December 19th, 2010.
With Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines after suffering a concussion the week prior, Matt Flynn was inserted as the Packers starting quarterback against a New England Patriots team that finished the regular season 14 and 2.
To say the Packers were an underdog would be an understatement.
But something happened on that night in Foxboro. The Packers started the game by recovering an on-sides kick. Tom Brady was under pressure from the likes of BJ Raji and Howard Green.
The Packers held the ball for over 40 minutes and outgained the Patriots by over 100 yards.
Matt Flynn outplayed Tom Brady.
The end result of that game was a 31-27 loss. The Patriots erased a 6-point fourth quarter deficit to earn the win.
On Thursday night in Arizona, the injury and COVID-depleted Packers will be underdogs against the undefeated Cardinals. They may not win the game, but how the Packers respond to an adverse situation will explain a great deal about the winning culture in Green Bay.
In 2010, Mike McCarthy’s Packers rallied against the Patriots, but fell short. But you can’t tell me that night in Foxboro wasn’t a galvanizing moment for a Packers team that would win the Super Bowl five weeks later.
