The Green Bay Packers lost Pro Bowl wide receiver Donald Driver and their unbeaten preseason record in a 21-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lambeau Field on Thursday night.
After sputtering under starting quarterback Byron Leftwich, the Jaguars' offense woke up when backup David Garrard entered the game early in the third quarter. Playing against the Packers' second-string defense, Garrard played two series and led the Jaguars (2-1) to two touchdowns.
A bigger concern for the Packers was the status of Driver, who was taken to the locker room just before halftime with an injury to his right foot.
He was injured after catching a pass from Rodgers late in the second quarter and spinning away from cornerbacks Terry Cousin and Brian Williams. Driver then was tackled by safety Sammy Knight and landed awkwardly.
Driver was helped off the field, then sat in the front seat of a motorized cart as he was taken to locker room at the two-minute warning to undergo medical tests. He did not return to the game.
"He's in good spirits," McCarthy said of Driver. "So we'll have more information tomorrow."
McCarthy said he didn't have any reason to think Driver had a more serious fracture-dislocation that could sideline a player for months.
McCarthy, who went into Thursday's game planning to play his starters less than three quarters to preserve their health, said he second-guessed himself about not taking Driver out of the game at the same time he rested Favre.
"That's part of the game," McCarthy said. "It's unfortunate. Hopefully, it's not serious."
Garrard opened with a 7-play, 45-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by LaBrandon Toefield. He came back with a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end George Wrighster to put the Jaguars ahead 14-10 late in the second quarter.
Garrard was 6-for-7 for 97 yards and a touchdown before he was replaced by third-string quarterback Quinn Gray, who played despite the death of his father Thursday morning.
Leftwich was 6-of-16 for 67 yards, often dodging pressure from the Packers' defensive line - the Jaguars were missing two starting offensive linemen - and overthrowing open receivers several times.
Brett Favre and the Packers' first-string offense got off to a slow start due in part to shaky play from two of their most important rookies, wide receiver James Jones and running back Brandon Jackson.
On third-and-10 late in the first quarter, Jones caught a ball from Favre that appeared to be good for a first down, but was stripped of the ball by cornerback Rashean Mathis and the ball was recovered by Williams.
Later Jones drew Favre's ire when he cut off a shallow crossing route and Favre threw incomplete. Favre motioned emphatically to Jones after the play.
Jackson, a second-round pick out of Nebraska, struggled to find holes, carrying 11 times for only 20 yards.
Favre was 14-for-20 for 130 yards and led the Packers to a field goal before he was relieved by Aaron Rodgers just before halftime.
Rodgers immediately led the Packers on a 9-play, 73-yard drive, ending with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jackson.
Jones and Jackson both showed bursts of their ability late in the second half. Jones caught three straight passes for first downs on the first drive under Rodgers, and the drive ended with two big plays by Jackson: an 11-yard catch to set up first-and-goal, and a 1-yard touchdown run on the next play.
Jaguars linebacker Brian Iwuh returned an interception of Packers quarterback Ingle Martin for a touchdown in the final minute of the game, putting the Jaguars ahead 21-13.
