green Bay linebacker expects to return this season and has been told that he would not be put on injured reserve.

Last season, Zombo signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent and finished as one of Green Bay’s most surprising players. Zombo finished with 38 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles, starting the Super Bowl at linebacker for Green Bay.

wbay.com: “I’m hearing all positive things, I feel great. Functionally, I can do a lot. I’m waiting on this bone to heal. Obviously I want it to happen as quick as possible, but it’s a process and I’m just going through it. Two, three weeks, that’s what I’m looking it right now. Just got out of X-rays right now. It’s looking good, so I’m pretty excited.”

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Ready or not, here comes the regular season.

Barely a month after the start of training camp and after four preseason games in which Aaron Rodgers played about a full game’s worth of possessions, the Super Bowl XLV-champion Green Bay Packers completed their preseason on Thursday night by beating the Kansas City Chiefs 20-19. A week from now, the stakes will be much, much higher with a season-opening, made-for-TV showdown Sept. 8 against the Super Bowl XLIV-champion New Orleans Saints.

“Absolutely, we’ll be ready,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “Yeah, we’re ready.”

Even with a lockout that robbed him of his beloved offseason program, McCarthy barely deviated from his typical preseason formula. A week after playing the first half at Indianapolis, the starters played one series against the Chiefs before giving way to dozens of players fighting for their professional livelihoods.

Or, better put, most of the starters played one series. Nine projected starters were given the night off because of injuries or, in the case of Pro Bowlers Charles Woodson, Greg Jennings, Nick Collins and Clay Matthews, to rest for games of infinitely greater importance. The team’s top five receivers got the night off, with Jennings joined on the sideline by Donald Driver (ankle), Jordy Nelson (knee), James Jones (knee) and Randall Cobb (knees). Also sitting was star tight end Jermichael Finley (ankle).

The starters were sharp during their cameo appearance. The No. 1 defense allowed one first down before undrafted rookie linebacker Vic So’oto, who likely solidified a roster spot, sacked Matt Cassel on third down to force a punt. The offense promptly drove 56 yards in eight plays for a touchdown, even with all of Rodgers’ top pass-catching weapons on the sideline. On the first snap, Ryan Grant blew through a huge hole on the right side for a 23-yard gain. Later, on third and 9, Rodgers sidestepped reigning AFC sacks champion Tamba Hali and hit undrafted rookie receiver Tori Gurley for 12 yards and a first down at the 8. One play later, Rodgers found tight end Tom Crabtree for a touchdown.

“I thought (the starters) were sharp; I thought they were sharp last week except for a handful of plays,” McCarthy said. “Hopefully when we watch the tape, we’re going to say we eliminated those couple of plays. Indianapolis, the first group did a lot of positive things, but the three or four negative plays put a damper on our performance. Even though we only played one series, I thought we were sharp.”

In four preseason games, Rodgers completed 78.7 percent of his passes with four touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 130.1. As long as he’s healthy, the Packers are prime contenders to become the ninth team in the Super Bowl era to win back-to-back championships. Grant, who carried four times for 31 yards against the Chiefs, looks like he’s back in form after missing all but about 20 minutes of last season with an ankle injury that required season-ending surgery. Another player who missed most of last season is Finley, who has flashed his game-breaking potential during limited preseason action. With Finley, Grant and the rookie Cobb, the Packers’ potent offense looks even more dangerous.

The offensive line, however, remains a major question mark. On his four passes, Rodgers felt the heat twice, including when Hali beat Pro Bowl left tackle Chad Clifton to the inside on the third-down pass to Gurley. And that’s on the heels of Clifton allowing two sacks and a quarterback hit and being flagged for holding at Indianapolis. At 35 and with a lengthy injury history, Clifton is one of the most important players on the roster because the Packers’ No. 2 line, in general, and first-round pick Derek Sherrod, in particular, performed so poorly during the preseason.

