GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Green Bay Packers' 31-24 victory against the New York Jets on Sunday at Lambeau Field:
If fans in the stands or those watching on TV were in a panic over the Jets' apparent 36-yard touchdown pass that would have tied the game late in the fourth quarter, the Packers were not. To a man, every player interviewed in the locker room said the same thing -- that they heard the officials blow the whistle to grant the Jets a timeout shortly before the snap. Cornerback Tramon Williams, who was in coverage when Geno Smith heaved the ball to receiver Jeremy Kerley on the dead play, said, "I heard it before the snap. I heard it during the play, too. I think they might have blown it four or five times. So I heard it then."
Receiver Jordy Nelson doesn't normally come to the media auditorium for his postgame interviews, but after catching nine passes for a career-high 209 yards, that's where he found himself. And Nelson, who does not like the spotlight, said: "I’m going to hate this, so go ahead," as he walked to the podium. Nelson posted the fourth-highest single-game receiving total in team history.
It was alumni day at Lambeau Field, with dozens of ex-Packers players on the field before the game and at halftime. But there was one major absence -- Bart Starr, who sustained a mild stroke last week. "We obviously miss Bart Starr here today," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Bart, we're thinking about you."
With 346 yards passing, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers moved past Starr and into second on the team's career passing yardage list with 24,732. He trails only Brett Favre. Said Rodgers: "It’s an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence with him. You know, thinking about him today a lot as it was alumni day, and I got to see Willie [Davis] and Fuzzy [Thurston] and actually some guys that I played with, which starts to age you a little bit. But I was definitely thinking about Bart and I wish he’d been here. I wish him the best. We're thinking and praying for him. Personally, you know him and I have become close over the last few years and it's been hard seeing him go through this."