Red flag key to Green 'n' Gold win

With some time to digest yesterday's Packers win at Kansas City, we can begin to look at individual keys to the win. While the Pack's playmakers did just that -- make plays -- in the second half, perhaps one of the biggest keys to the win was that little red flag in Coach McCarthy's pocket.

With just under 3 minutes remaining in the game and the Packers leading 23-22, KC QB Damon Huard completed a 36-yard pass to wide receiver Jeff Webb along the sidelines behind Al Harris at the Green Bay 42. It appeared Webb had both feet in before his momentum took him out of bounds. However, replays showed that his second foot came down on the line, thereby being an incomplete pass. Moments passed, and KC was in no hurry to get to the line to run a play...thank goodness. Apparently, the Packers assistant coaches upstairs saw the replays and called down to the sidelines. A camera shot of Coach McCarthy and one of the assistants on the sidelines seemed to show the assistant getting the word and telling McCarthy to challenge the play. He got that flag out and threw it as the Chiefs were breaking their huddle. Challenge made.

And, in those words we love to hear, "Upon further review...", challenge won. Talk about taking the wind out of the Chiefs' sails. Instead of a first down at the Packers 42 and needing a field goal to go ahead, well, sorry about that. Instead, the Pack gets the ball back after holding the Chiefs, Brett hits Donald Driver for a big one-handed catch over the middle for about 44 yards, setting up Mason Crosby's fourth field goal of the day. With the Pack now up by 4 with under 2 minutes to go, the Chiefs needed a TD to win. Except, the final TD went to the Packers on Charles Woodson's interception return with about a minute left in the game.

Green 'n' Gold are undoubtedly our favorite colors in the Packers Universe. But on this day in KC, red was also a very good color. Not in the form of the opposing team's colors, but that little red flag in Coach McCarthy's pocket.

For a more complete review of this key situation, you can read about it here.