• The game: If you weren’t a Jag fan — unfortunately, you probably were — it may have been the best game here in several years. The Jags seemed to have things under control with a 21-7 second half lead, but they didn’t have Packer QB Brett Favre under control and he brought them back.
• Favre: “No one wants to win more than me. No one. I told my teammates that they had to forget dropped passes and missed tackles, and that we’d get it going. I knew I could control things; after all, I touch the ball on every play.
This ranks as one of the better wins I’ve been part of. Anytime, anywhere. Super Bowls, too.”
• Jag Coach Tom Coughlin was oddly subdued and even seemed a bit distracted after the game. The Coughlin-to-Notre Dame speculation continued Monday night.
• Monday Night Football brings out the celebs to either hang out or promote their next venture on ABC and among those here were former Packers all-pro running back Paul Hornung, actor Samuel L. Jackson, who is filming a movie here (and wore a University of Tennessee shirt,) and heavyweight boxing champ Lennox Lewis. News coverage extended across the pond, too: four London newspapers had reporters on the scene.
• It just seems that Jag owner Wayne Weaver has his hands in everything. But, even though the stadium’s popcorn brand is “Pop Weaver,” he doesn’t own it.
• Tough going getting in. Ushers said it was the worst late rush to seats they’d seen and most of the tunnels were elbow-to-elbow. And when the Packers fans finally made it into the stadium, many had difficulty finding their seats, and in some cases had to walk completely around the stadium to get to the right section.
• The in-stadium retail outlets have done a “consistent” business this season, according to one merchant. The Football Fanatic outlet in the north end of the stadium was doing a brisk business before Monday’s game. And the most popular item? “Everything sells well,” said one clerk.
• Nice gesture by ABC field reporter Eric Dickerson. As he was coming on the field for pregame activities, Dickerson acknowledged the fans, stopping to shake hands with several in the front row.
• That long line near the Jaguars section of the NFL Decades exhibition on the west side of the stadium wasn’t the beer line. Former Jaguars defensive lineman Jeff Lagemann and his wife Missy were signing autographs before the game.
• Nice touch at the NFL Decades: the floor of the exhibition space has been painted to resemble a football field.
• Vito’s Italian Cafe at the Landing was seemingly the unofficial headquarters Monday night for Packers fans. Several hundred were in a festive, pregame mood, singing the jingle for the Meow Mix cat food commercial to deride the Jags. Huey’s, Hooters and Southend Brewery also drew large crowds of green and gold clad fans, but at least two groups left American Cafe because of slow service.
• Recommended: the BBQ pork sandwich at a booth in the lower level of the east stands. Cost: $5, but it’s worth it.
• Think security at the Super Bowl in New Orleans won’t be extremely tight this year? NFL Commissioner Paul Tagilabue says the Secret Service will be in charge of keeping the Superdome safe.
• Next week: the Jags travel to Cincinnati for a 1 p.m. game against the Bengals. It’s the first of three straight road games for the Jags, as they play four of their last five on the road.
—by Jeff Brooks and Fred Seely