There are nagging concerns on defense, too. The Packers finished second in the NFL in sacks last season but lost standout defensive end Cullen Jenkins to NFC-rival Philadelphia in free agency. In the preseason, the Packers had a devil of a time getting to the quarterback. While defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ history suggests he can manufacture a pass rush regardless of the talent available, he’d prefer not to play that way because of the risk-reward of blitzing.

The strength of the defense, however, is its versatility. Want to run the ball? The Packers have three 340-pound defensive linemen and a rugged pair of inside linebackers. Want to pass the ball? They have arguably the NFL’s top trio of cornerbacks with Woodson, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields and a ballhawking safety in Collins. Plus, Matthews is among the league’s most-feared pass rushers.

“I’m feeling confident. I like where we are right now,” said Ryan Pickett, one of those big defensive linemen. “We kind of got back in the groove real quick (in training camp) and it felt like we never missed time, honestly. Just talking with the fellas, everything came together pretty quickly. Getting our plays, picking up tempo at practice, cutting down on mistakes — I think we did a pretty good job.”

Grant, too, believes the Packers are ready to go and eager to test themselves against one of the league’s powerhouses.

“It’s opening day, but it’s one of 16,” he said. “We want to set the stage and start the league off the right way and start our season off the right way.”

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Don’t tell Green Bay Packers linebacker Vic So’oto the last preseason game doesn’t mean anything.

With most of the Super Bowl champions’ marquee players on the sideline, So’oto likely sealed up his roster spot in the Packers’ 20-19 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

So’oto, an undrafted free agent out of BYU who ended up in Green Bay after his wife chose among multiple NFL offers, returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown. He had 11/2 sacks and a forced fumble.

He went out of his way to salute fans on his way off the field — but more than likely, it won’t be his last time at Lambeau Field.

“I bet you it would feel like being drafted in the first round, I guess,” So’oto said of potentially making the team. “Being able to be a part of a team, and especially a storied tradition over here with all of the Super Bowl championships and especially last year’s Super Bowl championship. It would be great to be out here.”

The Chiefs kept many of their starters in the game into the fourth quarter, but didn’t look particularly sharp against So’oto and the rest of the Packers’ backups. Kicker Ryan Succop missed a 56-yard attempt at the end of the game for Kansas City (0-4).

Chiefs coach Todd Haley said he was trying to get his players more experience.

“That’s a tricky subject, especially in a year like this year when the name of the game is to be ready Sept. 11,” Haley said of the season-opening Sunday. “I think we did everything we could to put ourselves in a position to be ready and now we just have to get on to Buffalo and get ready to go.”

It nearly backfired in a big way.

Packers defensive lineman Howard Green, a 340-pounder, gave the Chiefs a scare when he landed directly on top of Matt Cassel. The quarterback initially appeared to hurt his arm on the play but afterward said he was fine.

“I just got the wind knocked out of me,” Cassel said. “So they were just being cautious.”

Not as cautious as the Packers, who played Aaron Rodgers just one series. Rodgers threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tom Crabtree. Several other Packers veterans didn’t suit up, and the night belonged to So’oto.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy wasn’t ready to guarantee roster spots before Saturday’s cutdown, but did speak highly of So’oto.

“I’ll tell you, I think Vic played outstanding tonight,” McCarthy said.

So’oto, who recently said he came to the Packers after his wife choose among offers from Green Bay, Arizona and Miami, already seemed likely to make the roster with a surprising performance in training camp. Thursday’s game might have been all he needed and then some.

With the Chiefs facing third-and-6 on their first possession, So’oto shed his block and sacked Cassel. He made another big play with the Chiefs driving on their second possession, forcing a fumble by Jamaal Charles.

So’oto made his biggest play in the third quarter, dropping into coverage and picking off a pass by Tyler Palko and rumbling into the end zone to give Green Bay a 20-16 lead. So’oto then did a “Lambeau Leap” into the stands.

Meanwhile, pass protection continued to be an issue for the Packers in the preseason. Backup center Nick McDonald snapped a ball over the head of backup quarterback Matt Flynn, leading to a safety — and adding to concerns about the Packers’ offensive line depth.

“You have to look at it,” McCarthy said. “A couple times, we had some obvious mistakes.”

