Punter cant explain gaffe
Detroit - His teammates stood motionless and glanced around for any answers as to what had happened.

His position coach had never seen that happen in 18 years in the National Football League.

Fans watching at home might have needed the Heimlich maneuver performed to remove a wayward pretzel.

Whatever other reactions there were to Derrick Frosts muffed catch of a punt snap that led to a crucial safety in the fourth quarter Sunday against the Detroit Lions, Frost was right there with them.

I was obviously stunned, said Frost, whose Green Bay Packers eventually won, 48-25. That has never happened to me. Not in the preseason. Not in a practice. Never.

The Packers had just failed to gain a first down, after giving up a touchdown that shaved their lead to 24-16, with 11 minutes 44 seconds left. The snap for the punt was a little high from Brett Goode, but Frost didnt have to leap to catch it. He raised his arms to catch the ball at the goal line, and it simply went through his hands and out the back of the end zone for two points.

I just didnt catch it. I really just didnt catch it, Frost said. I dont know why it happened, it just did. Im not real happy. I feel like I let a lot of guys down, especially when we needed some momentum and I just didnt help us at all trying to get it back. Its the way it goes sometimes, unfortunately.

The Packers held after Frosts free kick as the punter sat on the end of the bench by himself for a while.

The Packers specifically released Jon Ryan after final cuts so they could sign Frost, who had been cut by the Washington Redskins. His directional punting has definitely been an improvement over Ryan in the Packers first two games. But even that failed Frost on his first punt after the safety. His 52-yarder down the middle was returned for 20 yards.

Yeah, it was too low, Frost said. I was trying to get it out there and I just reached for it and just drove it down the middle.

Im just really disappointed in my performance late in the game. I really feel like thats one of the reasons they brought me in here and I really pride myself in coming up when I need to. I just didnt today. People are going to try to analyze it and find reasons for it. Sometimes bad things just happen.

Injury list: [ul]Fullback Korey Hall injured his left knee in the first quarter and didnt return. Coach Mike McCarthy gave no indication about the severity of the injury.

Safety Atari Bigby suffered what he called a cramp in his hamstring on the Lions last play from scrimmage of the first half. If forced to continue, Bigby said he could have.

Safety Aaron Rouse replaced Bigby even though he suffered a sprained ankle Thursday in practice and sat out Friday.

I was limited, Rouse said. I was not 100%.

With Rouse hurt, it was expected that safety Charlie Peprah would serve as the No. 3 safety. Instead, Peprah was inactive. He suffered a hamstring injury Aug. 5 but practiced last week.

I feel I could have went, Peprah said. But when they make their decisions who knows what theyre thinking.[/ul]

Line shuffle: [ul]In the middle of the first half, right guard Tony Moll was sent to the bench in favor of second-year guard Allen Barbre in an attempt by the coaches to get Barbre some experience.

Barbre went in at left guard and Daryn Colledge moved over from left guard to replace Moll. The coaches gave Barbre a series in the second half, too.

Its hard to get a sense of what a guy is capable of doing until you get him in a game, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. It wasnt that we said Tony has to come out of the game, its just more in the lines of over the long haul theres a lot of variables and things can happen.

Allens earned some opportunities to play in the game and we need to see how he responds in the game.

Center Scott Wells and guard Josh Sitton, both starters in training camp, will be back from injury soon. Then the coaches will have some difficult choices to make because if they decide to return both to the lineup, either Colledge or Jason Spitz will have to go to the bench.[/ul]

Looking ahead: [ul]Someone asked quarterback Aaron Rodgers during his postgame news conference whether he was looking forward to going back to Dallas next week.

I wish we were going to Dallas, but were not, Rodgers said, reminding the reporter that the game is in Green Bay.

Rodgers relieved Brett Favre during the game against the Cowboys last season in Dallas and almost engineered a come-from-behind victory.

Im excited about starting out the game 0-0 against them, Rodgers said. They have a big game (tonight) and well be watching that. They have a great team.[/ul]