They should have never woke Peyton Manning up

For anyone on the defense, maybe it felt like a throwback to 1977, when the vaunted Orange Crush put this franchise on the map.

For the first time this season, the Packers were able to only score one touchdown, due to the potent Denver Bronco’s defense. Quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 340 yards while running backs C.J. Rodgers was only able to complete a handful of passes for just 77 yards.

“I don’t look at this like an “I told you so” moment because I don’t really listen to what you say in the first place”, he said. “That’s kind of been my approach”. The Green Bay Packers marched into Sports Authority Stadium looking for a win.

The injury bug bit the Packers again, too.

Manning recorded his 186th career regular-season win, tying Brett Favre for most victories by a starting quarterback in National Football League history.

“Frankly, (Broncos coach) Gary Kubiak had his team playing a lot faster than I had my team playing tonight”, McCarthy said. “Sometimes it might be a quarterback’s record, but I look at all those as a number of people contributing to all those wins”. “I haven’t had my a** kicked like that in a long time”. Last year, his spectacular second half landed him in the Pro Bowl.

Hillman made his first start since last November 9 and scored two quick TDs against the Packers.

In part because of Manning’s struggles and in part because of Rodgers’ good start to 2015, Green Bay came into this game as a three-point favorite. “Me and Ronnie are helping each other and using each other’s eyes and talking to each other on the sidelines”. “Tonight was more about what we didn’t do”. Simple adjustments could have saved this game, yet Green Bay did nothing. Which is extra hard against a defense that doesn’t miss tackles, doesn’t allow the deep pass down the field and a defensive line that would have sacked Rodgers an additional two or three times if he didn’t have the mobility he does. They have a good pass rush. In their first six games, the Broncos had forced 17 turnovers, so it was a minor victory for the Packers that they didn’t have any, although they did concede a safety after recovering a Rodgers fumble in the end zone. “We didn’t execute in the run game, we didn’t execute in the pass game and we didn’t convert on third down (2 of 8) and that’s why we got beat”. “Guys have to have that next man up mentality and be accountable and do their job as good as those guys and hold the position down until those guys get back”.

TOP COMPETITION: No time to think about the loss to Manning and the Broncos.

Next up for the Packers is a date with the 6-0 Carolina Panthers, who face the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night, in Charlotte at noon Central on Sunday.

I thought it wonderful Rodgers commented he didn’t get the running game or the passing game going, and blah, blah, blah, while he was no match for the Denver defense and completely outplayed by Peyton Manning. “Thank you, Vegas”, declared cornerback Chris Harris Jr., whose coverage skills helped turn the prime-time matchup into a mismatch. “You’ve got to do it every week”.