Although Cassel left the game after he took the hard hit from Green, Kansas City continued to play its offensive starters. Both their first-half touchdown drives came against Packers backups.

The Chiefs went out of their way to get their first-team offense one last tuneup, even trying a fake punt and onside kick in the first half. The fake punt worked, continuing a drive that ended with Cassel throwing a 10-yard touchdown to Dexter McCluster.

With time running out in the first half, Palko threw a 2-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe on 4th down. The call was upheld on a replay review.

But after a shaky and winless preseason, the Chiefs know they have to be better.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s preseason or second string, we have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot,” Palko said. “We’re our biggest enemy at times.”

NOTES: Chiefs S Eric Berry was called for a personal foul on a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first half. … Packers rookie CB Davon House injured his ankle in the second quarter. … Bowe had eight catches for 85 yards.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Don’t tell Green Bay Packers linebacker Vic So’oto the last preseason game doesn’t mean anything.

With most of the Super Bowl champions’ marquee players on the sideline, So’oto likely sealed up his roster spot in the Packers’ 20-19 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

So’oto, an undrafted free agent out of BYU who ended up in Green Bay after his wife chose among multiple NFL offers, returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown. He had 1 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble.

He went out of his way to salute fans on his way off the field – but more than likely, it won’t be his last time at Lambeau Field.

“I bet you it would feel like being drafted in the first round, I guess,” So’oto said of potentially making the team. “Being able to be a part of a team, and especially a storied tradition over here with all of the Super Bowl championships and especially last year’s Super Bowl championship. It would be great to be out here.”

The Chiefs kept many of their starters in the game into the fourth quarter, but didn’t look particularly sharp against So’oto and the rest of the Packers’ backups. Kicker Ryan Succop missed a 56-yard attempt at the end of the game for Kansas City (0-4).

Chiefs coach Todd Haley said he was trying to get his players more experience.

“That’s a tricky subject, especially in a year like this year when the name of the game is to be ready Sept. 11,” Haley said of the season-opening Sunday. “I think we did everything we could to put ourselves in a position to be ready and now we just have to get on to Buffalo and get ready to go.”

It nearly backfired in a big way.

Packers defensive lineman Howard Green , a 340-pounder, gave the Chiefs a scare when he landed directly on top of Matt Cassel . The quarterback initially appeared to hurt his arm on the play but afterward said he was fine.

“I just got the wind knocked out of me,” Cassel said. “So they were just being cautious.”

Not as cautious as the Packers, who played Aaron Rodgers just one series. Rodgers threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tom Crabtree . Several other Packers veterans didn’t suit up, and the night belonged to So’oto.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy wasn’t ready to guarantee roster spots before Saturday’s cutdown, but did speak highly of So’oto.

“I’ll tell you, I think Vic played outstanding tonight,” McCarthy said.

So’oto, who recently said he came to the Packers after his wife choose among offers from Green Bay, Arizona and Miami, already seemed likely to make the roster with a surprising performance in training camp. Thursday’s game might have been all he needed and then some.

With the Chiefs facing third-and-6 on their first possession, So’oto shed his block and sacked Cassel. He made another big play with the Chiefs driving on their second possession, forcing a fumble by Jamaal Charles .

So’oto made his biggest play in the third quarter, dropping into coverage and picking off a pass by Tyler Palko and rumbling into the end zone to give Green Bay a 20-16 lead. So’oto then did a “Lambeau Leap” into the stands.

Meanwhile, pass protection continued to be an issue for the Packers in the preseason. Backup center Nick McDonald snapped a ball over the head of backup quarterback Matt Flynn , leading to a safety – and adding to concerns about the Packers’ offensive line depth.

“You have to look at it,” McCarthy said. “A couple times, we had some obvious mistakes.”

Although Cassel left the game after he took the hard hit from Green, Kansas City continued to play its offensive starters. Both their first-half touchdown drives came against Packers backups.

