Chapter 15 Last Week of Preseason

Packers vs. Titans Preseason Showdown

The Lambeau Field stadium, during the third week of the 2006 NFL preseason. The stands are filled with fans eagerly anticipating the game. The Green Bay Packers are facing off against the Tennessee Titans. The Packers' coaching staff, including Mike McCarthy, are stationed on the sidelines, ready to evaluate their team's performance, especially with the new offensive plays.

Opening Scene: First Quarter

Titans Offense: The game begins with the Titans' offense on the field. Vince Young, the rookie quarterback, is under center with Travis Henry in the backfield. The Titans' offensive line consists of Michael Roos (LT), Benji Olson (LG), Kevin Mawae (C), Jacob Bell (RG), and David Stewart (RT). The receiving corps includes Derrick Mason and Bennett.

Young: (calling out signals) "Set, hut!"

The Titans run a basic running play, but Aaron Kampman and Corey Williams quickly close in, making the tackle for a loss of 2 yards.

McCarthy: (watching from the sidelines, nodding approvingly) "Good start, defense."

Titans' drive stalls. Craig Hentrich punts the ball to the Packers.

Packers' Offense:

Favre: (taking the snap, looking to make a play) "Set, hut!"

The Packers run one of the new plays, 'Jet Motion RPO,' with Jennings in motion. Favre attempts a pass to Driver but is pressured by Keith Bulluck, causing an incomplete pass.

McCarthy: (shouting from the sidelines) "Brett, remember to read the defense! The motion is designed to open up the field!"

Favre: (frustrated, signaling to his teammates) "I got it, I got it!"

Packers' drive stalls. Jon Ryan punts the ball back to the Titans.

Titans Offense:

Young: (calling an audible) "Alright, let's go with 'Trips Left, 24 Power.'"

The Titans run a power play to Henry, but Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk read the play perfectly and stop him for a minimal gain.

Titans' drive stalls. Hentrich punts again.

Packers' Offense:

Rodgers: (coming in for his first series) "Alright, let's go with 'Empty Backfield RPO.'"

Rodgers snaps the ball, quickly reads the defense, and throws a perfect slant to Greg Jennings for a 15-yard gain. The Titans' defense, led by Bulluck and Cortland Finnegan, is caught off-guard.

Rodgers: (calling the next play) "Let's go with 'Trips Right Jet Sweep.'"

Donald Driver takes the handoff from Rodgers and runs a jet sweep, gaining 20 yards before being tackled by Bulluck.

Rodgers: (adjusting his helmet) "Alright, let's keep it rolling."

The drive continues with Rodgers orchestrating the offense with precision. He executes a successful 'Trips Left RPO', faking a handoff to Ahman Green and hitting Driver on a quick screen. Driver makes a few moves and gains another 18 yards.

Rodgers: (as the drive nears the red zone) "Let's go with 'Jet Motion RPO' again."

Rodgers reads the defense, and with Jennings in motion, he quickly hits Driver in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Packers take the lead 7-0.

McCarthy: (cheering from the sidelines) "Great execution, Aaron! Exactly what we're looking for!"

Titans Offense:

Young: (trying to rally his team) "Come on, let's get something going."

The Titans run a quick pass to Derrick Mason, but Charles Woodson makes a great play, intercepting the pass and returning it for 25 yards before being tackled by Bennett.

McCarthy: (excitedly) "Great pick, Charles!"

Packers' Offense:

Rodgers: (back on the field, energized) "Let's run 'Trips Right Jet Sweep' again, but this time, let's fake the sweep and hit Jennings on a quick slant."

Rodgers executes the play flawlessly. He fakes the jet sweep and quickly finds Jennings, who makes a spectacular catch for a 28-yard gain.

Rodgers: (calling the next play) "Now, let's go with 'Empty Backfield RPO'."

Rodgers reads the defense and finds Driver in the end zone for a quick pass, resulting in another touchdown. The Packers extend their lead to 14-0.

Titans' Offense:

Young: (trying to get his team back into the game) "Alright, let's go with 'Trips Left 36 Draw.'"

Travis Henry runs a draw play, but Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and Ryan Pickett combine to stop him for no gain.

Titans' drive stalls. Hentrich punts the ball.

Packers' Offense:

Rodgers: (coming back on the field for another drive) "Alright, let's run 'Trips Right RPO.'"

Rodgers snaps the ball, quickly fakes a handoff to Green, and hits Jennings on a crossing route. Jennings makes a few defenders miss and gains 22 yards.

Rodgers: (with confidence) "Let's finish this drive strong. 'Jet Motion RPO.'"

Rodgers reads the defense and completes a pass to Driver, who makes a spectacular catch and runs it into the end zone for another touchdown. The Packers lead 21-0.

McCarthy: (clapping, looking pleased) "Aaron, that was phenomenal. Great job executing those new plays."

Favre: (on the sideline, looking frustrated but determined) "I need to get this figured out. I'm not letting this kid outshine me."

Titans Offense:

Young: (trying to salvage the game) "Let's make something happen."

The Titans try a deep pass to Mason, but Al Harris intercepts the ball, returning it for 30 yards. The Titans are clearly struggling against the Packers' defense.

McCarthy: (encouraging the defense) "Excellent coverage, Al! Keep it up!"

Packers' Offense:

Rodgers: (coming back on the field for one final series) "Let's go with 'Trips Left Jet Motion.'"

Rodgers executes the play with precision, completing a quick pass to Jennings for another 15-yard gain.

Rodgers: (with a determined look) "Let's finish strong."

Rodgers completes the drive with a short pass to Driver, who scores his third touchdown of the game. The final score is Packers 28, Titans 0.

McCarthy: (gathering the team at midfield) "Great job today, everyone. Aaron, excellent work with the new plays. Brett, we'll keep working on it. Defense, fantastic performance. Let's take this momentum into the regular season."

Rodgers: (addressing the team with enthusiasm) "Great work, everyone. We're making progress, and it shows. Keep playing with that intensity and focus. We've got the talent and the drive to be great. Let's keep pushing, keep improving, and get ready to dominate the season."

I washed up and got in the car to go home, I took the long back roads something I tended to find soothing later in my career. I thought about the defense, while I wasn't a defensive mastermind I could help by making sure I played amazing in practice iron sharpens iron that's something so basic but something that goes a long way.