Ahman Green joined the Green Bay Packers in 2000 after playing two seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. He went on to become the Packers all-time leading rusher, eventually surpassing Jim Taylor. Green gave the Packers a dominant running back that became the centerpiece of the Green Bay offense as Brett Favre aged. Today, we look back at Ahman Green’s first 100-yard game with the Packers in a big win over Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Remembering Ahman Green’s First 100-Yard Game with the Packers: The Buildup

The 2000 Green Bay Packers got off to a slow start under new head coach Mike Sherman. The team entered this game against the Colts with a 4-6 record. The previous week, they dropped a 20-15 decision to the Tampa Bay Bucs in Tampa.

The Colts entered this game at Lambeau Field with a 7-3 mark. Indianapolis had won four of their last five games and were fresh off a 23-15 win over the New York Jets. The Colts were a talented team with Manning, running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver Marvin Harrison giving them an elite offense. The Packers would have their hands full on this Sunday in a game they had to win to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

They’d have to do it with an injured Favre who suffered a sprained left foot the previous week against the Bucs. He was actually on crutches early in the week. Despite that, Favre extended his consecutive games started streak to 136.

The Packers were also without five key players who did not dress. They included running back Dorsey Levens, linebackers Brian Williams and Na’il Diggs, offensive tackle Earl Dotson and cornerback Mike McKenzie.

For his part, Green was off to a good but not great start. Twice he had gained more than 90 yards rushing in a game, but he had yet to top 100 yards in a game.

A Strong Start

The Packers defense got the scoring started. Green Bay moved the ball to the Colts 37 on their opening drive, but it stalled there. Punter Josh Bidwell pinned the Colts at their own six-yard line where they took over for their first possession.

Defensive end John Thierry sacked Manning and the knocked the ball out. Manning managed to fall on it in the end zone and the Packers had a safety and a 2-0 lead.

Green started his big day late in the first quarter. He ran around right end for 36 yards to start a Green Bay scoring drive. That set up a 42-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell and the Packers lead was up to 5-0.

The Pack extended their lead on their first possession of the second quarter. Green again broke a long run, gaining 25 yards off the right side. Favre also completed passes of 19 and 25 yards to Bill Schroeder and a 21-yard pass to tight end Bubba Franks. The drive ended on a one-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Tyrone Davis. The Packers led 12-0.

The Packers scored again the next time they had the ball. Favre was trying to exploit Tyrone Poole in the Colts secondary, and they did so often in this game. Poole interfered with Donald Driver which resulted in a 33-yard penalty. Favre found Driver for 24 yards later on the drive and culminated it with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman. The Packers led 19-0 at the half.

Remembering Ahman Green’s First 100-Yard Game with the Packers: The Colts Storm Back

The Colts made adjustments at the half and started to move the football. Manning found Harrison for 19 yards and James for 13 more. The Colts reached the Green Bay 13 but Santana Dotson sacked Manning on 3rd-and-8 and forced the Colts to settle for a 38-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt. Green Bay’s lead was cut to 19-3. That score held up through the end of the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Manning found E.G. Green for a 34-yard touchdown that cut the Green Bay lead to 19-10.

The Packers drove to the Colts 21 on their next drive, but Favre was intercepted by Ellis Johnson. Indianapolis marched right down the field and scored again on a five-yard pass from Manning to Jim Finn. The Green Bay lead was just two points at 19-17.

Just then, Packers special teams stepped up and saved the day. Kick returner Allen Rossum took the ensuring kickoff at the Packers eight, got a key block from David Bowens and ran it back 92 yards for a touchdown. That made it a two-score game at 26-17 with a little more than four minutes left in the game.

“Rossum has the speed, all he needs is a chance,” Bowens said. “I think we gave him a good chance today and he took it.”

Manning immediately drove the Colts downfield and pulled them back to within two points on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jerome Pathon. That made the score 26-24.

The Packers then surprised everybody by passing on first down. Favre found Schroeder 22 yards and then an 11-yard pass interference play got the ball to the Colts 47. Green ran for 19 more yards, and then three more runs for 11 more yards. The game ended with the Packers still in possession of the ball.

The Aftermath

Favre completed 23-of-36 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Dotson, who was playing on a bad ankle, managed two sacks. Schroeder caught eight passes for 155 yards while Green gained 153 yards on 24 carries including 105 in the first half. Green also picked up two key first downs on the final drive to run out the clock.

“It’s just about him playing with confidence,” Favre said when asked about Green. “Ahman has as much ability as any back in the league. Now, he’s being asked to be our star running back and a featured receiver, and today I think he proved to a lot of people what he can do. I told Ahman a few weeks ago that the only person who can stop him is himself.”

Favre was pleased with his team’s performance. “And the truth is we’ve played hard, we’ve played aggressive and we’ve played physical,” Favre told reporters. “That’s part of the formula for winning. The other aspect is you have to play smart, and we haven’t played very smart.”

The Packers finished the season with a 9-7 record in Sherman’s first season as coach. They missed the playoffs but set themselves and Green up for more the following season. Green finished the season with 1,175 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. It would be the first of five straight 1,000-yard seasons for the Nebraska alum.

 

 

 

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