The Chiefs went out of their way to get their first-team offense one last tuneup, even trying a fake punt and onside kick in the first half. The fake punt worked, continuing a drive that ended with Cassel throwing a 10-yard touchdown to Dexter McCluster .

With time running out in the first half, Palko threw a 2-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe on 4th down. The call was upheld on a replay review.

But after a shaky and winless preseason, the Chiefs know they have to be better.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s preseason or second string, we have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot,” Palko said. “We’re our biggest enemy at times.”

So’oto, an undrafted free agent out of BYU who ended up in Green Bay after his wife chose among multiple NFL offers, returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown. He had 1½ sacks and a forced fumble.

He went out of his way to salute fans on his way off the field — but more than likely, it won’t be his last time at Lambeau Field.

“I bet you it would feel like being drafted in the first round, I guess,” So’oto said of potentially making the team. “Being able to be a part of a team, and especially a storied tradition over here with all of the Super Bowl championships and especially last year’s Super Bowl championship. It would be great to be out here.”

The Chiefs kept many of their starters in the game into the fourth quarter, but didn’t look particularly sharp against So’oto and the rest of the Packers’ backups. Kicker Ryan Succop missed a 56-yard attempt at the end of the game for Kansas City (0-4).

Chiefs coach Todd Haley said he was trying to get his players more experience.

“That’s a tricky subject, especially in a year like this year when the name of the game is to be ready Sept. 11,” Haley said of the season-opening Sunday. “I think we did everything we could to put ourselves in a position to be ready and now we just have to get on to Buffalo and get ready to go.”

It nearly backfired in a big way.

Packers defensive lineman Howard Green, a 340-pounder, gave the Chiefs a scare when he landed directly on top of Matt Cassel. The quarterback initially appeared to hurt his arm on the play but afterward said he was fine.

“I just got the wind knocked out of me,” Cassel said. “So they were just being cautious.”

Not as cautious as the Packers, who played Aaron Rodgers just one series. Rodgers threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tom Crabtree. Several other Packers veterans didn’t suit up, and the night belonged to So’oto.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy wasn’t ready to guarantee roster spots before Saturday’s cutdown, but did speak highly of So’oto.

“I’ll tell you, I think Vic played outstanding tonight,” McCarthy said.

So’oto, who recently said he came to the Packers after his wife choose among offers from Green Bay, Arizona and Miami, already seemed likely to make the roster with a surprising performance in training camp. Thursday’s game might have been all he needed and then some.

With the Chiefs facing third-and-6 on their first possession, So’oto shed his block and sacked Cassel. He made another big play with the Chiefs driving on their second possession, forcing a fumble by Jamaal Charles.

So’oto made his biggest play in the third quarter, dropping into coverage and picking off a pass by Tyler Palko and rumbling into the end zone to give Green Bay a 20-16 lead. So’oto then did a “Lambeau Leap” into the stands.

Meanwhile, pass protection continued to be an issue for the Packers in the preseason. Backup center Nick McDonald snapped a ball over the head of backup quarterback Matt Flynn, leading to a safety — and adding to concerns about the Packers’ offensive line depth.

“You have to look at it,” McCarthy said. “A couple times, we had some obvious mistakes.”

Although Cassel left the game after he took the hard hit from Green, Kansas City continued to play its offensive starters. Both their first-half touchdown drives came against Packers backups.

The Chiefs went out of their way to get their first-team offense one last tuneup, even trying a fake punt and onside kick in the first half. The fake punt worked, continuing a drive that ended with Cassel throwing a 10-yard touchdown to Dexter McCluster.

With time running out in the first half, Palko threw a 2-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe on 4th down. The call was upheld on a replay review.

But after a shaky and winless preseason, the Chiefs know they have to be better.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s preseason or second string, we have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot,” Palko said. “We’re our biggest enemy at times.”

NOTES: Chiefs S Eric Berry was called for a personal foul on a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first half. … Packers rookie CB Davon House injured his ankle in the second quarter. … Bowe had eight catches for 85 yards.

___

Connect with AP Sports Writer Chris Jenkins: www.twitter.com/ByChrisJenkins

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

GREEN BAY, Wis. — If Vic So’oto turns out to be a keeper, the Green Bay Packers personnel department will owe his wife Ashley a huge thank-you.

“I live by the motto, ‘Happy wife, happy life,’” So’oto said with a grin.

That credo may also lead him to a roster spot with the defending Super Bowl champions.

After going undrafted out of BYU this spring, the rookie outside linebacker had three offers when the NFL lockout was lifted in late July — from the Packers, Cardinals and Dolphins. The Cardinals were the only team he visited before the draft, and while Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene called him during the draft, So’oto didn’t have a preference when the signing period opened.

“Going undrafted, you know that all the teams have passed you up at least seven times,” So’oto explained in advance of Thursday’s preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, a game that could make or break his bid for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster. “I didn’t really mind where I went, so my wife made the decision, and here I am. It’s the best spot I could be in.”

Ashley’s reasoning was simple: During the lockout, he husband worked out in the San Diego area with then-Packers players Brad Jones, Brandon Chillar, Brett Swain and Jarrett Bush. She took that as a sign.

“She kind of liked the whole Green Bay feel,” So’oto said. “She’s like, ‘You’ve been working out with guys, and I really have a good feeling about Green Bay.’”

It’s the way So’oto has fit the Packers’ 3-4 defense that could make for a perfect blend of player, family and team.

So’oto and fellow undrafted rookie Jamari Lattimore each had sacks in the Packers’ 24-21 victory over Indianapolis last Friday, and both will get a long look against the Chiefs at Lambeau Field. So’oto’s sack came against Colts starting right tackle Ryan Diem and forced a Curtis Painter fumble that the Packers recovered.

While neither player has the first-round pedigree of Pro Bowl outside linebacker Clay Matthews, they do fit the Packers’ knack for unearthing undrafted talent and for finding promising outside linebackers in less prominent places.

The three primary competitors for the starting job opposite Matthews all came from humble NFL beginnings: Frank Zombo, who is sidelined with a fractured shoulder blade, was undrafted out of Central Michigan last year and had a sack in the Super Bowl; Erik Walden was on the street when injuries struck and wound up recording three sacks in a playoff-clinching victory over Chicago in the regular-season finale; and Jones was a 2009 seventh-round pick who started eight games as a rookie and started five more last year before a season-ending shoulder injury.

By SportsDirect

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Frank Zombo is sidelined indefinitely after breaking one of his shoulder blades, leaving the Green Bay Packers with one less option at outside linebacker.

The team has not established a specific timeline for Zombo’s return, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that Zombo will miss a significant amount of time.

Zombo broke the scapula in a collision with fullback John Kuhn during warmups before Friday night’s preseason game against Arizona, but still played in the game and didn’t find out about the severity of his injury until later.

“Honestly, I just thought it was a bruise,” Zombo said. “It hurt, but I really didn’t think anything was broken. I thought it was just a serious bruise and I’d just get treated afterward and the swelling would go down and I’d be all right.”

To McCarthy, it was a sign of Zombo’s toughness.

“That tells you something about Frank,” he said.

Zombo, an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan, played in 13 games with eight starts as a rookie last season. He also started and recorded a sack in the Super Bowl.

Zombo was competing with Erik Walden and Brad Jones for a starting outside linebacker job in training camp. He does not expect to be placed on season-ending injured reserve.

“They haven’t said anything about that,” Zombo said. “I certainly hope not. I don’t think it’s that serious of an injury that it’d be the whole season. I definitely hope not. But I was playing great up until then. I graded out at 100 percent, I played 30 plays with one arm, so it really did hurt because I played really well with one arm.

Linebacker Clay Matthews knows a thing or two about playing hurt, going last season with a stress fracture in his shin. He was impressed that Zombo played against the Cardinals.

“That’s a broken shoulder blade right there. That’s pretty tough,” he said. “Already there’s a competition at that right outside linebacker spot, and with Frank down that’s definitely a hit there. We need Frank to get back and get strong. He’s been having a heck of a camp. We need to get him back as soon as possible.”

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